Dear Editor,

It was one of the most riveting and compelling televised interviews I’ve seen. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, sat down for an interview with media mogul Oprah. It did not disappoint and Oprah was at her best.

Since their decision to terminate roles as senior working royals there have been lots of rumours, speculations, accusations, and attacks on the couple. Prince Harry and Meghan decided to tell their truth with no topic off-limits.

I thought they remained respectful to the matriarch, Her Majesty The Queen, and others in the family, even while admitting to apparent rifts and distance in some relations. But to hear first-hand about the layers of racism and the toxic relations and trappings, one couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards the couple and their ultimate decision to exit “The Firm” and chart their own course and relocate overseas to the USA.

The fascination with the monarchy goes back far; it was never surprising that Netflix’s The Crown became one of its most watched series, depicting the inner workings of The Firm. It was similar toxic relations which ultimately led to the demise of the most popular royal of our time, Harry’s mom, the late Princess Diana in 1997.

The truth is Harry and Meghan represent a new generation; they both have youth and spark which many feel is modern and fun. Add to that their charity work and spirit.

Prince Harry is sixth in line to the throne and most likely will never be king. It is for this reason the British could’ve supported the couple more to promote their country, enhance its brand and reshape the monarchy, which many find outdated and irrelevant.

Meghan, a divorcee, self-made millionaire, biracial woman and a foreigner, brought a new dimension which made some feel the monarchy was changing. The interview suggested otherwise. The sadness in what transpired since Harry and Meghan were married and which led to them stepping down from their roles was felt in the Oprah interview.

The global attention the interview attracted may not augur well for the monarchy. They are already dealing with the controversy related to Prince Andrew’s alleged ties to convicted American sex offender Jeffery Epstein. The British Labour Party has already made calls for an investigation into allegations of racism within the palace. Regardless, the monarchy remains an important part of British culture and history, which only they can change.

Many are still fascinated with the pomp and ceremony, as well as the tradition and mystery of what it represents, but equally many find it repulsive, outdated, and a waste of tax dollars. In Commonwealth states the monarch remains head of State and many member countries are populated mostly with people of colour who experienced racism and a colonial past with an ugly history of slavery. In the Caribbean, Barbados is well on the way to removing The Queen; Jamaica could be next. Against this backdrop, concern about the skin colour of an unborn baby of a mixed-race woman in the royal family is shocking.

In the end, people deserve peace and happiness in their lives and, unfortunately, along the way some family relations might get broken. The monarchy is not immune.

P Chin

chin_p@yahoo.com