Royal watchers bracing for Prince Harry & Meghan's revelations: What will the Oprah interview be all about?

LONDON: Royal watchers are bracing for revelations from Prince Harry and his wife Meghan in their interview with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey, which is broadcast this weekend.

Clips of the tell-all interview about their life in the institution - and their shock decision to step down last year - are already making waves.

Omid Scobie, royal editor of Harper's Bazaar magazine and co-author of last year's best-selling biography on the couple, "Finding Freedom", told AFP what to expect, and its potential impact.


What will they say?
"We've heard Harry speak very openly about his mental health in the past, and I think that this will really be Meghan's first chance to speak quite candidly about her own experiences on that front.

"I think one of the issues that we'll see (her) touch on... is the issue of racism, and how that's come into play during her time as a working member of the royal family -- be it in sections of the British press, or on social media itself.

"And I think a lot of these stories will give background to the work that they'll then be doing with their Archwell Foundation.

"This battle against misinformation and online toxicity, and creating safer online communities, really comes from their own experiences as working members of the royal family that they'll be sharing for the first time with Oprah."



Who will they criticise?
"The main focus of the darker side of their experience as working members of the royal family will focus really on that relationship with the British press.

"But I also think that we'll hear them speak quite openly about the troubles that they faced within the institution of the monarchy.

"It's worth noting that is separate to their relationship with the actual members of the royal family themselves.

"I think, despite the hysterical reaction from some quarters of Buckingham Palace at the moment, they'll be quite kind about their sort of close relationship that they have with the queen and (her husband) Prince Philip."

What could be the impact?
"As is often the case, the noise usually happens before the event itself when it comes to the royal family and the coverage surrounding it.

"It ends up being OK and I think that that'll be exactly the same with this Oprah special.

"Ultimately Harry and Meghan want to start their next chapter on a positive note. They're not bringing a negativity and the troubles from the past with them to that.

"So this will be a place for them to share their side of the story and given that we, the press -- myself included -- have spent the last three years talking about it, I'd say it's only fair that they have a couple of hours to do the same."

How will Brits react?
"I don't think that this will change the opinions of those who are already not a fan of the couple, particularly in the UK.

"People have already picked their camp at this point. But I think (it could impact on) those that have been unsure about what it is the couple actually faced.

"Because we hear about the unhappiness that they experienced, or that sort of inability to thrive as working members of the royal family.

"But not everyone knows exactly why that was the case. So I think people will at least come out of it a little bit more enlightened, even if it doesn't completely change their opinion of the couple.

"They turned out to be pretty divisive in the UK."