Lorraine Kelly said that it is “crazy” and “difficult to imagine” that no one in the royal family helped Meghan Markle during her mental health struggles.
Speaking on Lorraine with royal biographer Andrew Morton, the ITV host discussed Harry and Meghan’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.
In the interview, the Duchess of Sussex revealed she had struggled with her mental health and had experienced suicidal thoughts. She claimed she asked for help from the institution but did not get it.
Kelly discussed Morton’s new biography Elizabeth & Margaret which addresses Princess Margaret - the Queen’s sister - and her mental health issues.
Discussing the book with Morton, Kelly said: “One of the very interesting things you cover in the book is that [Margaret] had mental health issues and that she wanted help...but she didn’t get any help.”
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Morton said: “People didn’t talk about mental illness but having said that, Princess Margaret did go for psychological counselling.”
He added: "Even the Queen herself during her annus horribilis had somebody in to help her with breathing and relaxing.
“So in a funny kind of way, the royal family have had a history of going for help from professional bodies for psychological issues they have faced."
Kelly said she “had no idea” about this history and that it was “extraordinary”.
She continued: “I’d never thought of the Queen doing that which makes it seem all the more crazy that they didn’t...or rather more difficult to imagine that they wouldn’t have helped Meghan.
“When Meghan made that cry for help and she said that nobody listened to her, which was one of the saddest things about that interview wasn’t it?”
Morton said it left him “baffled”. He added that it was a “very sad admission” that “left far more questions than answers”.
He pointed to the fact that Harry is a patron of a mental health organisation and “his godmother Julia Samuel is a well-known psychotherapist, she’s on speed dial”.
Buckingham Palace responded to the Oprah interview last month with a short statement, saying: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.
“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.
“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, The Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
