10 important things we leaned from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Oprah interview

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By VT

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Oprah Winfrey really meant it when she said there's "no subject that's off-limits" during her interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

The CBS Special delivered – and then some. In the two-hour conversation, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex not only opened up about the gender of their new baby (a girl!), but they also made some damning accusations against the Royal Family.

Here are 10 of the most important things we learnt from during the explosive interview...

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The bombshell interview aired on CBS last night (Credit: CBS)

1. 'I just didn't want to be alive anymore'

Meghan opened up about her mental health during the conversation with Oprah, revealing that she had experienced suicidal thoughts.

"I just didn’t want to be alive any more," she said. "And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought. And I remember how [Harry] just cradled me. I was ashamed to say it at the time, and ashamed to have to admit it to Harry, especially because I know how much loss he's suffered. But I knew that if I didn't say it, then I would do it."

As to the Palace's response, the duchess claimed: "They said, my heart goes out to you because I see how bad it is, but there’s nothing we can do to protect you because you’re not a paid employee of the institution."

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Meghan and Harry are currently expecting their second child (Credit: Alamy)

2. Meghan's 'feud' with Kate Middleton

In a high-profile story from 2018, it was reported that Meghan reduced her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, to tears during a bridesmaid dress fitting.

However, Meghan told the talk show host that "the reverse happened".

"A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something — yes, the issue was correct, about the flower girl dresses — and it made me cry and it really hurt my feelings," she explained. Kate proceeded to buy Meghan flowers and a note apologising – "which is what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone...to just take accountability for it."

As for the ensuing story? "Everyone in the institution knew it wasn't true," Meghan said. When Winfrey asked "So, why didn't somebody just say that?" the Duchess replied: "That's a good question."

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Meghan pictured with the Duchess of Cambridge in 2018 (Credit: PA)

3. Allegations of racism

The former actress alleged that while she was pregnant with her first child, Archie, concerns were raised with her husband about the skin colour of their unborn baby.

She said: "In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, so we have in tandem the conversation of, 'You won’t be given security, not gonna be given a title' and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born."

Harry revealed that the questions were along the lines of: "What will the kids look like?"

The couple refused to divulge who expressed those concerns. When Oprah pressed Meghan to reveal who it was, she said: "I think that would be very damaging to them."

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4. Cut off financially

After the couple revealed their intention to move to a commonwealth country and to step away as senior royals, Harry said that they were cut off financially, and that they had their security detail removed.

"The Netflix and the Spotify of it all weren't part of the plan," he said, explaining that they are living off of the money left to him by his late mother, Princess Diana. "Without that, we wouldn't have been able to do this," of their relocation to California.

He added that his mother "would feel very angry with how this has panned out, and very sad, but ultimately all she’d ever want is for us to be happy."

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Prince Harry claims that the royal family cut him and Meghan off financially (Credit: PA)

5. A secret wedding

Meghan told Winfrey that they actually married in private, three days before their royal wedding on May 19, 2018.

The Suits star said they exchanged vows "just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury".

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Meghan and Harry married in May of 2018 (Credit: PA)

6. Meghan wasn't allowed to leave home

Meghan also claim that she rarely left her house, as "the Firm" were so worried about "how things might look".

The Duchess explained that this led to her experiencing severe loneliness.

"I know you’re worried about how it looks," she allegedly told the Royal Family, "but has anyone thought about how it feels?"

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Meghan and Harry pictured with talk show host, Oprah Winfrey (Credit: CBS)

7. Being 'silenced'

When Winfrey asked Meghan "Were you silent or silenced?" she replied, "the latter".

She continued: "Everyone in my world was given a very clear directive from the moment the world knew Harry and I were dating, to always say no comment. It was only once we were married and everything started to really worsen that I came to understand that not only was I not being protected but that they were willing to lie to protect other members of the family.

"They weren’t willing to tell the truth to protect me and my husband."

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Meghan claims the royal family did not protect her or Harry (Credit: PA)

8. The Queen is 'wonderful'

Meghan was clear to delineate the Royal Family from the institution – and stressed that she and Harry have a lot of respect for the head of the monarchy.

"There’s the family, and then there’s the people that are running the institution, those are two separate things and it’s important to be able to compartmentalise that because the queen, for example, has always been wonderful to me," she told Winfrey. "She's always been warm, welcoming, and inviting."

Harry corroborated: "My grandmother had been welcoming throughout. She’s my commander in chief."

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Prince Harry And Meghan Markle pictured attending their last event as working royals in 2020 (Credit: PA)

9. Harry's relationship with Prince Charles

Harry said that his father, Prince Charles, started fielding his calls after he announced his plans to step away from royal duties.

"I had three conversations with my grandmother, and two conversations with my father before he stopped taking my calls. And then he said, can you put this all in writing?"

When Winfrey asked why his father had stopped taking his calls, he replied: "By that point, I took matters into my own hands, it was like, I needed to do this for my family. This is not a surprise to anybody. It’s really sad that it’s got to this point, but I’ve got to do something for my own mental health, my wife’s and for Archie’s as well."

Harry and Charles are now in communication, but he said that there "a lot of hurt that's happened" and that they have "lots to work through. I feel really let down. He’s been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like."

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Meghan and Harry pictured with their first child, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor

10. The gender reveal

Meghan and Harry also revealed the gender of their second child – a girl, who is due in the summer.

"To have a boy and then a girl what more can you ask for, we have our family," Harry said, before revealing that this child would be their last: "Two is it".