US reaction: America’s fury at Royal family over Duchess of Sussex’s racism accusations
In the US, there was strong support for Prince Harry and Meghan and widespread praise of Oprah Winfrey’s handling of the interview
Nick Allen, Washington
America reacted with widespread anger at Buckingham Palace following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Serena Williams, the US tennis star who co-hosted the Duchess’s baby shower in 2019, said she was a victim of “systematic oppression”.
She said: “Meghan Markle, my selfless friend, lives her life – and leads by example – with empathy and compassion.
“She teaches me every day what it means to be truly noble. Her words illustrate the pain and cruelty she’s experienced.”
Ms Williams added: “I know first hand the sexism and racism institutions and the media use to vilify women and people of colour to minimise us.”
Serena Williams and husband
Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian at the Sussexes’ wedding CREDIT: AFP
Amanda Gorman, the young black poet who stole the show at Joe Biden’s inauguration, said: “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.”
Much of the focus in the US was on the revelation that a senior royal discussed the Duke and Duchess’s son Archie and “how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”
The interview sparked a wave of goodwill for the Duchess in particular, and was widely seen as disastrous for the palace.
Amanda GoRman backed the Duchess
Amanda GoRman backed the Duchess CREDIT: AFP
It followed a concerted effort by US-based friends of the Duchess, ahead of the interview, to refute allegations that she bullied members of staff during her time as a royal.
Joe Biden’s White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield weighed in after the Duchess’s comments to Ms Winfrey that the palace had not “protected” her.
Ms Bedingfield “liked” a tweet repeating the Duchess’s words: “IN MY OLD JOB THERE WAS A UNION AND THEY WOULD PROTECT ME.”
Ana Navarro, a co-host of The View, Americas top-rated daytime talk show, said: “Oof. There hasn’t been this much English tea spilled in America since the Boston Tea Party.” – Telegraph
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