Archie’s ‘dark skin’: their different accounts

HARRY and Meghan told Oprah at least one member of the Royal Family had expressed concern about ‘how dark’ their unborn baby’s skin might be.

It’s an explosive claim. And while they were unwilling to identify the individual involved, or reveal exactly what they are supposed to have said, the ensuing row has dominated this week’s news.

Meghan was adamant questions about Archie’s complexion were motivated by ugly racism. At one point, Oprah put to her the leading question that: ‘Because they were concerned that if he were too brown, that would be a problem? Are you saying that?’

Meghan responded: ‘If that’s the assumption you are making, I think that feels like a pretty safe one.’ It was also suggested that his skin colour was linked to decisions made about security.

Buckingham Palace has sought to defuse hostilities by noting that ‘recollections’ of what occurred ‘may vary’.

That is a fair point, given the somewhat strange fact that two very different versions of events were presented to Oprah — by Harry and Meghan respectively — during their interview.

Meghan claimed there were ‘several conversations’ about Archie’s skin colour which took place ‘in those months when I was pregnant’.

But Harry said there was just one conversation ‘right at the beginning... before we even got married’.

A more forensic interviewer than Oprah might have queried this inconsistency. For while Harry and Meghan were ‘speaking their truth’, they can’t both have been right.