Oprah launches defence of Prince Harry as she says ‘he did what he needed to do for his family’

Meghan Markle’s close friends Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King have launched an extraordinary defense of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step down from the royal family. 

Oprah, 66, who Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, defended the couple after being stopped by reporters while walking with Gayle, 65, in New York last night.

In a video obtained by TMZ, Oprah said that she supported the Sussexes, ‘1,000 per cent’ in their decision to step back from the royal family and said Prince Harry ‘did what he needed to do for his family.’

She explained: ‘I don’t think anybody else has any right to say anything, when a person has sat and thought about what is the best decision for him and his family, and then he makes that decision…none of us have any right to say anything about that.’ 

Meanwhile Meghan’s friend Gayle commented to defend the couple, insisting: ‘Prince Harry didn’t make that decisions in a vacuum. There were a lot of conversations.’ 

Oprah Winfrey, 65, has said she supports Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, ‘1,000 per cent’ in their decision to step down as senior royals 

The TV stars, who are both friends of Meghan Markle and her mother Doria Ragland, launched into the rant last night. 

Oprah said: ‘I support them 1000 per cent. I support them because I believe that when you have thought about this as long as they have…And even in the Queen’s statement, take note, this has been going on for months.

‘These discussions have been going on for months, so when you’ve thought about it for months…’

She went on to praise Prince Harry’s speech on Sunday night at Sentebale charity dinner in which he spoke of his ‘great sadness’ at stepping down from the royal family.

Oprah and Gayle King both defended the Sussexes in an extraordinary rant, and said 'discussions had been going on for months' about their exit from the royal family

Oprah and Gayle King both defended the Sussexes in an extraordinary rant, and said ‘discussions had been going on for months’ about their exit from the royal family 

She said: ‘When he gave the charity statement for Sentebale, the last line of his statement where he said, he had to make the decision to back away from his family in order to move forward in peace with his new family…’ 

‘I don’t know how they came up with those words, but who doesn’t feel that?’ 

She praised Prince Harry for the choice, saying: ‘Who doesn’t have feel what it takes to make those decision, to give up everything you’ve known your whole life, to say “I am going to choose this new life and what I believe to be the truest vision to myself?”. 

‘Who are any of us to stand in judgement of that? That’s what I think.’

Oprah - who has denied acting as an adviser for the couple - is close with both Prince Harry and Meghan, and attending the royal wedding in May 2018

Oprah – who has denied acting as an adviser for the couple – is close with both Prince Harry and Meghan, and attending the royal wedding in May 2018 

When asked if she found the move inspiring, Oprah said: ‘I wont even say inspiring, I’m saying he did what he needed to do for his family.

‘That’s his decision to make for him and his family.’

Meanwhile Gayle added: ‘They didn’t make that decisions in a vacuum. There were a lot of conversations, and that’s why I thought it was very unfair to say that the Queen was blindsided.

Meanwhile media mogul Gayle is also a friend of Meghan's and attended her baby shower in New York last year (pictured leaving the event)

Meanwhile media mogul Gayle is also a friend of Meghan’s and attended her baby shower in New York last year (pictured leaving the event) 

She added: ‘There have been several discussions about it.’ 

Reports surfaced last week that Oprah had helped advise Meghan and Prince Harry on leaving their posts as senior members of the Royal Family, but she denied the claim.

According to Page Six, she was the first person the couple spoke to about their departure, but she said that wasn’t true.   

Page Six’s source also claimed that Gayle had secured the first interview with the couple following what’s become known as the ‘Megxit.’ 

Prince Harry was praised by the American media moguls for making the decision, with Oprah calling his speech about leaving the royal family 'moving'

Prince Harry was praised by the American media moguls for making the decision, with Oprah calling his speech about leaving the royal family ‘moving’ 

It was confirmed in September that Prince Harry had teamed with Oprah on a new Apple TV Plus streaming service series focusing on mental health. 

Meanwhile Gayle spent time with the couple at Frogmore as they awaited the birth of Archie.

She was also a guest at the Sussex wedding, and Meghan Markle’s New York baby shower. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk