Harry and Meghan – as it happened: World reacts to bombshell documentary as royals stay silent on Sussex claims
Royal households accused of war against Duchess of Sussex to protect palace
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The Duke of Sussex has described how “terrifying” it was to have his brother, the Prince of Wales, shout and scream at him at the Sandringham summit in front of the Queen during the Megxit crisis.
The duke’s claim is one of many revelations outlined in the final episodes of the couple’s Netflix docuseries, which also saw the pair condemn the treatment of Meghan at the hands of the media, and speak openly about her mental health struggles during their time as senior royals.
The final episodes also included lighter moments, such as when the couple mock the size of Nottingham Cottage, the residence on the grounds of Kensington Palace where they lived temporarily after their royal wedding.
Both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace declined to comment on the latest episodes. However, the royal family put on a united front when they attended the Princess of Wales’ second annual Christmas carol concert Thursday evening (15 December), just hours after the final episodes of the Sussexes’ bombshell Netflix series aired.
On Friday (16 December), the Palace also reiterated its dedication to “inclusion and diversity” while revealing that the Queen’s former lady-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey, apologised in person to Black charity founder Ngozi Fulani over comments she’d made two weeks prior.
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Despite it all, Meghan and Harry appear as in love as ever, with a line from the duchess’ wedding speech ringing just as true today.
“Let’s call this a modern fairytale. Once upon a time, there was a girl from LA. Some people called her ‘an actress’.
“And there was a guy from London. Some people called him ‘a prince’. All of those people didn’t fully get it. Because this is the love story of a boy and a girl who were meant to be together.”
Read Meghan’s wedding speech in full
‘Once upon a time, there was a girl from LA...’ the Duchess of Sussex reads in Harry & Meghan
After revealing in the first three episodes of the docuseries that she purposely dressed in muted colours during the majority of her time as a senior royal, Meghan revealed in volume two that she wanted to “look like a rainbow” during her last week of royal engagements.
The duchess chose a number of colourful outfits for each of the engagements in March 2020, which marked her and Prince Harry’s final official royal appearances.
“I wore a lot of colour that week. It just felt like: ‘Well, let’s just look like a rainbow,’” she said of the colourful wardrobe.
Over the six-hour period, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex covered a lot of ground, with the couple candidly sharing their thoughts on everything from the size of their former home, Nottingham Cottage, to the happiness they’ve found with their family in California.
You can find all of the biggest moments from the final three episodes below.
The 6 biggest talking points from Harry and Meghan Vol 2 on Netflix
The second batch of the documentary’s episodes have arrived on the platform – here’s what we’ve learnt
The final episodes of the Sussexes’ docuseries aired hours before many members of the royal family reunited at Westminster Abbey for the Princess of Wales’ second annual Christmas carol concert.
During the event, which was attended by family members including King Charles and the Queen Consort, the Prince of Wales made a speech, in which he quoted an extract from the late Queen’s Christmas speech about “togetherness”.
William makes pointed speech about ‘togetherness’
Their appearance came hours after allegations against the royals aired in Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary
Amid the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s claims that Meghan was subjected to racism during her time in the UK, Buckingham Palace has revealed that Prince William’s godmother, Lady Susan Hussey, has apologised in person to Ngozi Fulani over comments she made to the Black charity boss during a reception at Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement the two women had met on Friday morning at Buckingham Palace: “At this meeting, filled with warmth and understanding, Lady Susan offered her sincere apologies for the comments that were made and the distress they caused to Ms Fulani.
“Lady Susan has pledged to deepen her awareness of the sensitivities involved and is grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the issues in this area.
“Ms Fulani, who has unfairly received the most appalling torrent of abuse on social media and elsewhere, has accepted this apology and appreciates that no malice was intended.”
Prince William’s godmother apologises to charity boss for ‘racist’ questions
Buckingham Palace says meeting was ‘full of warmth and understanding’
The apology took place after Ms Fulani, founder of the charity Sistah Space, recalled on Twitter a conversation she’d had with Lady Susan, in which the Queen’s former lady-in-waiting had asked her where she “really came from”.
What did Lady Hussey say to Ngozi Fulani in royal race row?
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The Palace previously announced that Lady Susan would be resigning from her role over her “unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments”.
“In this instance, unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments have been made. We have reached out to Ngozi Fulani on this matter, and are inviting her to discuss all elements of her experience in person if she wishes,” the Palace said. “In the meantime, the individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect. All members of the Household are being reminded of the diversity and inclusivity policies which they are required to uphold at all times.”
The united display by the royal family came after both Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace declined to comment on the claims laid out in the final three episodes of the Sussexes’ docuseries.
You can find a refresher on the biggest revelations and talking points from volume two of Harry & Meghan below.
The 6 biggest talking points from Harry and Meghan Vol 2 on Netflix
The second batch of the documentary’s episodes have arrived on the platform – here’s what we’ve learnt
The timing of the racism row coincided with the release of the first three episodes of the Sussexes docuseries earlier this month.
At the time, it was also noted that the Duchess of Sussex had her own history with Lady Susan, as the palace aide was assigned to help Meghan adjust to royal life before and after her and Prince Harry’s royal wedding.
However, Lady Susan reportedly had her doubts about the couple, as she once allegedly claimed the Sussexes marriage would “end in tears”.
Royal aide embroiled in race row ‘said Harry and Meghan marriage would end in tears’
Lady Susan Hussey reportedly advised Duchess of Sussex about royal life
While the couple made a number of shocking claims in the latest episodes, volume two also included sweet insights into their relationship, with the duke and duchess sharing a number of never-before-seen photographs from the early days of their marriage, when they were living in Nottingham Cottage.
In one photo, Meghan could be seen dancing in the doorway, while another showed Prince Harry painting their temporary home.
The couple shared the photos while reflecting on their time spent living in the “small” cottage.
Harry and Meghan complain their grace-and-favour home was ‘so small’
‘I don’t think anyone could believe what our life was actually like behind the scenes,’ says Duchess of Sussex in episode four
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