LOS ANGELES — During the hotly anticipated two-hour pre-recorded interview between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Oprah Winfrey on CBS, Meghan Markle discussed her concerns for her son's safety and how her treatment within the royal family caused her to have suicidal thoughts.
In her interview with Winfrey, Meghan revealed that when she was first pregnant with son Archie, there were “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.” The statement led Winfrey to ask “What,” incredulously and sit in silence for a moment.
Meghan declined to say who had this conversation with Harry that he relayed to her, saying revealing their name would be “very damaging.”
Meghan also said she was stunned when she was told he would not be a prince and would not receive security from the palace.
Meghan said she did not worry about being a divorced, mixed-race American actress entering the British royal family, but later she “thought about it because they made me think about it.”
Meghan said it was not so much the royal family members themselves who treated her this way, but the people behind the institution.
She emphasized that the queen herself “has always been wonderful to me.”
However, she told Winfrey she was having "methodical" thoughts about suicide while she was in the royal family, according to CBS.
And, when she sought ways to receive help for her suicidal thoughts or to be checked into a hospital, she says she was told "it wouldn't be good for optics." She said she felt captive because she surrendered her license, passport and credit cards after her wedding.
If you are having thoughts of suicide or need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.