Meghan Markle the Duchess of Sussex and husband Prince Harry of Sussex revealed intimate details about the stresses and challenges of royal life during a sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey. 

The couple left the royal family in January 2020, just eight months after their son Archie was born. Queen Elizabeth later announced in January 2021 that the pair and their son would be stripped of their royal titles and would not be returning to royal work. 

The interview aired Sunday, March 7, and shattered the glass ceiling covering the royal family. 

During the two-hour interview, Markle and Winfrey discussed Markle’s transition to royal life and the struggles that she faced. Prince Harry later joined and they dove deeper into his relationship with his father, brother and grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. 

Among the many shocking moments in the interview, Markle and Harry said that there were discussions about how dark their son would be. Harry was told that their son would not receive the title of prince when he was born. 

“When I was pregnant, [there were] concerns and conversations about how dark his skin would be when he was born,” Markle said.

The royal family was silent on the interview until Tuesday, March 9, when the Queen released a statement addressing it.

“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” the Queen said, according to NPR News. “Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”

Markle also revealed that she and Harry were secretly married during an intimate ceremony days before the grand wedding and that she had suffered from depression during her time as a member of the royal family.

“I was ashamed to say it at the time and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry. But I knew that if I didn’t say it — then I would do it,” Markle said. “I remember this conversation like it was yesterday, because they said, ‘My heart goes out to you because I see how bad it is, but there’s nothing we can do to protect you because you’re not a paid employee of the institution.’” 

Because of her duties to the “institution,” Markle was constantly told that she couldn’t talk to her friends about what was being written about her in the tabloids, no matter if they were untrue. If anyone asked, she was to reply with no comment. 

Although the interview revealed many relationship strains within the royal family, Prince Harry revealed that he had spoken more to his grandmother in the past year than he had in many years. 

The pair now live in California, just down the street from Winfrey and are expecting their second child by the end of Spring. Since leaving their duties, the pair does not have access to the royal’s security protection and have had to hire a private service. 

“The feeling is that this was our decision,” Prince Harry said, “therefore the consequence is on us.”