The celebrity world is starkly divided by Oprah’s interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Some were taken with the couple, praising their bravery, and others called Markle a “liar.”
Bethanny Frankel, who previously starred in Real Housewives of New York, mocked Markle for the latter’s out-of-touch issues, saying Markle was “suffering in a palace with tiaras and a seven-figure wedding”. Frankel recanted after watching the interview.
“Emotional distress & racism must feel suffocating & powerless. I’m a polarizing, unfiltered (often to a fault) flawed person with a voice. When I heard of the interview, during a pandemic, it felt like a surprising choice. I’m sorry if it hurt or offended you,” Frankel wrote.
Other celebs chimed in quickly too. Megyn Kelly took a sharp swipe at the couple and criticized Oprah’s interviewing technique.
During the interview, the couple claimed that certain members of the family discussed the skin color of their son, Archie, and that an Australian visit prompted jealous ire. Kelly claimed that “Oprah stayed too broad-I wanted more. Be specific. Who was jealous of Meghan after Australia? How did you know that? What do you mean your family haven’t ‘educated themselves’ the way you have? They’re racists? WHO?”
Harry and Meghan have said that a major reason they left the family was the amount of negative press they received, which was born of racism. However, Terrence K. Williams, an African-American commentator, was skeptical of the accusation, calling the “race card” an old trope on Twitter.
Others focused ire on Harry; FOX News star Kennedy called him a “big dumb baby” on Twitter.
Others did seem to support the couple. Meghan McCain tweeted out that the “monarchy has been an archaic and toxic concept since 1776” and Amanda Gorman tweeted her support of Markle’s strength.
Serena Williams spoke of her own experience and praised her friend in a long Twitter post.
“I know first hand the sexism and racism institutions and the media use to vilify women and people of color to minimize us, to break us down and demonize us. We must recognize our obligation to decry malicious, unfounded gossip and tabloid journalism.”
MSNBC’s Chris Lansing commented that the interview felt like it could have revealed even more: “What’s shocking is that even after all Harry and Meghan have said..the blatant racism, cruelty, lies, abandonment, jealousy — you still get the feeling they could say MUCH more.”