Meghan claimed two royal household members discussed Archie’s skin colour, according to new book
Duchess of Sussex has previously stated that one royal family member had raised questions about ‘how dark’ her son would be while she was pregnant
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Duchess of Sussex claimed that two members of the royal household expressed “concerns” about Prince Archie’s skin colour while she was pregnant, a new book claims.
Royal commentator Omid Scobie‘s new book, Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, takes a deep dive into the institution and its future.
According to The Sun, the book states that two people had discussions about the prince’s skin colour, rather than just one.
Meghan claimed in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey that someone in the royal family had openly speculated about the complexion of her first child, Archie, before his birth in 2019.
“In those months when I was pregnant... we have in tandem the conversation of ‘He won’t be given security. He’s not going to be given a title,’ and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born,” she told Winfrey.
The revelation sparked widespread debate, with many curious about which royal made the alleged insensitive comment.
Scobie claims to be aware of who made the comments, but does not reveal their names due to “laws in the United Kingdom prevent me from reporting who they were”.
It is not known if the second person accused is a member of the royal family but they are a member of the household.
The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
Two days after the Oprah interview in March 2021, Buckingham Palace released a statement on behalf of the Queen.
It said the issues raised “particularly that of race” were “concerning”, adding: “While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”
Scobie has denied reports of the book being a vessel for the duchess and former Suits star, as well as claims of him having a close relationship with the couple.
“Let’s get this nonsense out the way – #ENDGAME is about the current state of the British Royal Family,” Scobie wrote on X/Twitter.
“It’s not ‘Harry and Meghan’s book’, I’m not ‘Meg’s pal’, the Sussexes have nothing to do with it, their story is a small part of a much bigger one you can read in 12 days.”
The book also reportedly claims that Princess Anne was instrumental in the Sussexes moving out of Frogmore Cottage in Windsor by convincing the King to take a “firm approach” with the couple.
The Princess Royal is claimed to have persuaded Charles to withdraw the use of Frogmore Cottage from the couple, the use of which was a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth II.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments