Oprah Winfrey supports Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s decision to step back from the royal family “1000%,” she said in a video captured by TMZ cameras.
The media mogul, who attended their royal wedding, is friends with the couple and currently working on a mental health TV series with Harry.
Speaking about the Duke and Duchess’s decision, she said that the prince “did what he needed to do for his family” and “thought about it for months” in the candid clip, which also featured her best friend and TV host Gayle King.
Gayle is also very friendly with the royal couple, as she attended Meghan’s baby shower last year (and also was present at the royal wedding, though she covered it as a reporter).
“I support them 1000%. I support them because I believe that when you have thought about this as long as they have, and even in the queen’s statement ― everyone take note ― where the queen says, this has been going on for months,” Oprah told TMZ.
“What Harry said in that charity statement [for the charity Sentebale] the other day ... the last line of his statement where he said that had to make the decision to back away from his family in order to move forward in peace with his new family, I don’t know how they came up with those words, but who doesn’t feel that?” she added.
“Who doesn’t feel what that takes to make that decision, to give up everything you’ve known in your whole life, to say, ‘I am going to choose this new life and what I believe to be the truest vision for myself?’” she continued.
“I don’t think anybody else has any right to say anything, when a person has sat and thought about what is the best decision I’m gonna make for my family ― and then he makes that decision ― none of us have any right to say anything about that.”
Both Oprah and Gayle denied that Harry made the decision without speaking to the royal family of some time.
“But they didn’t make the decision in a vacuum. There were a lot of conversations,” King said, adding that it “wasn’t fair” to say that the royal family was “blindsided” when they’ve known this was a possibility for several months.
Oprah chimed in, adding that “Everybody’s known for months that this was happening.”
After Meghan and Harry announced two weeks ago that they were stepping back, early reports suggested that Oprah and the Obamas were advising the royal couple, which the media mogul that later denied.
“Meghan and Harry do not need my help figuring out what’s best for them,” Oprah told People. “I care about them both and support whatever decisions they make for their family.”