Queen Elizabeth II Stunned by Interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

▲Queen Elizabeth II [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (94) is reported to have been deeply shocked by the interview given by Prince Harry and his wife, which targeted the British royal family.

On the 10th (local time), U.S. Fox News cited British royal expert Katie Nicholl's article in the entertainment magazine Vanity Fair, reporting, "The Queen is said to be stunned by the shocking revelations and the potential damage to the royal family's reputation."

It also reported, "She is greatly concerned about Prince Philip, who is recovering in the hospital after heart surgery."

Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, is 99 years old and underwent heart surgery at the hospital on the 3rd of this month.

Nicholl, citing sources, said, "The British royal family's statement regarding Prince Harry and his wife's interview was intended to manage the fallout from their bombshell interview."

It is unclear whether Queen Elizabeth II watched the interview broadcast herself, but she reportedly received a related report on the morning of the 8th.

Earlier, Nicholl reported that Prince Charles, Harry's father and the Prince of Wales, was in a state of despair over this scandal.

When Prince Charles visited a vaccination center in London on the 9th, he did not respond to reporters' questions about Prince Harry and his wife's interview.

Previously, Prince Harry and Markle's couple raised allegations of racism within the British royal family during an interview with Oprah Winfrey aired on CBS in the U.S. on the 7th, causing a major stir.

▲Princess Markle (left) and Queen Elizabeth II (right) [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

In particular, Markle claimed that when her son Archie was born, members of the royal family were concerned that her son's skin color would be dark and did not want him to be made a prince.

The British royal family issued a statement on the 9th, about 40 hours after the interview aired, saying, "We take the issues of racism raised by Prince Harry and his wife seriously," but drew a line by stating, "These matters will be handled privately within the family."

Following the bombshell remarks by Prince Harry and his wife, criticism of the British royal family's conservative stance has continued.

On the 10th, the British daily The Guardian cited equality activists, stating, "Queen Elizabeth II missed the opportunity to condemn racism and respond to it."

Halima Begum, head of the UK racial equality think tank Runnymede Trust, argued, "The royal family has the right to handle this matter privately, but the public wants leadership to address the country's racial injustices," adding, "Especially from the perspective of Black lives."

Tirek Morris, co-founder of the student activist group All Black Lives, said about the British royal family's statement, "It could have been a perfect opportunity to clearly condemn racism," adding, "I am very disappointed and no longer have expectations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.