Queen Elizabeth II emphasized the importance of unity and family in a royal speech broadcast hours before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey.
In a message broadcast on Sunday, the British monarch also touched on the role of technology in keeping people connected with friends and family amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
Although it took place a few hours before the long-awaited interview, the Queen made no mention of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex or their upcoming interview with Winfrey, who will be in the US on Sunday night and in the UK on Monday.
“The test times experienced by so many people have led to a deeper appreciation for the mutual support and spiritual maintenance we enjoy by being connected to others,” the queen said in her audio message.
People have become accustomed to ‘connecting and communicating through our innovative technology’ which enables them to ‘stay in touch with friends, family, colleagues and peers’, she said. Online communication “transcends boundaries or divisions, which helps dispel any sense of distance.”
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In this photo made available on Sunday, March 7, 2021, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II poses for a photo while signing her annual Commonwealth Day message at St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle, England, on March 5, 2021.
(Steve Parsons / Pool via AP)
The Queen also paid tribute to the frontline workers who helped fight COVID-19 in the Commonwealth countries.
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Her message of unity contrasted with the unrest in the royal family before the interview, which promises to give an unprecedented look at the couple’s departure from royal duties and the tension they experienced.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left royal life a year ago. The breakup with Winfrey is an opportunity for the couple to explain what led them to end royal life, citing the intolerable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media.
‘Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special’ airs March 7, 2021.
(Joe Pugliese / Harpo Productions via AP, File)
From pre-released clips, Harry has already shown his fear that history would repeat itself after his mother, Princess Diana, died in a car accident while being chased by paparazzi. In another clip from the interview, Winfrey asks Meghan how she feels about the palace that “hears you telling your truth today?”
In another pre-released track, Meghan told Winfrey how ‘liberating’ it was to have a conversation with the television host without the input of a royal memorial.
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It is unclear what public reaction the queen and other royal family members will have to the interview. The UK newspaper Sunday Times, citing an anonymous source, reported that the Queen would not be watching.
On top of the pandemic and economic downturn, Prince Philip, Harry’s 99-year-old grandfather, is now recovering from a heart procedure.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.