According to a new book by Valentine Low, “Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown,” Kate Middleton had a part in the royal family’s response to Prince Harry and Meghan’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Kate Middleton reportedly proposed the insertion of the phrase “some recollections may vary” in the response. The book portrays Kate as an influential figure in strengthening the tone of the response.
In the early drafts of the Palace’s response, a softer version of the “recollections” sentence was included to counter allegations concerning comments about the skin color of baby Archie. However, Kate and her husband, Prince William, were of the opinion that the institution should firmly communicate its disagreement with many of the claims made during the interview. Kate insisted on keeping the phrase in the statement, reasoning that it would bear significant weight in the historical evaluation of the event and challenge the acceptance of the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes’ statements as truth.
The book describes Kate as strategically understated, with a keen focus on her future role as the Queen. The book also states that Jean-Christophe Gray, Prince William’s private secretary, originally coined the phrase, though others believe it was Sir Clive Alderton. The response was eventually released after Queen Elizabeth watched the Oprah interview on ITV.
During the interview, Meghan Markle revealed she felt “silenced” by the royal institution and had been refused assistance during a mental health crisis. In response, the royal family expressed their sadness over the difficulties faced by Harry and Meghan, vowing to privately address the issues brought up, especially those related to race. The statement underscored that Harry, Meghan, and Archie remain much-loved members of the family. Oprah later clarified that neither the Queen nor Prince Philip were implicated in the comments about Archie’s skin color, as Prince Harry did not reveal who participated in those discussions.