Meghan Markle was reportedly reluctant to participate in joint interviews with Prince Harry while they were still working members of the Royal Family, according to claims made by a royal author. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their decision to step down as senior working royals in early 2020, shortly before beginning their new life in California with their son.
According to The Daily Express, Royal author Valentine Low has revealed details about the couple’s media strategy during their time as working royals in his book titled “Courtiers.” According to Low’s account, Meghan’s reluctance to do joint interviews with Harry was connected to a significant media commitment they had already made.
The author claims that Meghan and Harry’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, which eventually aired in March 2021, had actually been agreed upon approximately two years before it took place. Low states that the Oprah interview was originally scheduled for autumn 2019, which explains Meghan’s hesitation to participate in other joint media appearances.
Royal aides pushed for British media interviews during Africa tour preparations
During preparations for Meghan and Harry’s tour of Africa in 2019, royal staff members were working to arrange media opportunities for the couple. Royal aide Sam Cohen reportedly suggested that the couple should speak with British journalists as part of their media strategy.
No, Prince Harry did not know Meghan Markle in 2013. They reportedly met in July 2016 through a mutual friend, Violet von Westenholz, who set them up on a blind date. Their relationship began after that meeting, as confirmed by their own accounts in interviews and their Netflix…
— ₕₐggᵢₜᵤdₑ (@HagwithAttitude) August 3, 2025
Low wrote that Cohen specifically recommended Tom Bradby of ITV as a suitable interviewer, noting that Bradby already had an established relationship with Prince Harry. This suggestion came as the royal team was simultaneously preparing for the couple’s upcoming African tour.
However, Meghan showed little enthusiasm for the British media interview proposal. According to Low’s account, “Meghan in particular was reluctant at first, her attention was focused on the prospect of doing an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which at that point was slated for the autumn of that year.” The author described Meghan as being “distinctly cool” toward the idea of participating in British media interviews.
Despite initial resistance, the couple eventually agreed to proceed with British media interviews, but they imposed one significant condition. Low revealed that there was “one proviso: he and Meghan could not do the interviews together, or be in the same shot. That would go against the deal with Oprah.”
This restriction meant that any interviews with British media would need to be conducted separately, preventing the joint appearances that royal aides had likely hoped to arrange. The condition appears to have been directly related to their existing agreement with Oprah Winfrey’s production team.
The couple has since established their life in California, where they have lived for the past five years, though their separate public appearances have sparked speculation about their partnership. During this time, they welcomed their daughter Lilibet, adding to their family alongside their son. Meghan recently celebrated her 44th birthday, marking another milestone in their post-royal life.
