After explosive allegations of racism leveled by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle about the royal family, the official response from the palace is ... crickets. Buckingham Palace has remained quiet, though the Guardian reports that pressure is growing for a response. The BBC, meanwhile, reports that "crisis talks" were underway among unnamed senior royals, with correspondent Daniela Relph adding that the palace "will not want to feel rushed" into saying something. In perhaps the most damning allegation, Markle said that when she was pregnant, there were "concerns and conversations" within the royal family about how dark her son's skin would be. Markle has a Black mother and white father. Neither she nor Prince Harry named names, but interviewer Oprah Winfrey said Harry made clear that it wasn't his grandmother (the queen) or grandfather (Prince Philip).
Meanwhile, both the White House and Downing Street are doing their best to sidestep the controversy, notes the AP. Asked for President Biden's reaction, press chief Jen Psaki said Biden lauded Markle for speaking out about her mental health struggles (she told Winfrey she considered suicide because of the abuse she endured in the UK). But he didn't weigh in on the allegations, “given these are private citizens, sharing their own story and their own struggles.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson walked a similar line. Johnson told reporters that he “always had the highest admiration for the queen and the unifying role that she plays in our country." But, he added, “when it comes to matters to do with the royal family, the right thing for a prime minister to say is nothing.” The Winfrey interview drew 17.1 million viewers on CBS, according to Nielsen. (More royal family stories.)
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