Oprah Winfrey has responded to mounting speculation as to who had a conversation about the skin tone of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son, Archie.
During the couple's first televised interview since stepping back senior members of the royal family with Winfrey on Monday night on ITV, the Duchess of Sussex told the TV host that there were 'several conversations' that took place which involved someone thought to be close to the couple speculating about their unborn child's skin colour.
'In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, so we have in tandem the conversation of, "you won't be given security, not gonna be given a title" and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born,' the 39-year-old claimed.
When pressed further to elaborate on her comments by Winfrey, Markle noted that there were 'several conversations' with her husband about their son's skin tone, prior to his birth, and 'what that would mean or look like'.
When Prince Harry later joined his wife and Winfrey's conversation, he refrained from revealing who exactly brought up the conversation of Archie's skin colour. 'That conversation, I am never going to share... At the time it was awkward, I was a bit shocked,' he said.
On Monday, following the interview's first airing on CBS on Sunday prior to ITV's showing, Winfrey provided further comment about the conversation she had with the royal couple with regards to the skin tone comments. During an interview with the TV host, CBS This Morning presenter Gayle King described the speculation as to who was responsible for the skin tone remarks as 'a big guessing game all around the world — who was it, who was it, who was it?
'I thought it was very touching that Harry is still choosing to protect the identity of whoever that was,' King continued.
'[Prince Harry] did not share the identity with me, but he wanted to make sure that I knew, and if I had an opportunity to share it, that it was not his grandmother nor his grandfather [who] were a part of those conversations,' Winfrey noted during the interview.
She clarified, again: 'Neither his grandmother nor grandfather were a part of those conversations.'
During her interview with the Sussexes, the trio discussed several issues including racism, mental health and the British tabloids.
When discussing how the UK media have treated other members of the royal family in comparison to her, Markle told Winfrey that 'rude and racist are not the same'.
'You've also had a press team that goes on the record to defend you especially when they know something's not true, and that didn't happen for us,' Markle claimed, referring to the royal family's press team.
Winfrey also asked Prince Harry if any family members had apologised to him for the reasons he felt he had to leave. 'Sadly not, the feeling is that this was our decision therefore the consequences are on us,' he claimed.
ELLE UK has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
The full interview aired on ITV on Monday March 8 and is on ITV Hub, Courtesy of Harpo Productions/CBS.
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