Prince Harry’s Friend Oprah Winfrey Hopeful for ‘Peacemaking’ in Royal Family After Queen Elizabeth’s Death
Oprah Winfrey has spoken out about the strained relationship between her friend Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle, and the royal family, in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death. Winfrey, who befriended Harry and his wife after the couple moved to California, commented on the problematic issues within the clan.
Oprah Winfrey is a longtime friend of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
According to a February 2021 report by The Times, Meghan and Oprah met not too long before Meghan’s wedding to Harry in May 2018. The Times reported that Oprah “found herself in London” then and was invited by Markle to meet her at Kensington Palace in March 2018.
The former talk show host revealed that she first called Markle in February or March 2018 to ask if she was available for an interview. At the time, Meghan turned it down. Two months later, on May 19, 2018, Meghan and Harry invited Winfrey to be a guest at their wedding at St. George Cathedral at Windsor Castle.
It appears Prince Harry and Markle trusted Winfrey enough to be interviewed. In March 2021, the couple unleashed their unhappiness about how the royal family handled their courtship and subsequent marriage in a bombshell CBS interview.
Oprah Winfrey is hopeful for ‘peacemaking’ in the royal family in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death
Winfrey spoke to Extra on the red carpet at the Toronto Film Festival. Winfrey and Reginald Hudlin were in attendance to promote Sidney, their documentary about acting legend Sidney Poitier.
When asked about the death of Queen Elizabeth, Winfrey was hopeful for reconciliation between members of the royal family.
“Well, this is what I think, I think in all families — you know, my father passed recently, this summer, and when all families come together for a common ceremony, the ritual of, you know, burying your dead, there’s an opportunity for peacemaking. And hopefully, there will be that,” Winfrey responded.
The entertainment mogul was the first to sit down with the couple after they left their roles as senior royals
Markle’s headline-making interview included several explosive revelations about the couple and their fraught relationship with the British royal family.
Oprah explained that she wanted to be sure of Meghan and Harry’s goals for the interview ahead of time. During an interview on The Nancy O’Dell Channel on talkshoplive, Winfrey promoted her book What Happened To You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing.
Oprah explained that she wanted to be sure of Meghan and Harry’s goals for the interview ahead of time.
“I was surprised,” she said during the interview. “What? Are you going there? You’re going all the way there.” Winfrey continued, “What makes it powerful is when you have somebody else who is willing to be as open as vulnerable, as truthful as they were. The reason the interview was what it was because they answered the way they did.”
