Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, once shared a rare and carefully chosen glimpse into where things stood with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after their headline-grabbing Oprah interview rocked the royal family.
Back in 2021, Sophie, who turns 61 on January 20, briefly addressed the Sussex situation as tensions were still raw following Harry and Meghan’s very public split from royal life.
Speaking to The Telegraph Magazine at the time, Sophie revealed she had enjoyed a “nice” and lengthy chat with Prince Harry when they crossed paths at Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021.
The Duke of Sussex had returned to the UK for the service after his grandfather’s death on April 9 that year. It marked Harry’s first trip back since he and Meghan made their shock exit from royal duties in early 2020. The funeral also took place just weeks after their explosive Oprah interview aired.
Despite everything, Sophie struck a calm and measured note. Appearing alongside her husband Prince Edward, she said simply: “We are still a family no matter what happens, we always will be.”
Duchess Sophie on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
During the interview, published in June 2021, Edward and Sophie were inevitably asked about Harry and Meghan’s bombshell sit-down with Oprah Winfrey.
The interview had aired in March 2021, just weeks before Prince Philip’s death, and made global headlines.
In the programme, Harry and Meghan accused the monarchy of failing to support the duchess when she was experiencing suicidal thoughts. They also claimed there were “concerns and conversations about how dark” their son Archie’s skin might be before he was born, although they did not name who allegedly made the remark.
The fallout was immediate, with intense scrutiny placed on the royal family in the days that followed.
Prince William was later questioned about the allegations during a school visit. He said: “We’re very much not a racist family.”
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace also responded, describing the claims as “concerning” and confirming they would be addressed privately.
When Telegraph Magazine raised the Oprah interview directly, Edward and Sophie responded with dry humour.
Edward quipped: “Oprah who?”
Smiling, Sophie added: “Yes, what interview?”
‘Things have changed’
The conversation then turned to how Prince Edward would be stepping into a more prominent role within the working royal family.
This shift came in the wake of Harry’s departure and the death of Prince Philip.
Sophie explained: “We’ve plodded along doing what we’re doing, hopefully doing it well. And then all of a sudden there’s a bit of a hiatus and things have changed a bit. Naturally, the media are looking for people to fill the so-called void. If people want to pay more attention to what we’re doing, then great.”
All of a sudden there’s a bit of a hiatus and things have changed a bit.
Prince Edward and Sophie spoke to cameras shortly after Prince Philip’s funeral on April 17, 2021. Sophie was visibly emotional as she reflected on her father-in-law.
The couple also shared how their children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex, were still expecting to see their grandfather arrive. They told the magazine that they “still keep expecting to see grandpa arrive in his green Land Rover”.
Read more: Duchess Sophie ’emotional’ after being given royal title by King Charles
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