Mixed reaction to Queen’s statement on issues raised by Harry and Meghan

Royal expert says comments were ‘dignified’ and ‘skilful’ while critics say it was ‘barest minimum’

The Queen’s statement responding to the issues raised by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in their explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey was “dignified” and “skilful” a royal expert has said.

However, other commentators have criticised Buckingham Palace for doing the “barest minimum”.

In a brief statement on Tuesday, the palace said the Queen was “saddened” to hear the full extent of the challenges faced by the Sussexes in recent years.

It went on to say the issues of race raised by the couple were "concerning" and that while "recollections may vary", they would be addressed by the family privately.

Penny Junor, an author of royal biographies, said the tone of the palace's response appeared to be one of "sorrow", rather than anger, telling the PA news agency: "I think this response is dignified. It is leaving Harry and Meghan some dignity and it's expressing that they will always be much-loved members of the family.”

Ms Junor said: "They are saying 'we didn't appreciate quite how tough it was for you, you've raised an issue of race, which is worrying to us, and while some recollections may vary, we hear what you're saying and will look closely and address any failings we find'.

"So they are saying we don't buy everything you've accused us of."

She added: "I think the route, as far as I was concerned, was to reply in sorrow rather than anger, which is what they've done."

Ms Junor said it was unlikely the palace would comment further publicly in the immediate future on the matter.

She said: "I think it's a very skilful statement [from the palace].

"There's no way that they could have countered any of the accusations that they felt were unjust because to counter one would have meant they would have had to counter all of them, and that would have become undoable.

"I think they've expressed this absolutely to perfection. I think less is more in this situation."

Omid Schobie, coauthor of a new biography of the Sussexes, said the Queen’s statement indicated the Palace was “keeping calm and carrying on”.

Describing the statement, he told BBC News: “It was fairly light, 61 words, it took a couple of days to put together and even includes a slight royal pushback with the reference to varying versions of events.

“It’s clear the palace do not want to add fuel to the fire and are hoping that they can do what they do best, which is keeping calm and carrying on.”

However, former Independent editor Simon Kelner criticised Buckingham Palace’s response, saying it was the “barest minimum.”

Writing in The i, he said: “I think it is untenable for the Palace to resist launching an inquiry into a claim of racism, given that only last week, it announced it was investigating allegations that Meghan had bullied staff members.”

Mr Kelner added: “Within every problem lies an opportunity, and the Royal Family missed a historic chance to place itself at the centre of a modern Britain, and to set an example to other representative institutions (the Church, the City, the legal establishment, the Press) where casual racism still survives.

“The Palace should have been unequivocal that racism – however unintended or unconscious – must be called out. And that the hurt racist behaviour causes can be judged only by those who feel it, not by those who don’t.”

The palace's statement on behalf of the Queen said: "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."

Pressure had been mounting on the Palace to respond to accusations of racism in the royal family following the shocking interview.

The statement came a day-and-a-half after the two-hour conversation was aired in the US.

Additional reporting by PA