Buckingham Palace has come under mounting pressure following the couple’s interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” the palace said in a statement released on the queen’s behalf.
“While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”
Buckingham Palace has come under mounting pressure to respond to the claims made in an Oprah Winfrey interview first broadcast on Sunday, which triggered a crisis unseen since the anguished days of Harry’s late mother, Diana, in the 1990s.
It set off a whirl of speculation about the identity of the senior royal who asked how dark their child’s skin would be before he was born.
Meghan, whose mother is black and father is white, also spoke about how she had suicidal thoughts, but failed to receive any support during her time in the royal family.
The accusation comes Buckingham Palace has opened its own investigation into Markle’s alleged conduct, with current and former royal staff members have stepped forward to accuse the duchess of “emotional cruelty” and bullying.
The monarchy said it was launching the probe after British media reported that several complaints had been made against her in 2018.
According to a report in the UK daily The Times, Markle’s behavior led to the resignation of two personal assistants from Kensington Palace and undermined the confidence of a third staff member.
A YouGov poll of 4,656 people after the interview aired on British television on Monday indicated a virtual 50-50 split: almost a third (32 percent) felt the couple was unfairly treated, the same proportion as those who thought the opposite.
But older people were more likely to side with the royal family, the poll suggested.