Harry and Meghan’s Oprah interview to be re-edited as rift widens with Royal Family

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey will be re-edited following their explosive rift with the Royal Family.

The issue of Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s role within the Firm came to a head last week when they blindsided the Queen after agreeing to a tell-all interview.

It led to the couple, who are ensconced in their £11 million Californian mansion having not visited the UK for almost a year, having their military and sporting patronages taken away.

Given the change of events between last week’s filming and the stripping of their patronages, the televised chat will be re-edited.

It is understood the couple spoke about their roles within the royal family which have “significantly” now altered since sitting down with the US chat shown queen.

Ideally, claimed one US TV insider, CBS would like to re-shoot some of the interview to discuss the changes that have now taken place.

A source told the Mirror: “When the Duke and Duchess spoke, it was never envisaged they would have their patronages taken away.

“They didn’t see it coming and spoke as they still had roles to play.

“Now, however, other than their titles, they are to have no role in royal life – a point producers know was not discussed when Winfrey spoke to them.

“Neither the Sussexes nor the TV crew saw the fallout of their interview leading to this. Harry and Meghan thought they would retain their roles.

“But things have significantly changed for them since they eagerly sat for Winfrey and poured their hearts out.”

The interview is said to have taken place last Tuesday, the day Harry’s grandfather, Prince Philip, was admitted to hospital “as a precautionary measure” after feeling unwell.

Winfrey is claimed to have spent two days with the Sussexes filming their primetime interview.

An international bidding war for the rights to Oprah’s interview with Harry and Meghan is now underway ahead of the March 7 broadcast.

The CBS programme is scheduled to air at 8pm to viewers on the east coast of America which will be 1am the following day in Britain.
The couple is said to have agreed to the interview as they “wanted the final say on Megxit”.

A royal source said that when the programme aired it would be “time to hide behind the sofa at the palace”.

It has also been claimed that Prince William was left furious and saddened by Harry and Meghan’s “insulting, disrespectful and petulant” parting shot at the Queen.

The Duke of Cambridge has been “shocked” at his brother’s behaviour towards the monarch after he and his wife were stripped of their remaining royal patronages.

Courtiers and other family members were equally upset by the tone of the pair’s response – released just minutes after Her Majesty’s announcement – in which they snapped back saying “service is universal”.

Just minutes after Buckingham Palace made the announcement on Friday in which the Queen said the couple remained “much-loved members” of the family, the Sussex issued their own statement seen by many as a swipe at the monarch and the Windsors.

It is usual for members of the Royal Family to run potential TV interviews past the Queen.

ITV realised Harry and Meghan were to give an interview with Winfrey when a member of the chat show host’s team requested access to news presenter Tom Bradby’s 2019 interview with Meghan in which she complained no one had asked her is if she was “ok”.

The Duchess, who is expecting their second child, will be the main focus of the show, discussing “stepping into life as a royal, marriage, motherhood,philanthropic work” and “how she is handling life under intense public pressure”.

Harry, 36, is advertised as the support act by CBS, who will broadcast the “primetime special”, Oprah with Meghan and Harry, on March 7.

Following a backlash towards the Sussexes after their statement following the removal of their patronages said “service is universal”, friends of the couple jumped to their defence.

Longtime friend Dean Stott said the line should be “taken in context” of the couple’s charity and philanthropy work which they are committed to continuing.

“We’re all focusing on them stepping back. I made some comments last year that there’s so many positives we can take from this, especially their love for philanthropy,” he said.

“Obviously them being within the royal spotlight, there’s a lot of protocol and red tape.

“But actually, their decision to step back gives them more opportunity and freedom to do more and help more. So I think [the statement] is probably taken in context.”

Stott, who is originally from Aberdeen but now lives in California where he sees the couple, said there were various ways to do service.

“Obviously that’s been the protocol and what we’ve known up until now. But they’re very much a modern couple and like to do things differently,” he added.

“So they see that they can still do a service but in their own way.

“It keeps one end of the party happy and Harry and Meghan in the position that they can still be in that public limelight but obviously always giving back.”