Harry ‘had deal to pull interview if Philip died’
Meghan’s pal goes on air with ANOTHER indiscreet claim
PRINCE Harry had a deal with broadcasters to pull the explosive interview he and Meghan gave should his grandfather Prince Philip die, a close friend claimed yesterday.
In another extraordinarily indiscreet revelation, US TV host Gayle King claimed an agreement was in place before the programme was aired on March 7.
At the time, the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, had been hospitalised for more than two weeks, with Buckingham Palace announcing on March 4 that he had undergone heart surgery as well as treatment for an infection. It is widely believed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex filmed their interview with
‘Attempts to build bridges’
Oprah Winfrey, in which they made a series of highly damaging accusations about senior members of the Royal Family, after Philip was admitted to hospital on February 16.
Miss King, one of Miss Winfrey’s closest friends, yesterday insisted that it had been ‘done and scheduled’ by then, however.
But there appear to be inconsistencies in her story. On the day that Philip was admitted to King Edward VII’s Hospital in London, Miss King went on air to say that Miss Winfrey had been working on her questions ‘all weekend’ and had been told by Meghan that ‘nothing was off limits’, intimating the interview had yet to be filmed.
This was backed by industry sources, who told ITV that the interview would be filmed later that week. It was shown on CBS in the US on March 7 and on ITV1 in the UK the following evening.
Philip finally left hospital on Tuesday, the day Miss King, who attended Meghan’s 2019 baby shower in New York, shocked royal aides by saying she had spoken to the couple and was told that Harry had been speaking to his father and brother but the talks were ‘not productive’. The leaking of details of their private peace talks is believed to have severely undermined attempts to build bridges between Harry and his family. Yesterday Miss King, who fronts the breakfast show on CBS, used a radio show to claim: ‘ They had done that interview before Prince Philip went into the hospital. And if something, God forbid, had happened to him, the interview would not have run.’
Miss King also claimed that the Royal Family’s treatment of the couple, who live in an £11million mansion in California, was poor. They spoke out only because they ‘wanted people to have some understanding about why they made the decision’ to quit royal duties and leave the UK.
‘I think it was very brave of her and Harry to reveal what they did,’ she said. ‘It’s unheard of, and it certainly has been a... “bombshell” is the word.
‘There were six or seven that night. I stopped counting at six. It was bombshell after bombshell after bombshell, but I do believe it was an honest conversation. I’m hoping it will lead to change.’
Meghan claimed during her interview that a story suggesting she had made the Duchess of Cambridge cry during a bridesmaid’s dress fitting for Princess Charlotte was wrong, and that in fact Kate had made her cry.
Miss King said: ‘Well, I think part of the problem... she was vilified for making Kate cry when really the opposite was true.’
Buckingham Palace has refused to be drawn into a public war of words. A senior palace source told the Mail: ‘None of the households will be giving a running commentary on private conversations.’
Royals aides appear horrified that either the duke or duchess would tell anyone, let alone a TV journalist, about Harry’s discussions with his family. They fail to see how it will help repair relationships or rebuild trust.