Royals fear Harry and Meghan could ‘sound off’ about family in tell-all chat with Oprah

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could give a tell-all interview to their friend Oprah Winfrey if they do not get their way in showdown talks with the royal family at Sandringham, palace aides fear. 

Meghan’s US PR team is thought to already be in contact with Oprah, as well as several American TV networks for a potential no-holds barred interview, where she and Harry could ‘sound off’ about the royal family’s ‘racism and sexism’.  

Harry will come face to face with the Queen today, along with Prince Charles and Prince William as the family try and carve out the new ‘progressive’ roles that the Sussexes crave.

Meghan will join in from Canada, where she is staying with baby Archie, by telephone.

Palace aides fear that alienating Harry and Meghan further could push them into giving a potentially disastrous tell-all interview, which could lead to more controversy as the couple plan to reveal the challenges they have faced within the family. 

Palace aides hears that upsetting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle by not giving them what they want could lead to a disastrous tell-all interview

As well as Oprah Winfrey, Meghan's team is believed to have contacted television networks ABC, NBC and CBS for a potential interview

As well as Oprah Winfrey, Meghan’s team is believed to have contacted television networks ABC, NBC and CBS for a potential interview

Tom Bradbry, the ITV journalist who spoke to the Sussexes in their bombshell documentary last year, has already warned that a ‘no-holds barred’ interview could be in the offing.  

As well as Oprah, Meghan’s team is believed to have contacted the television networks ABC, NBC and CBS. 

Meghan’s mother Doria has also been seen leaving Oprah’s home. 

Now, a royal source has told the Sun: ‘Harry and Meghan’s people have been reaching out to all the big US networks to explore the possibilities of a sit-down warts-and-all interview. 

‘Meghan feels she’s been silenced and is no longer prepared to be muted. She and Harry feel the royals have been racist and sexist.’ 

Another source told the Telegraph that the palace feared a potential interview. 

They said: ‘Just look at what happened with the Duke of York on Newsnight.’ 

Mr Bradby has previously suggested it is in the interests of the royal household to keep the couple on-side.  

Writing in the Sunday Times, Mr Bradby said: ‘I have some idea of what might be aired in a full, no-holes-barred sit down interview and I don’t think it would be pretty.’ 

Harry is expected to be warned later today that there are formidable obstacles to overcome before he can stand down as a senior royal.

The Queen (pictured attending church at Sandringham on Sunday), who was left deeply hurt by her grandson's decision to release the statement without her knowledge, has summoned Princes Charles, William and Harry for a crisis meeting to resolve the Sussexes future

The Queen (pictured attending church at Sandringham on Sunday), who was left deeply hurt by her grandson’s decision to release the statement without her knowledge, has summoned Princes Charles, William and Harry for a crisis meeting to resolve the Sussexes future

Scene of the showdown: Members of the family will gather at the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk for a historic royal summit, where their task is to come up with a 'direction of travel' for the prince and Meghan

Scene of the showdown: Members of the family will gather at the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk for a historic royal summit, where their task is to come up with a ‘direction of travel’ for the prince and Meghan

Royal aides have prepared Sandringham's grand Long Library, which used to be a bowling alley, for the crunch talks between senior members of the Family on Monday

Royal aides have prepared Sandringham’s grand Long Library, which used to be a bowling alley, for the crunch talks between senior members of the Family on Monday

Prince Charles has jetted back from Oman where he offered his condolences to the country's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said (right) over the death of previous Sultan Qaboos bin Said who died age 79 on Friday

Prince Charles has jetted back from Oman where he offered his condolences to the country’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said (right) over the death of previous Sultan Qaboos bin Said who died age 79 on Friday

As members of the family gather at Sandringham for a historic royal summit, their task is to come up with a ‘direction of travel’ for the prince and Meghan.

Aides have been working around the clock to come up with a range of options for the couple since they issued their bombshell statement saying they planned to step back from frontline duties and divide their time between the UK and North America, while retaining their royal privileges.

The Queen – who was left deeply hurt by her grandson’s decision to release the statement without her knowledge – made clear to courtiers she wanted the problem sorted ‘within days’ to prevent further damage to the monarchy.

