Did Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Ask Oprah For Coronation Advice?
After months of speculation about whether or not the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would be in attendance, Buckingham Palace finally confirmed Harry and Meghan's coronation plans. The celebrity couple divulged that Prince Harry would be attending his father, King Charles III's, big day while Meghan Markle remained in California with their two children. Royal watchers wondered whether they'd reached out to their pal, Oprah Winfrey, for her sage advice on the matter.
According to Vanity Fair, Winfrey has been a close and loyal friend to Meghan and Harry since long before they left their duties with the royal family behind, and moved to California, in 2020. In fact, Harry and Meghan's 2021 Oprah interview is one of the most notable and talked about TV interviews in history, with the Sussexes dropping several bombshells about their time spent with the royal family to the former talk show host.
During the expansive chat, Harry revealed that he felt helpless and abandoned by his family, who refused to intervene and help him and Meghan when she was being torn apart by the British tabloids. Recently, Winfrey opened up about whether Harry and Meghan actually did request her guidance on whether they should attend the coronation.
Gayle King asked Oprah Winfrey for her opinion on the matter
Shortly before it took place, Oprah Winfrey sat down with her close friend Gayle King for the "CBS Mornings" show to discuss whether she played any role in Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's decision regarding King Charles' coronation. King began by asking Winfrey whether she believed Harry and Meghan should both attend.
The beloved TV icon replied: "I think they should do what they feel is best for them and their family. That's what I think. That's what the bottom line — it comes down to, what do you feel like is the right thing for you?" Many royal fans were curious about whether the Sussexes had confided in Winfrey about the decision.
Winfrey quickly cleared up those rumors, telling King, "They haven't asked me." While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn't reach out to Oprah for advice on this particular matter, she continues to openly stand behind the couple.
Oprah Winfrey supports the former royal couple
After Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped down from their positions with the monarchy, Oprah Winfrey told TMZ: "I support them 1,000 percent. You know why I support them? I support them because I believe, when you have thought about this as long as they have ... Who doesn't feel what that takes to make that decision to give up everything you've known your whole life to say I'm going to choose this new life or what I believe to be the truest vision for myself?"
While the couple's decisions have been under heavy scrutiny by the public and press alike, and their relationship with the royal family has been strained ever since their departure, King Charles did give an unexpected coronation nod to Meghan Markle. It is reported that a family photograph with Meghan that was taken to celebrate Charles' birthday was included in the program for the historic event (via Daily Mail).
This small gesture shows that although the couple's relationship with the other royals may be tense, there's still hope for the future.