Queen Elizabeth plans to address UK public hours before Prince Harry & Meghan’s Oprah interview
The queen will appear on TV to provide the British royal family perspective on #Megexit
Royal watchers are already counting down the days till Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s long-awaited interview with Oprah Winfrey airs. But now reports have surfaced that the Queen and the rest of the senior royals are planning to air a nationwide address in the U.K in what many speculate to be a preemptive strike.
Monday, it was reported that the Queen plans to address the United Kingdom during a television address with the support of both Prince Charles and Prince William just a few hours before her grandson and his wife premiere their in-depth sit-down interview with Winfrey in the United States.
READ MORE: Oprah to interview Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for rare TV special
Westminster Abbey officially announced Monday morning that originally Her Majesty had been scheduled to attend the annual Commonwealth Service on March 8. However, since the event was cancelled for the first time in nearly half a century due to COVID-19 concerns, she will instead share her annual message 24 hours earlier during A Celebration For Commonwealth Day.
The pre-recorded speech taped at Windsor Castle will broadcast on BBC One on Sunday, March 7. And although the official explanation seems simple enough, the British press has pointed out that it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that the queen will be addressing millions of Britons right before the Sussexes make waves across the pond.
READ MORE: André Leon Talley faces eviction from home owned by former Manolo Blahnik CEO
“The decision was taken jointly by the Abbey, the BBC and the royal household about three weeks ago,” explained a Westminster Abbey spokesman.
It is also being reported that the monarch plans to show a unified front, with Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, all present on the show which will be hosted by Anita Rani.
Meghan and Harry made their first appearance since announcing they are expecting a second child. As reported by The Daily Mail, the couple appeared on a Spotify livestream event to promote their upcoming Spotify podcast.
‘We created Archwell audio to make sure we can elevate voices that maybe aren’t being heard and hear people’s stories,” Meghan said.
Harry chimed in, saying “And the biggest part of this is trying to create this community of where you can share, that will encourage everybody else to then share their own vulnerabilities in that safe space.”
Rumblings from the palace suggest not everyone is happy with #Megexit, as the former royal’s departure has been comedically named. According to sources from various U.K. publications as reported by the Mail, stripping the couple of their patronages entirely seemed to blindside the couple and their terse response that ‘We can all live a life of service. Service is universal, ” was viewed as “disrespectful.” to the queen.
“They have chosen to live in America, they have not been exiled to America,’ one source said.
Another commented, ‘Let’s be clear, the Sussexes instigated this. They jumped. But the Queen is firm: either you are a public servant or you aren’t. You can’t line your pockets while undertaking official duties.”
Oprah With Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special airs Sunday, March 7 Â at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
