It’s been four years since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey. The couple made shocking claims, including concerns over the color of Prince Archie’s skin and Meghan accusing Princess Catherine of making her cry over bridesmaid dresses.
Queen Elizabeth II responded, stating the issues would be handled privately, with “recollections may vary.” Since then, some of their statements have been questioned, and they’ve walked back certain claims.
MailOnline revisits eight key points from the interview to see how they hold up today.
Harry and Meghan were married before their wedding in secret
Meghan Markle revealed in their Oprah interview that she and Prince Harry were married in secret three days before their public wedding. She explained that they privately called the Archbishop of Canterbury to conduct a ceremony just for them, away from the spectacle of their public wedding.
However, their claim was later contradicted when the General Registrar Office released their official wedding certificate, confirming they were legally married on May 19, 2018, at Windsor Castle. The certificate listed Prince Charles and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, as witnesses.
The couple later clarified that their pre-wedding ceremony only involved personal vows. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, also denied marrying them before the official wedding, stating he met them privately but the legal ceremony was on May 19. He further emphasized that signing a false document would have been a criminal offense.
Kate made Meghan cry over bridesmaid dresses
Meghan said: ‘A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something pertaining — yes, the issue was correct — about flower-girl dresses, and it made me cry, and it really hurt my feelings.’
Meghan Markle revealed that just days before her wedding, a dispute over flower-girl dresses made her cry and deeply hurt her feelings. She later claimed the reports that Kate made her cry were incorrect, stating that “the reverse happened.”
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry expanded on the incident, describing how Meghan was found “on the floor sobbing” after a tense exchange with Kate over Princess Charlotte’s flower girl dress. Kate had texted Meghan about issues with the dress fitting, leading to a heated conversation.
A former staff member recently clarified that both Meghan and Kate were upset, with both women crying during the heated moment. They each said things they later regretted, but it was all in the heat of the moment.
Meghan Claims Passport Was Taken Upon Joining Royal Family
Meghan Markle revealed that her passport, driver’s license, and keys were taken when she joined the royal family, calling it part of the restrictions she faced. She claimed that she was “trapped” and did not see these personal documents again until later.
However, royal experts have raised doubts about this, explaining that such protocols were likely for her own safety. Historian Robert Lacey noted that Meghan would have had to hand over her driver’s license due to security rules, as driving without protection was unsafe.
As for her passport, Robert Finch of the Monarchist League of Canada suggested that royal documents are kept in safes for security reasons and would have been accessible to her if needed.
Meghan would likely not have handled border security personally during official tours, but she would have required her passport for personal trips, such as those to Italy and New York.
All members of the Royal Family, except King Charles, need a passport for international travel.
Archie’s Birthright to a Prince Title
Meghan said: ‘[The] idea of the first member of colour in this family not being titled in the same way that other grandchildren would be… It’s not their right to take it away.’
However, according to a rule set by King George V in 1917, Archie did not have an automatic birthright to the title of prince. Instead, he would become a prince once Charles was crowned King.
The 1917 Letters Patent stated that only royal descendants in the direct line of succession could be given the prince or princess title. This meant that only Prince George, the eldest son of Prince William and Catherine, was originally entitled to be a prince.
Ahead of George’s birth in 2013, the Queen issued a new Letters Patent to ensure all of William’s children would receive appropriate titles, which extended to Charlotte and Louis. Since Charles became King, Archie and Lilibet have been recognized as prince and princess.
Duke and Duchess of Sussex Speak Out on Security Revocation
Prince Harry expressed shock over having his security removed, saying, “I never thought that I would have my security removed, because I was born into this position.”
In a conversation with Oprah, the Duke and Duchess revealed that their security was unfairly revoked when they moved to Canada in late 2019.
Meghan added that she even wrote to Harry’s family, urging them to prioritize his safety amidst death threats and racist propaganda. However, they were told it was not possible to provide protection.
Despite being royals, not all family members have state-funded security. Only King Charles, Camilla, Prince William, Catherine, and their children are granted 24/7 protection.
Other royals, including Princess Anne and Prince Edward, live without taxpayer-funded security, except for official duties. Prince Andrew also lost his security in 2019 following the Epstein scandal.
Meghan didn’t Google Harry
Meghan Markle revealed in her Oprah interview that she didn’t Google Prince Harry or research the Royal Family before dating him. She explained that Harry shared everything she needed to know, so there was no need for her to look him up online.
However, Harry contradicted this in his memoir Spare, recalling a conversation where Meghan didn’t know who the “Queen’s assistant” was, referring to Prince Andrew, indicating she hadn’t Googled the royal family.
In their book Finding Freedom, authors Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, often seen as sympathetic to Meghan, claimed both Harry and Meghan did their research before their first date in 2016.
Despite Meghan’s statement, friends have painted a different picture. Meghan’s former maid of honor, Ninaki Priddy, revealed that she was always fascinated by the royals and even wanted to be “Princess Diana 2.0.” Meghan was reportedly a fan of Princess Diana and had books about her, and enjoyed watching Diana’s wedding with friends.
Meghan has not seen Samantha Markle in almost 20 years
Meghan Markle recently stated that, “The last time I saw her must have been at least 18, 19 years [ago].” She distanced herself, saying she grew up as “an only child.”
However, a 2008 photo surfaces showing Meghan with Samantha at her graduation, contradicting Meghan’s claim.
Samantha Markle slammed Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, accusing her of omitting the truth and providing photos to disprove Meghan’s statements. Samantha, who insists they have spent time together throughout their lives, refuted Meghan’s claim that she didn’t know her and that Samantha only changed her surname after Meghan began dating Prince Harry.
Meghan was not given any royal advice
In her interview with Oprah, Meghan revealed she was given no formal training on royal protocols, unlike what people might expect.
“There’s no class on how to speak, how to cross your legs, how to be royal,” she said, adding that no guidance was offered to her on how to fit into the family.
She even had to Google the national anthem late at night, as no one provided her with the lyrics.
While Meghan once claimed she trained privately to make the Royal Family proud, the book Finding Freedom contradicts this, suggesting Prince Harry pushed for a team to guide her through royal protocols.
Sources claimed she was trained on everything from curtsying to exiting a car in a pencil skirt, with some even claiming she underwent SAS security training like Kate. Meghan was also reportedly encouraged to seek advice from the Princess of Wales.
