The Sussexes' interview with Oprah Winfrey left viewers with a lot of lingering questions about the royal family. Among them was speculation as to which member of the royal family asked about Harry and Meghan's child, later named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, and what his skin tone might be like.
A lot of the earliest speculation pointed to Prince Philip. Many felt it would be unsurprising for an older member of the royal family to make such a comment. Plus, Philip has made some questionable comments in the past, so it wouldn't be entirely unprecedented. The next day, Oprah appeared on CBS This Morning, where she explained that off-camera, Harry was willing to clarify that neither Philip nor Queen Elizabeth made the comment.
Now someone claims to know who did. Jamaican-born British socialite Lady Colin Campbell says that the royal in question is Princess Anne, but the comment was taken out of context.
Jamaican-born British socialite Lady Colin Campbell believes she has the answer to one of the biggest questions that came from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey. The 71-year-old says she knows who Harry and Meghan were talking about when it came to the comment about their baby's skin tone.
That said, Lady Colin also says that the comments were taken way out of context by a sensitive Harry. She claims it was Princess Anne who made a comment about "culture," not "skin tone."
"Harry decided that on the slimmest of hints about culture — that it referred to colour," Lady Colin told the Daily Mail.
"She [Anne] had concerns about the disastrous effects of allowing somebody of that ilk, character wise, into the family, would not only cause trouble for all of them but also for any child born of the union,'" Lady Colin explained.
"Harry ran to Meghan with the objections, Meghan weaponised them on the grounds of colour. We are looking at people who are very eager to spot a slight where doubtless none exist."
"There were no concerns about Meghan's colour," Lady Colin noted.
"Princess Anne was rightly concerned that if the marriage proceeded and there were children there would be huge problems, not because of Meghan's colour, but because of Meghan's inability and determination to remain unable to appreciate the cultural differences."
Anne also had concerns that Meghan did not "actually have respect for the institution in to which she was marrying, and the family in which she was marrying," Lady Colin noted.
"Meghan and Harry have used that genuine concern of a loving aunt, knowing that because she is down to earth, experienced, modest, intelligent and sensible, and that you cannot make a sow's ear into a silk purse."
"Nobody is the guilty party in terms of racism," she continued.
"But Princess Anne was the champion in terms of 'don't marry that girl, she is unsuitable. She is wrong for the country, wrong for the job.' Well, it's turned out to be true. I think it's important that it is out there before it is weaponised by some anti-establishment, anti-monarchist organisation, who will spin things destructively to further their agenda."
The argument that Harry and Meghan have been too sensitive has been made before, and it's one that many believe is just a veil for the royals. Some fans even speculate that this narrative is being presented to protect more prominent senior royals from being suspected as racists.
Some royal fans also believe this story doesn't fit the many tidbits around it. For example, there has never been any visible tension between Harry or Meghan with Anne at any of the events they attended together. Photographers have made a point of capturing the tension between Harry and other family members, so if it was there, it would likely be documented.
Chances are, the speculation on this topic isn't going to go away. Regardless of where blame is properly placed, the fact is the behavior isn't entirely new or surprising from the royals. This incident is yet another that speaks to the need for modernization in some areas of the monarchy, a polarizing matter that's been discussed for decades.