But while staff have managed to achieve the unthinkable in preparing a series of proposals to put on the table, Harry will also be warned that the crisis is not over yet.

There have already been consultations between the UK and Canadian governments, but working out the detail is likely to take weeks or months rather than days.

Behind the scenes, consultations have highlighted a range of stumbling blocks, such as issues of residency, visas, tax and security that may take some time to iron out, depending on what path the couple want to go down.

Journalist and close confidante of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Tom Bradby has warned that if the Royal couple are left feeling hard done by, they may give a 'no-holds barred' interview which would could further damage the monarchy

Journalist and close confidante of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Tom Bradby has warned that if the Royal couple are left feeling hard done by, they may give a ‘no-holds barred’ interview which would could further damage the monarchy

Journalist Tom Bradby (pictured) is thought to be a good friend to both Prince Harry and Meghan. The Royal couple opened up to him in ITV documentary 'Harry & Meghan: An African Journey'

Journalist Tom Bradby (pictured) is thought to be a good friend to both Prince Harry and Meghan. The Royal couple opened up to him in ITV documentary ‘Harry & Meghan: An African Journey’

The Queen has called for a solution that is workable not just for Harry and Meghan but could also apply to following generations. 

However, courtiers fear that Meghan would brand the royal household racist and sexist if left unsatisfied by a decision. 

Mr Bradby believes Harry is determined to ‘make the best’ of the situation they have found themselves in, and believe they are taking a positive step which could also pave the way for future generations including Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. 

Courtiers fear that Meghan would brand the royal household racist and sexist in an interview

Courtiers fear that Meghan would brand the royal household racist and sexist in an interview

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made it clear they plan to carve out a more 'progressive' path for themselves within the royal family

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made it clear they plan to carve out a more ‘progressive’ path for themselves within the royal family

Tom Bradby and Prince Harry on ITV documentary 'Harry & Meghan: An African Journey'

Tom Bradby and Prince Harry on ITV documentary ‘Harry & Meghan: An African Journey’

Writing in the Times, he added that Harry and Meghan find members of the Royal Family, excluding the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, 'jealous and, at times, unfriendly'

Writing in the Times, he added that Harry and Meghan find members of the Royal Family, excluding the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, ‘jealous and, at times, unfriendly’

Bradby claimed that the foundations for the rift were laid at the time of their wedding in 2018

Bradby claimed that the foundations for the rift were laid at the time of their wedding in 2018

He added that William 'did try' to make amends with the Duke and Duchess but 'for the moment, at least, things have gone too far to be retrieved.'

He added that William ‘did try’ to make amends with the Duke and Duchess but ‘for the moment, at least, things have gone too far to be retrieved.’

Meghan Markle sneaked back to Vancouver island mansion on £134 budget flight 

Idyllic: The royal couple have been living in a luxury £10.7million property on Vancouver Island

Idyllic: The royal couple have been living in a luxury £10.7million property on Vancouver Island

Meghan Markle sneaked back to the Vancouver island mansion where she spent Christmas on a £134 budget flight after jetting back to Canada in the wake of shock Royal resignation announcement, it is understood.  

With the runaway Royals’ finances and spending under fierce scrutiny, film of her arrival courtesy of Canada’s WestJet airline might have provided welcome publicity, but she eluded waiting TV crews who, assuming she was coming in on a private jet, focused their attention elsewhere.

With no return flight booked and no official UK engagements, she could remain in Canada for the foreseeable future – and, when he arrives, so too could Harry.

Mr Bradby is considered a good friend to both Prince Harry and Meghan, as well as brother Prince William. 

Writing in the Times, he added that the couple find members of the Royal Family, excluding the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, ‘jealous and, at times, unfriendly.’

He claimed that the foundations for the rift were laid at the time of their wedding in 2018. 

‘Really damaging things were said and done. The atmosphere soured hard and early, but few meaningful attempts were made by anyone to heal the wounds,’ Mr Bradby wrote. 

He said that William ‘did try’ to make amends with the Duke and Duchess but ‘for the moment, at least, things have gone too far to be retrieved.’  

Tom Bradby’s ITV documentary ‘Harry & Meghan: An African Journey’ aired in October, during which Meghan revealed she was ‘existing not living’ while Harry spoke out about his struggles with mental health. 

Bradby said that the watershed documentary was his idea and that it took ‘a great deal of persuasion’ for the couple to agree to make the documentary about their personal life, as they had wanted the focus to be on their work in Africa.   

In the documentary, Harry told Bradby how he still struggles to deal with the ‘incredibly raw’ death of his mother, Princess Diana.

He also admitted that his anxieties require ‘constant management’ and said felt he and his brother were on ‘different paths’.

He also attacked the press over the public scrutiny that he and wife Meghan Markle have faced.

Mr Bradby spoke to the couple during an ITV documentary (pictured) where they told of their struggles of living in the spotlight

Mr Bradby spoke to the couple during an ITV documentary (pictured) where they told of their struggles of living in the spotlight

Meghan told Tom Bradby in October that they are just 'surviving' intense media attention and the scrutiny they face is unfair

 Meghan told Tom Bradby in October that they are just ‘surviving’ intense media attention and the scrutiny they face is unfair

Meghan meanwhile told of the the pressure of life in the spotlight, saying she had ‘no idea’ of the struggles she would deal with as a member of the Royal Family.

What will be discussed at the summit? 

1. Whether Harry and Meghan will keep their HRH titles.

2. The volume of royal duties the couple will still be expected to perform both in the UK and abroad. 

3. The Duke and Duchess’s funding and whether they will receive money from the Queen and Prince Charles after they are cut off from the sovereign grant cash supply.

4. Rules regarding the commercial deals the couple will be allowed to broker in their move to becoming ‘financially independent’. 

She revealed her friends warned her not to marry Harry because the media focus would ‘destroy your life’, and admitted that since the wedding and during her pregnancy she felt ‘vulnerable.’

Earlier this week, Mr Bradby insisted that it was ‘certainly not true’ to suggest the royal household was ‘blindsided’ by their decision to step down from senior roles within the monarchy, but Her Majesty was angered by the timing of the announcement.  

Bradby said: ‘It’s certainly not true to say the palace were blindsided by this. The couple’s view was they came back and wanted to talk to the family about their plans.

‘It had been made clear to them in their absence there was going to be a slimmed down monarchy and they weren’t really a part of it.’ 

The ITV News presenter said that it was 'certainly not true' to suggest the royal household was 'blindsided' by their decision to step down from the senior roles in the monarchy

The ITV News presenter said that it was ‘certainly not true’ to suggest the royal household was ‘blindsided’ by their decision to step down from the senior roles in the monarchy

‘I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives. I can’t do it any more’: Prince William reveals ‘sadness’ at broken bond with Prince Harry and how they are no longer a ‘team’ – as Queen fears for her fragile grandson ahead of showdown 

Prince William is desperately sad that the close relationship he once enjoyed with Prince Harry has soured, it was claimed by a friend last night.

The Duke of Cambridge has said he is unable to even ‘put an arm round’ his younger brother nowadays, after a rift saw them drift apart over the past year.

Harry and Meghan’s intention to quit as senior Royals has widened the gulf between the two siblings, with William understood to be ‘incandescent’ over his brother’s blindsiding of the Family.

But as the brothers gear up to come face-to-face at the Queen’s high-stakes crisis summit at Sandringham on Monday, the second-in-line to the throne confided in a friend his raw agony over the cracked sibling bond.

He said: ‘I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can’t do that any more – we’re separate entities,’ according to the Sunday Times.

William also spoke of his frustration that Harry is no longer part of the ‘team’ by deciding to become ‘financially independent’ in a pared-back Royal role. 

Yet he hopes that there will ‘come a time’ when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be ‘singing from the same page’ once again. 

The Queen, who was pictured ashen-faced behind the wheel of her Land Rover today, is also said to be concerned for the mental fragility of her grandson Harry. It also emerged the Duke of Sussex pulled the trigger on his abdication decision because he feared his wife, who had not settled well in the UK, was ‘on the brink’ and could suffer a meltdown if she remained in the country permanently. 

Anxious to avoid exacerbating an already tense situation, the Royal Family is keen to tread carefully. A source said: ‘There is no suggestion that they will be punished or stripped of their Royal titles or HRH status. Everyone wants to find a solution to this as quickly as possible.’ 

After laying down a 72-hour ultimatum to aides on Friday to hammer out a solution to the Sussexes’ future roles, Her Majesty summoned Princes Charles, William and Harry to her Norfolk Estate to put an end to the turmoil ravaging the monarchy – while Meghan is expected to join the discussions via a conference call from Canada.

Prince William is desperately sad that the once close relationship he enjoyed with Prince Harry has been wrecked, it was claimed by a friend on Saturday night

Prince William is desperately sad that the once close relationship he enjoyed with Prince Harry has been wrecked, it was claimed by a friend on Saturday night

Scene of the showdown: The Queen has summoned Princes Charles, William and Harry to her Sandringham Estate (pictured) on Monday for unprecedented crisis talks to resolve the Sussex situation

Scene of the showdown: The Queen has summoned Princes Charles, William and Harry to her Sandringham Estate (pictured) on Monday for unprecedented crisis talks to resolve the Sussex situation

Courtiers have quickly crashed together a document outlining several blueprints for Harry and Meghan’s new position within the Royal ranks.

Palace staff will also spell out the punitive taxes which could be inflicted on the couple, should they press ahead with their plans to resign from frontline duties.

However, the Sandringham Summit will extend to the ‘next steps’ for the entire monarchy, which is staring down the barrel of its worst crisis since 1992’s Annus Horriblis, when both Charles and Diana, and Andrew and Sarah Ferguson both divorced.  

Commentators have drawn parallels between the New Way Ahead Group – when the senior Royals bunkered down 28 years ago to chart a path out of the chaos – and the Queen’s urgency to stamp out the Sussex situation immediately.

Growing up, William and Harry’s brotherly love seemed unbreakable, with the pair supporting each other in the wake of their mother Diana’s death.

As they both developed into their roles as senior members of the Royal Family, they became a somewhat double act who would do engagements together. Even when William married Kate, they would often attend events as a trio.

But during the past year rumours of a brewing row between the brothers began to bubble up, eventually boiling over when Harry and Meghan quit the charitable entity they spearheaded with the Cambridges and branched ff to form their own.

What do each of the Royals want from the Sandringham Summit? 

The Queen: Her Majesty will want to ensure relative continuity in the monarchy and not allow it to become a vehicle for Royals to make money, as Harry and Meghan have been accused of plotting to do. But she will also want to safeguard Harry’s wellbeing, amid concerns for her grandson’s mental fragility.

Prince Charles: The first-in-line to the throne is also seeking stability to ensure his impending ascendancy is not jeopardised. But like the Queen, he has also expressed concern for Harry.

Prince William: He is planning for a streamlined and modern Royal Family and has said he wants his brother ‘singing from the same song sheet’. William will also want to resolve the crisis so Harry is not stealing his thunder.

Prince Harry: The Royal who sparked the current crisis by announcing his and Meghan’s decision to step back will drive a hard bargain to secure the best financial settlement possible while guaranteeing his family’s independence.  

In an ITV documentary earlier this year, Harry refused to deny speculation of the rift and said he and William were on ‘different paths’. 

And it is not just the brothers who have drifted apart, as it was claimed last night that Meghan and Kate Middleton have not spoken in over six months after ceasing communication on their WhatsApp group, according to the Mirror.

The break-up of the so-called Fab Four, which was cemented when the Sussexes left Kensington Palace, weighed on Harry immensely at the time, a source told the Sunday Times.

They said: ‘Harry was very opposed to it at first. He saw it as the opening of a chasm between him and his brother. William was also concerned.’ 

As heir to the throne, William’s staff at Kensington Palace have spent the past few days bunkered down in talks aimed at resolving the crisis raging through the Windsor ranks. 

The Duke of Cambridge will weigh in on the ‘Sussex situation’ at the summit where Harry and Meghan will be confronted with the dire financial impact of abandoning the Royal Family at an extraordinary Sandringham summit tomorrow.

Each of the four Royals are expected to be accompanied by their respective private secretaries – Sir Edward Young (Queen), Clive Alderton (Charles), Simon Case (William) and Fiona Mcilwham (Harry). 

Ms Mcilwham, who recently joined the Sussex household from the Foreign Office, is said to have joked with colleagues: ‘I was offered the Iran desk [at the FCO]. That might have been easier’.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk