ITV’s Tom Bradby reveals he tried to teach Meghan Markle about Britain’s close ties with the monarchy when she first met Prince Harry – and admits his friendship with the royals is ‘complex’
- Tom Bradby, 52, revealed he taught Meghan Markle importance of the monarchy
- ITN News At Ten host is journalist behind documentary on their tour of Africa
- He was speaking out on the BBC 4 podcast ‘Fortunately…with Fi and Jane’
Documentary maker Tom Bradby has revealed he tried to teach Meghan Markle about Britain’s close ties with the royal family.
Speaking on the BBC 4 podcast ‘Fortunately…with Fi and Jane,’ the ITN News At Ten host, 52, a friend and confidante of the Duke of Sussex, told presenters Fi Glover and Jane Garvey the conversation took place one of the first times he met her.
‘Sometimes you try and explain to people not from this country our relationship with the monarchy – I remember trying to explain it to Meghan a long time ago,’ he said.
‘It was one of the first times I met her. I remember thinking, “good luck with that one.”‘
Documentary maker Tom Bradby has revealed he tried to explain to Meghan Markle, 38, the country’s close ties with the royal family the first time he met her. Pictured, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend WellChild awards at Royal Lancaster Hotel on October 15, 2019 in London
Tom Bradby spoke with the Duchess of Sussex on Harry & Meghan: An African Journey which aired on ITV in October
‘But you’re trying to explain the way, for so many people, our view of our country and who we are is to some extent tied up with the people on the balcony.
‘Because every time there’s a big national occasion, whether it’s VE Day, they’re up on the balcony. Or the Golden Jubilee.’
Tom, the journalist behind the recent documentary on Harry and Meghan’s African tour, is also a friend of Prince William and attended his wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011.
Speaking of his friendship with the royals, he said: ‘Sometimes it’s difficult navigating.
Documentary maker Tom Bradby interviewed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their royal tour of Africa (pictured)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended a Reception for Young People at the Residence of the British High Commissioner in Cape Town, South Africa on 24 September 2019
‘It’s difficult because on the one hand I guess there’s a positive that you hope you’re encouraging people to speak in a way they wouldn’t otherwise.
‘On the other hand, you’re aware you have a relationship and you’re aware that they’re in an unusual position and you don’t want to let them down.
He added: ‘It is a little bit complicated, I’m not going to lie, and it definitely has its moments.’
Tom also added he wouldn’t make a documentary like ‘Harry and Meghan: An African Journey’ too frequently.
‘Funnily enough I wouldn’t want to do [the documentary] very often,’ he said.
‘I needed to go and have a long lie down after it because the psychological complexities is a bit tricky.’
During the programme Meghan told how she and Prince Harry are just ‘surviving’ the intense media attention, saying she had ‘no idea’ of the struggles she would deal with as a member of the royal family.
And she also revealed her friends warned her not to marry Harry because the media focus would ‘destroy your life’, as Prince Harry told how he felt pressure to try and ‘protect’ his family.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor meeting Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation during their royal tour of South Africa on September 25, 2019 in Cape Town