Prince Harry and his wife Meghan on Sunday gave their first major TV interview since stepping back from the British royal family a year ago.
As compiled from Reuters, here are some reactions from celebrities, mainstream media publications and personnel, as well as the British Prime Minister and the White House Press Secretary.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
“I’ve always had the highest admiration for the queen and the unifying role that she plays in our country and across the Commonwealth,” he told a news conference. “As for the rest, all other matters to do with the royal family, I’ve spent a long time now not commenting on royal family matters and I don’t intend to depart from that today.”
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki
“Meghan Markle is a private citizen, and so is Prince Harry. At this point, for anyone to come forward and speak about their own struggles with mental health and tell their own personal story that takes courage, that’s certainly something the president believes,” she told reporters.
“Let me just reiterate that we have a strong and abiding relationship with the British people and a special partnership with the government of the United Kingdom on a range of issues and that will continue.”
Republic, Campaign Group For Abolition Of The Monarchy
“The monarchy has just been hit by its worst crisis since the abdication in 1936. Whether for the sake of Britain or for the sake of the younger royals this rotten institution needs to go.”
Serena Williams, US Tennis Player
“Meghan Markle, my selfless friend, lives her life – and leads by example – with empathy and compassion. She teaches me every day what it means to be truly noble. Her words illustrate the pain and cruelty she’s experienced.”
Amanda Gorman, Poet
“Meghan was the Crown’s greatest opportunity for change, regeneration, and reconciliation in a new era. They didn’t just maltreat her light – they missed out on it.”
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, US Suicide Prevention Hotline
“By sharing her personal experience with crisis and how she got through it, the Duchess reminds us all that we are not alone, and that help is available.”
Society of Editors, UK Media Organisation
“The UK media is not bigoted and will not be swayed from its vital role holding the rich and powerful to account following the attack on the press by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
Piers Morgan, British Broadcaster
“This interview is an absolutely disgraceful betrayal of the Queen and the Royal Family. I expect all this vile destructive self-serving nonsense from Meghan Markle – but for Harry to let her take down his family and the Monarchy like this is shameful.”
Jonny Dymond, BBC Royal Correspondent
“The duchess is a formidable communicator and has proved herself a very bad woman to pick a fight with,” he wrote in an online analysis.
“But alongside the personal pain and anger rippling through the duchess’s testimony, there came from Prince Harry condemnation of the institution – the suggestion that it was incapable of change, incapable of love, incapable of understanding.”
Michelle Tauber, People Magazine
“It’s really sort of seismic to hear a member of the royal family say that she herself felt that much in crisis.”
Nina Parker, E! News Correspondent
“You know why Black women believe Meghan? Because we know exactly what microaggressions look like. And how they slowly drive you insane.”
Ava Duvernay, American Filmmaker
Duvernay shared a clip of Princess Diana’s infahmous 1995 interview with Martin Bashir, quoting, “It’s the strength that causes the confusion and the fear.”
Jameela Jamil, Actor and Activist
“Can we please take a moment to remember how obscene the behavior of the press and palace was in anticipation of an interview that actually turned out to be quite vague and tame?” questioned Jamil. “What did they THINK Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were going to say? What must they have done to be so afraid?”
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