The Meghan Markle and Prince Harry interview with Oprah Winfrey aired March 7 on CBS,  detailing their lives leading up to their departure from the royal family, as well as what they have been up to since then.

One of the most prominent parts of the interview was when Meghan revealed the disturbing conversations that were had within the royal family about how their son would look. Meghan is mixed race, so when she got pregnant with the couple’s first child (Archie), she spoke about how a specific member of the royal family had concerns on how dark the baby’s skin color was going to be. Even though Meghan and Harry never stated who voiced these concerns regarding Archie’s skin color, it was upsetting to see that the royals it was upsetting to see that a family so powerful would have these bigotted discussions.

Meghan also opened up about a point in her life when she didn’t see a way out of the dark; she had been deeply struggling with suicidal thoughts. She said she went to the institution, to ask for mental health help, but they turned her down because it would paint a bad picture of the royal family in the media. Hearing this was aggravating because mental health is such a big issue in society and there is such a stigma behind it. If you or someone you love is experiencing suicidal thoughts or tendencies please visit the suicide prevention website for help or information.

 Something I enjoyed about the interview was that they didn’t want anybody in the royal family to get attacked, they simply wanted to speak their truth. For example, there was a rumor that Meghan made Princess Kate cry over bridesmaid dresses the week of Meghan’s wedding. In the interview, Meghan alleged that the opposite happened, but wasn’t going to rehash any part of the argument because she and Kate had made amends. They also refused to share who brought up the conversation of the baby’s skin color because they wanted to settle the issue privately within the family.

I had a lot of mixed emotions while watching the interview. One part that was upsetting about the interview was when Harry and Meghan discussed being in the public eye and how they had to hide their personal pain or issues in front of the cameras, no matter how serious it might be. The couple has had to hide their emotions and put on a mask, making them completely unable to be transparent. Although it was a disheartening interview, I was glad to hear that they are both happy now with their son Archie and are expecting their second child.  

“Oprah with Meghan and Harry”: ★★★★☆