A duke and a duchess are about to have a sit-down with a queen—to discuss, among other things, their departure from the royal family and concerns about outside interference on their growing family. No, it’s not another “Sandringham Summit.” It’s Oprah With Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special, airing this upcoming Sunday, March 7, where the “Queen of All Media” will host the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for a two-hour exclusive and purportedly “intimate” discussion.
To be clear, the Sussexes and the almighty Oprah are friends as well as neighbors in Santa Barbara, Calif.; the entertainment maven was memorably a guest at the couple’s 2018 nuptials. Additionally, Oprah and Harry are also collaborators on a mental health series for Apple TV+. With that in mind—aside from her undeniable global reach—Oprah was the obvious choice for the couple’s first major interview stateside (Harry’s adorably candid recent appearance on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke notwithstanding).
So, what can we expect from the friends’ much-anticipated conversation on Sunday? Apparently, some one-on-one time between Meghan and Oprah, in addition to Harry’s own revelations about redefining royal life on his own terms. More from CBS, which provided The Root trailers from the upcoming conversation:
In the two-hour special, Oprah speaks with Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, in a wide-ranging interview, covering everything from stepping into life as a Royal, marriage, motherhood and philanthropic work, to how she is handling life under intense public pressure. Later, the two are joined by Prince Harry as they speak about their move to the United States and their future hopes and dreams for their expanding family.
“I just want to make it clear to everybody, there is no subject that’s off-limits,” Oprah teases in one clip, in which she also pointedly asks Meghan, “Were you silent, or were you silenced?” We aren’t privy to the duchess’ responses in the clip, but if her facial expressions are any indication, some tea may be spilled—and we all know the British monarchy are tea connoisseurs.
“My biggest concern was history repeating itself,” says Harry in the clip, presumably referencing the tragic 1997 death of his mother, Princess Diana. In the second clip, he seemingly considers what it must’ve been like for his mother to simultaneously endure the pressures of royal life and the scrutiny of the British press while feeling entirely alone. “It’s been unbelievably tough for the two of us, but at least we have each other,” he says, clutching Meghan’s hand.
The televised discussion is no doubt an opportunity for Harry to quell the notion that Meghan somehow orchestrated his departure from royal life, instead reasserting that he is protective of his family (after welcoming son Archie in 2019, on Valentine’s Day, the couple announced a second pregnancy). That said, since the Sussexes reportedly remain on close terms with Queen Elizabeth, we aren’t expecting any indicting bombshells.
Then again, this is Oprah, so we shall see what she compels them to reveal.
Oprah With Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special, featuring Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will air Sunday, March 7 from 8-10 p.m., ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.