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After watching Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s tell-all interview, you might have thought things couldn’t possibly get worse. Unfortunately, it looks like the couple’s relationship with the royal family is only growing more and more tense.
Buckingham Palace did not respond to the couple’s interview right away despite the numerous, serious accusations made. Three days later, however, the royal family finally issued a statement.
The statement reads: "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately."
The release ended with a kind (yet somewhat awkward) statement about the royal family's continued love for the couple and their son, Archie: "Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members."
If you missed the interview, Meghan and Harry dropped plenty of bombshells. The most serious accusation, however, was likely what they had to say about members of "The Firm" expressing concerns over the skin tone of their children.
According to Markle, there were "concerns and conversations about how dark [Archie's] skin might be when he’s born." Though the couple would not name any names, they later confirmed that it was not the Queen or Prince Philip who took part in these conversations.
With such serious accusations, many assumed the royal family would respond to the interview swiftly, and that was the original plan, according to a source.
However, according to reports, the Queen delayed an immediate statement release, wanting "more time" to plan an appropriate response. Journalist Valentine Low explained the situation in the Times, "Last night the Queen refused to sign off a prepared statement that officials had hoped would de-escalate tensions by highlighting the family’s love and concern for the couple. She was believed to want more time to consider her response."
Eventually, it seems that they agreed on their joint statement, assuring everyone that they were taking all of the claims "very seriously."
