In an extraordinary interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle has revealed she was "silenced" by the monarchy, that she was refused medical help by the palace when she felt suicidal and that concerns were raised about the colour of her son's skin.
The couple, who are currently expecting their second child, said the ultimate reason for their departure was the palace's lack of protection and support.
But the two-hour television special still left several questions unanswered.
Why is Archie not a prince?
During the Oprah Winfrey interview, the Duchess of Sussex said her children would not be granted a royal title or security protection, with the suggestion it was due to concern over their skin colour.
So, what exactly is the royal convention?
Due to royal convention established by King George V in 1917, Archie would not be given the title of prince at birth, considering he is the great-grandson of the reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Only those who are the son or grandson will receive this title.
Convention states if Prince Charles becomes king, Archie will then become a prince.
However, Markle said during her interview with Oprah Winfrey that the royal family was considering changing this convention while she was pregnant, meaning Archie will be stripped of the prince title forever.
Instead, he is known as "Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor".
Who expressed concern over Archie's skin colour?
During the interview, Markle revealed there were "concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born".
Later, Prince Harry said he would not reveal who raised these concerns.
"That conversation, I am never going to share. But at the time, it was awkward. I was a bit shocked," he said.
The day after the interview, Winfrey clarified it was not the Queen or Prince Philip who made the comments about Archie's skin tone.
How much money did Princess Diana leave her son, Prince Harry?
Prince Harry said his family "literally cut [him] off financially" in the first quarter of 2020.
"I have what my mum left me and without that we wouldn’t have been able to do this," the 36-year-old told Oprah.
According to The Telegraph, Prince Harry and Prince William were each left with about £6.5 million ($11.74 million AUD). Their sums were invested and by his 30th birthday, when he inherited the full amount, it was worth around £10 million ($18.06 million AUD).
Prince Harry said "it’s like [Princess Diana] saw it coming and she’s been with us through this whole process."
How has the Royal Family responded?
Buckingham Palace is yet to respond to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's accusations, including that the Duchess of Sussex was refused help when she revealed to the palace she was having suicidal thoughts.
According to The Times: "The Queen refused to sign off a prepared statement that officials had hoped would de-escalate tensions by highlighting the family's love and concern for the couple. She was believed to want more time consider her response."
Watch: Prince Harry's remarks about Meghan Markle's suicidal thoughts. Post continues below.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson declined to discuss the drama at a press conference on Monday.
"I have always had the highest admiration for the Queen and the unifying role she plays in our country and across the Commonwealth," Johnson said. "As for all other matters to do with the royal family I have spent a long time now not commenting on royal family matters and I don’t intend to depart from that today."
Who is "the firm"?
Throughout the interview, Markle continually referred to the royal family as "the firm".
'The Firm' is a term typically used to refer to the core members of the royal family. It's credited to Queen Elizabeth II's father, King George VI, who is reported to have remarked that the royals are "not a family, we're a firm".
After all, they operate much like a business. There's a CEO (the monarch), a line of succession, salaries, staff, public relations management, and so on.
'The Firm' is often used in that context, when referring to the business/institutional function of the family, and therefore isn't exactly considered a term of endearment.
Were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle paid for the Oprah interview?
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not paid for the interview.
If you think you may be experiencing depression or another mental health problem, please contact your general practitioner. If you're based in Australia, 24-hour support is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.
Feature image: Getty.
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