In one week, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s core CBS interview with Oprah Winfrey became a global television event that turned lighter presenter Piers Morgan of “Good Morning Britain” and now leaves a big question mark over Sharon Osbourne’s future as co-presenter at “Die praatjie.”
But it is the war of words played across the Atlantic that has led to widespread pearls of British royal viewers marveling at American shops controlling the story of the British royal family.
In the latest development, Gayle King, a co-presenter of ‘CBS This Morning’ and Winfrey’s BFF, revealed on March 16 that Prince Harry was in contact with his father, Prince Charles, and his brother, Prince William.
“The word given to me was that the conversations were not productive,” King stated live on TV. “No one in the royal family has spoken to Meghan yet.”
To see a major update on private family conversations revealed by an American broadcaster rather than the British press is unprecedented, says royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams.
“If you had told me, I would not have believed it,” says a flashy Fitzwilliams Variety. “This is one of the worst nightmares of the royal family.”
Katie Nicholl, royal editor of Vanity Fair and author of ‘Harry and Meghan: Life, Loss and Love’, says she was “really shocked” to see the couple using Gayle King as their mouthpiece, not least because we have so much have not heard. previously from them that we did not expect there to be an ongoing comment from their friends in the media. ”
Buckingham Palace is probably ‘very concerned’, but especially in an uncharted area and ‘will not know how to react,’ says Fitzwilliams. “It’s not possible to know how on earth you can talk to Harry and then get Gayle King to report.”
There is indeed a vigilance among British media over the revelations of Markle and Prince Harry in their interview with Winfrey. British outlets focused largely on the debunk points the couple made regarding their son Archie’s award for a title, rather than questioning racism within the royal family or a lack of support for mental health for Markle.
Nicholl argues that the couple received their share of ‘sympathy’ from the public – especially among younger generations – but that the British media are less willing to accept ‘just everything the couple said because they are probably more aware than any other part of the media that there are two sides to this story.
“We heard Meghan and Harry’s side, but there’s another side as well,” says Nicholl.
Asked if the British press is ranked by royal news from the US, the commentator maintains that it “makes no difference.”
“Whether it was the US or another outlet, they continue to tell the story. It has the world talking and selling newspapers, so from a journalist’s perspective, why would you want to cut it off?” commentator.
“But from the other perspective, here is a family trying to heal a very serious fracture,” Nicholl notes. ‘It does seem like a very unusual strategy [by Harry and Meghan]. ”
On March 12, the results of a poll by data analytics firm YouGov revealed that the couple’s ratings had dropped to the lowest levels ever in the UK
About 45% of Britons have a positive opinion of Prince Harry, while 48% view him negatively, giving a net score of -3 – a drop of 15 points from 2 March and the first time the British attitude has been negative is for the prince.
As for Markle, 31% have a positive opinion of her, while 58% view her negatively and give a net rating of -27, down from -14.
By comparison, a Morning Consult poll of 2,200 U.S. adults before the interview and 838 post-interview found that the proportion of Americans with a favorable view of Markle rose from 45% to 67%, while Harry rose from 46% to 69% increased.
Chris Ship, royal correspondent for the broadcaster ITV, which broadcasts the program in the UK, says Variety that the impact at home is ‘slightly greater’ than even Princess Diana’s interview with the BBC’s ‘Panorama’ program in 1995.
“What Harry and Meghan did really damaged the royal family’s reputation in the US,” says Ship. “You have to think: how long will the international reputation last for the royal family?”