Royal biographer Andrew Morton weighs in on the future for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as Meghan Markle's previous comments about her engagement interview leave many perplexed. BBC presenter Mishal Husain expresses surprise over Markle's claims, leading to further scrutiny of the inconsistencies in the couple's story.
In late 2022, Meghan Markle's comments during an interview with BBC presenter Mishal Husain about her 2017 engagement to Prince Harry raised eyebrows. Markle claimed that the interview was an "orchestrated reality show," sparking a renewed debate and analysis of the couple's past statements.
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
"Meghan claimed that the interview was an orchestrated reality show and Husain wasn't empathetic or warm enough to do the interview," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "It seems Meghan put on quite a performance and she and Harry were very much in control of their narrative."
Husain herself admitted to being surprised by Markle's remarks. "When the Duchess of Sussex said that my engagement interview with her and Harry was an ‘orchestrated reality show,’ I didn’t know what to make of it," Husain told Saga Magazine.
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
The engagement interview, organized by Kensington Palace, was intended to provide a glimpse into the couple's relationship and future. However, Markle's subsequent comments have cast a different light on the event.
"I believe discrepancies in Harry and Meghan’s story have led people to question why there are so many contradictions. It makes people suspect their motives," Chard said.
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
The 2017 interview was not the first time that Markle's words have been met with skepticism. In 2021, the couple sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a bombshell interview that raised concerns about their treatment by the royal family. However, some of their claims have been disputed by royal experts and journalists.
"There have been so many contradictory comments made by Harry and Meghan over the years that everything is now being looked at with a fine-tooth comb," Chard explained. "Mishal Husain is a renowned BBC journalist here in the U.K. Comments that Meghan made in the 2022 Netflix series regarding their engagement interview have baffled and upset the usually calm and strong Husain."
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
Royal reporter Richard Eden claimed that Markle would have preferred Oprah Winfrey to have conducted her engagement interview. Winfrey's explosive interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in 2021 garnered significant global attention.
"At the time, there was so much excitement about the engagement that no one really questioned some of Meghan's comments,' one source claimed to Eden. "But, if you watch it again now, some of her responses seem insincere and her body language is telling."
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner acknowledged the difficulty in determining who was right. "Richard Eden is a reputable journalist, but in reality, if he has unnamed sources… it is harder to verify the facts," Pelham Turner explained. "I believe Meghan would have strong views… [And] in reality, a certain amount of leeway is offered to the royal family to engage with them for an interview."
"There is an engaged group regularly creating negative commentary regarding Meghan," said Pelham Turner. "[It’s] one of the reasons she fled the country, not being able to deal with this constant pressure. [There’s] no doubt she is still wondering why the royal teams did not find methods of promoting her in the same way they have built up Kate Middleton’s brand."
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
This is not the first time that Husain has spoken out about Markle's statement. After "Harry & Meghan" premiered on Netflix, she was asked about the allegation by co-presenter Justin Webb on BBC Radio 4.
"We know recollections may vary on this particular subject, but my recollection is definitely very much: asked to do an interview and do said interview," said Husain.
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich believes there is a reason Husain is speaking out now. "It’s totally safe to speak," Fordwich claimed. "When Prince William referred to Meghan Markle as ‘difficult,’ ‘rude’ and abrasive’ - all traits not appreciated by the British - he had heard from many courtiers and royal staff as to the way they were treated."
"Former staff members even referred to themselves as the ‘Sussex Survivors' Club’ due to difficult work relationships with the couple, with them dreading interaction with Meghan Markle, leaving the room in tears," Fordwich claimed.
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
"There is a good reason most royals and aristocrats... retain their staff, in many cases, for generations." Fordwich continued. "This is due to the British culture in which staff are treated with dignity and respect. Indeed, even the national holiday, Boxing Day, originated from servants receiving boxes of gifts given by those they served… This national culture of building lasting relationships is yet another cultural norm Meghan Markle never adjusted to nor appreciated."
"Therefore, the royals, of course, would side with their loyal and dedicated staff," Fordwich added.
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
In April of this year, Samantha Cohen, a Buckingham Palace staffer for nearly 20 years, confirmed she was questioned during an investigation into claims of bullying made against the Duchess of Sussex. Cohen left in 2019, and while she did not directly comment on the investigation, she revealed the palace was unable to find a replacement aide for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex due to high staff turnover.
A representative for the Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
Buckingham Palace launched the investigation in March 2021 after reports alleged that Meghan had driven out two personal assistants and that staff had been "humiliated" on several occasions during her time living in Kensington Palace. The claims were published by The Times of London, days before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat down with Winfrey.
Meghan's lawyers denied the bullying allegations when they were made. "The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself, and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma," a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital at the time. "She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good."
Meghan Markle's Engagement Interview Remarks Still Puzzle Years Later
