Yahoo Movies Fears that royal visits to the US could face anti-racist protests
The response in the
US was overwhelmingly supportive of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with Britain facing scrutiny over claims of “entrenched racism”
(AP)" />
The British monarchy is facing a royal backlash in the United States after more than 17 million Americans tuned in to watch Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The response in the US was overwhelmingly supportive of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with Britain facing scrutiny over claims of “entrenched racism” following Meghan’s explosive claim that a member of the Royal Family had raised concerns over the colour of son Archie’s skin before he was born.
According to some Washington insiders, the storm has raised fears that royals on future state visits could face anti-racism protests.
From the White House to Hollywood, the two-hour interview, premiered on Sunday night by CBS, was the talk of the nation and a ratings hit for the network, which attracted just 6.5 million viewers in the same slot the previous week.
The two-hour special’s TV audience was more than the Golden Globes and the Emmys combined.
The Duchess of Sussex was widely praised for standing up to “The Firm” and America’s TV queen Winfrey won top marks for the interview.
An article in Newsweek magazine called Meghan a “uniquely American hero”.
Even President Joe Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki praised Meghan and Harry’s “courage” for talking out as “private citizens”.
“For anyone to come forward and speak about their own struggles with mental health and tell their own personal story, that takes courage and that’s certainly something the president believes,” Ms Psaki told a press briefing.
“We aren’t going to provide additional commentary from here on behalf of the president or others given these are private citizens, sharing their own story and their own struggles,” she added.
Podcast host Brittany Packnett Cunningham, a black activist and former member of President Obama’s 21st Century Policing Task Force, tweeted about the dynamic between Meghan and the Duchess of Cambridge: “The difference in treatment between Meghan and Kate is one of the clearest examples of the misogynoir at play and is a reminder that if they can do that to a Duchess, it’s happening to black women everyday.”
And Amanda Gorman, America’s Youth Poet Laureate, wrote on Twitter: “Meghan was the Crown’s greatest opportunity for change, regeneration, and reconciliation in a new era. They didn’t just maltreat her light, they missed out on it,” she added in a tweet.
People magazine editor-in-chief Dan Wakeford called the prime-time tell-all the “interview of a generation”.
Read More
Prince Harry tells Oprah he felt ‘trapped’ in the royal family
Meghan and Harry reveal they’re expecting a baby girl in summer
Podcast: The Oprah interview that plunged the monarchy into crisis
