Local fans of former royal couple, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, can heave a huge sigh of relief as M-Net has acquired the rights to their interview with Oprah.
Already touted as one of the most important royal interviews since Diana, Princess of Wales’s interview with Martin Bashir of the BBC, Oprah’s sit down with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is likely to be one of the most watched in TV history.
The interview will air on Monday, March 8 at 7.30pm on the M-Net DStv channel 101.
CBS Presents Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A Primetime Special this Sunday at 8/7c. #OprahMeghanHarry pic.twitter.com/zJZ6IyRZJw
— CBS (@CBS) March 3, 2021
The Duke and Duchess, who famously decided to move to the US in 2020 after a particularly difficult time with the British press and inter-family drama, will be giving their first joint interview since their engagement in 2017.
The special, which is titled “CBS Presents Oprah with Meghan and Harry” will see the legendary talk show host sit down with Prince Harry and Meghan for an intimate conversation.
The world is waiting with baited breath on what the couple will reveal to the award-winning interviewer.
The special, which is running for two hours, will see Winfrey speak to the couple in a wide-ranging interview that covers every aspect of their lives - from Harry’s childhood and dealing with his mother’s very public death in 1997, to Meghan quitting her acting career and stepping into royal life, marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work to how she is handling life under intense public pressure.
They will also speak about their move to the United States and their future hopes and dreams for their expanding family.
The couple recently announced they are expecting their second child.
There’s already chatter on the interwebs about how deeply Oprah will go into what happened to Meghan and Harry when they were high ranking members of the British Royal Family.
The interview teaser has been salacious, with Oprah asking Meghan about her time as a member of the family. “Were you silent or were you SILENCED?” Oprah is seen asking the Duchess.
Many in the British press have questioned the couple for giving an interview after leaving the UK for the US, seeking a private life.
Some have even accused them of being heartless and fame seekers and urged them to stop CBS airing the special as Prince Philip, Harry’s grandfather, is in hospital.
“There’s a lot that’s been lost already.”
— CBS (@CBS) March 4, 2021
CBS Presents Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A Primetime Special this Sunday at 8/7c. #OprahMeghanHarry pic.twitter.com/iKFjiVP3IH
The couple has also been hit with a fresh scandal by The Times of London, which has a number of articles accusing Meghan of bullying staff.
The Times reports that two senior members of staff claimed they were bullied by the duchess, while a third told the publication: “it felt 'more like emotional cruelty and manipulation, which I guess could also be called bullying.'”
The Duchess has denied these accusations, with her spokesperson responding that she is saddened by the accusations.
“The Duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma.
“She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good” reads the statement.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed on Wednesday that they will be launching a probe into the bullying allegations against Meghan.
Since there's a whole lot of information and opinion in the air this morning related to the Duchess of Sussex and the Saudi wedding gift earrings, here's a thread to break down what we really know (and what we really don't) about the situation. pic.twitter.com/Fze93tcdqg
— The Court Jeweller (@courtjeweller) March 3, 2021
The Duchess has also been accused of knowingly wearing a pair of earrings that were a wedding gift from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman during the Sussexes tour of Fiji in 2018.
Meghan wore the earrings to a dinner in Fiji, in October 2018, three weeks after the death of Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. The Crown Prince has been accused of ordering the brutal murder of Khashoggi.
Meghan also wore the earrings at Prince Charles's 70th birthday party in November 2018.
The earrings are not currently in Meghan's personal possession, and she does not have ownership of the jewellery. The earrings, reports People magazine, were gifted on March 7, 2018, from the Saudi Arabian royal family.
“Neither the Duke nor the Duchess of Sussex was present when they were given at Buckingham Palace, and as is protocol for any wedding gift of this nature, they remain property of The Crown,” the report states.
We can’t help but wonder if this was Buckingham Palace getting ahead of the backlash that is sure to come after the interview airs.
We also wonder if Prince Andrew will come up in the interview, especially when it comes to how Harry and Meghan have been treated by the press compared to their disgraced uncle, Andrew, who has had to officially step down from royal duties due to his links to Jeffery Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Will Meghan make mention of how Andrew was protected and yet she, Harry and their son, Archie, were left out in the cold?
We cannot wait to tune in.