I forgot to put this in the earlier Tyler Perry post about his interview within Netflix’s Harry & Meghan – so there’s a discussion about the Oprah interview and the reaction to the interview. It’s remarkable to me that Meghan believed that the biggest headline would be that she was suicidal and begging for help and no one would help her. Then the headline turned out to be “the Windsors are racist AF.” But I liked what Tyler Perry said about the Oprah interview, which was: “I thought there’s so much more [Meghan] could have said but because she’s such a classy elegant woman, she didn’t.” That’s very true. It’s true about the Netflix series too – even though there were notable moments and there will of course be big, negative headlines about the Windsors, what struck me (yet again) was how much was being left unsaid. Kate was barely mentioned, Meghan didn’t even get into the tears-at-the-dress-fitting story, they didn’t repeat the stories about royal racism (they just showed the clips from the Oprah interview). Now, the Netflix series did capture some interesting stuff in the days after the Oprah interview:
The docuseries shows also Meghan and Harry in their office the day after it airs dealing with the fall-out. Meghan, who is on a call with her friend Tyler Perry, reads out a statement from Queen Elizabeth reacting to the couple’s claims in the interview (in which Her Majesty memorably said “recollections may vary”) before Harry interrupts his wife to show her his cellphone.
“Wow, H just got a text from his brother,” she tells Perry, who then says his goodbyes and hangs up.
The couple don’t share the contents of that text from William with Garbus and her crew but the cameras do catch them discussing how they plan to react to it. “I wish I knew what to do,” Harry says as Meghan gets up and wraps her arms around him. She says: “I know. Let’s take a breather, get some air and then decide.”
The docuseries also captures Meghan receiving a text message from Beyonce following the Oprah documentary. At the time, Meghan is sitting alongside Harry in their joint office at their home in Montecito when she says: “Beyonce just texted.” Harry mock-gasps in response and quips, “Shut up!”
“[She’s] just checking in,” Meghan says. “I still can’t believe she knows who I am.” Meghan then reads out the message: “She said she wants me to feel safe and protected. She admits and respects my bravery and vulnerability and thinks I was selected to break generational curses that need to be healed.”
“That’s well said,” Harry replies.
I laughed my ass off at the Beyonce moment. Harry was super-pumped that Beyonce texted Meghan. The moment where William texted Harry though… God, I wish they had gotten into that. The chronology is interesting though, because apparently William didn’t text Harry until the Queen made that stupid “recollections may vary” statement, which happened two days after the Oprah interview aired. And they didn’t show Charles calling or texting Harry, although we’ve heard that happened.
I’m reminded again of Harry and Meghan believing that the Oprah interview would be the closing of that particular chapter, and that maybe after that, there could be some accountability, some apologies and some healing. Were they surprised that the Windsors instead went into ass-covering, racism-denial mode? Not really surprised, but I think they were disappointed.
Photos/screencaps courtesy of Harpo/CBS.
** RIGHTS: WORLDWIDE EXCEPT IN BRAZIL ** Rio de Janeiro, Braz – Maroon 5 performs at at Rock in RIo in Rio de Janeiro Pictured: Maroon 5 BACKGRID USA 15 SEPTEMBER 2017 BYLINE MUST READ: GADE / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication* 
Amanda Gorman recites poetry after United States President Joe Biden took the Oath of Office as the 46th President of the US at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on Wednesday, January 20, 2021.,Image: 584962111, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: usage worldwide, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Kleponis – CNP / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon 
Amanda Gorman recites poetry after United States President Joe Biden took the Oath of Office as the 46th President of the US at the US Capitol in Washington, DC on Wednesday, January 20, 2021.,Image: 584962111, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: usage worldwide, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Kleponis – CNP / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcHFnZYRye9Oyo56qj6Wys77YmJuum5iawLSrzJ6eoZmelLCwwcudlqGZppqss7HVnpilnZSUwLCrzK6aoZedpL%2Bmq9Oolqioopa1cA%3D%3D