Queen Elizabeth said on Tuesday the British royals were saddened by the challenging experiences of her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan and promised to privately address revelations about a racist remark about their son.
Meghan, in an interview with Oprah Winfrey aired on U.S. television on Sunday, accused Britain's royal family of raising concerns about how dark their son Archie's skin might be and ignoring her pleas for help while she considered suicide.
"The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," Buckingham Palace said in a statement issued on behalf of Queen Elizabeth.
"The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst 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."
Meghan and Harry's tell-all TV interview has dragged the royals into their biggest crisis since the death of Harry's mother Diana in 1997, when the family, led by Queen Elizabeth, was widely criticized for being too slow to respond.
A royal source said the Palace considered that this was a family matter and the royals should be given the opportunity to discuss the issues raised privately as a family.
The source added that they had needed to carefully consider the response before it was issued, and that had also allowed people in the United Kingdom to watch the interview first if they wanted to.
Harry, who joined the two-hour show later, also spoke about his mental health, saying he felt "trapped" in the monarchy, as well as being "cut off financially" from the royals. He also said his father Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, at one point didn't return his calls.
He also spoke of his fear of history repeating itself, a reference to the death of his mother Diana, and said stepping back from the royal family was for the security of his wife and his son.
The long-awaited interview made headlines around the world, with papers in the UK, the U.S. and across Europe describing it as "explosive," "sensational" and a "bombshell," as many covered their front pages with the news.
