[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jaehee] Analysis suggests that the only winner of the interview with British Prince Harry and his wife was the host, Oprah Winfrey.
The reason the couple was able to make 'bombshell' statements about racism in the British royal family was precisely because the interviewer was none other than Oprah Winfrey.
Winfrey, one of the most famous broadcasters in the United States, is known to have attended Prince Harry and his wife's wedding and currently lives near their home in Montecito, Santa Barbara, California, indicating a close relationship.
The Associated Press (AP) stated, "Oprah Winfrey has a close relationship with the couple, which helped facilitate the interview. Moreover, her veteran skills?sometimes acting like a prosecutor, a mother, or a confessor who makes interviewees laugh and cry?played a role in bringing Prince Harry and his wife into the public eye."
In the interview exclusively aired on CBS in the U.S., Winfrey made it clear that the questions were not disclosed to Prince Harry and his wife beforehand before starting the interview.
She also encouraged Markle by saying, "Tell your truth today."
The questions were short and direct. For example, she asked Markle, "When you were in the royal family, were you silent, or were you forced to be silent?"
Winfrey listened seriously to the couple's story and drew out details. When Prince Harry mentioned his conflict with his father, Prince Charles, revealing on the spot that "my father did not take my calls," Winfrey gently encouraged him to share more.
When the couple revealed that royal family members did not want their son Archie to be a prince because they feared his skin color would be dark, Winfrey appeared shocked, saying, "What? Wait a minute."
Markle said, "At that time, I was mentally so distressed that I even had suicidal thoughts."
According to Nielsen, a U.S. audience measurement agency, 17.1 million Americans watched the interview, making it the most-watched prime-time entertainment special this year.
The AP concluded, "The only and definite winner of this interview, which featured victims and villains, is the queen of American media, Oprah Winfrey."
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