Prince Harry speaks about his family's surprise and reticence when he first introduced them to Meghan Markle, soon to be his wife, in the couple's new Netflix series.
In six-part series Harry & Meghan, the first three episodes of which were streamed on Thursday, the prince says the fact that the future Duchess of Sussex was an American actress “clouded” his family’s view of her.
He also talks about the couple's treatment by the press ― claiming his wife suffered racism from the outset ― his troubled childhood after his mother Diana died, and the Duchess of Sussex falling out with her family.
The Duchess of Sussex, talking about meeting Queen Elizabeth II, in episode two of the documentary, said: “I didn’t know what I was doing.”
Prince Harry added: “I remember my family first meeting her and being incredibly impressed. Some of them didn’t quite know what to do with themselves.
“Because, I think, they were surprised. They were surprised that 'a ginger' could land such a beautiful woman and such an intelligent woman,” the red-haired prince said.
“But the fact that I was dating an American actress was probably what clouded their judgment more than anything else at the beginning. ‘Oh she’s an American actress; this won’t last’.”
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex through the years – in pictures
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Doria Ragland, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attend the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York City. Getty -
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies in Los Angeles in April. Getty -
The royal couple speak onstage at the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala in New York in December 2022. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan watch as the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II is placed into the hearse following the state funeral service at Westminster Abbey in central London in September 2022. AP -
Prince Harry and Meghan pay their respects at the Palace of Westminster. Getty -
Prince Harry, Meghan and Kate, Princess of Wales, attend a service for the reception of Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Westminster Hall. AFP -
The Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry and Meghan meet members of the public outside Windsor Castle. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan leave after a service of thanksgiving for the queen. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York in September 2021. AP -
Prince Harry and Meghan on the cover of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world edition, in September 2021. Reuters -
Prince Harry and Meghan are interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. Reuters -
Prince Harry and Meghan shared this image on social media in February 2021 to announce they were expecting their second child. AFP -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit Canada House, London, in January 2020. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit Auwal Mosque on Heritage Day during their royal tour of South Africa in September 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry, Meghan and their son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in South Africa in September 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan meet Beyonce Knowles-Carter and Jay-Z at the European Premiere of Disney's The Lion King at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London, in July 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan pose for a photo with the New York Yankees before their baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium in June 2019. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan pose with their newborn son Archie in St George's Hall at Windsor Castle in May 2019. Getty -
Meghan, joined by her mother Ms Ragland, shows her new son to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle in May 2019. AP -
Prince Harry and Meghan officially open Number 7, a Feeding Birkenhead citizen’s supermarket and community cafe in Merseyside in January 2019. Getty -
Prince William, the Princess of Wales, Meghan and Prince Harry attend a Christmas Day church service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in December 2018. Getty -
Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan and the Duchess of Cambridge attend a service marking the centenary of the First World War armistice at Westminster Abbey in November 2018. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit Redwoods Tree Walk in October 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit an exhibition of Tongan handicrafts at the Fa'onelua Convention Centre in October 2018 in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan visit the University of the South Pacific in October 2018 in Suva, Fiji. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan address the public during a Community Event at Victoria Park in October 2018 in Dubbo, Australia. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan meet a koala during a visit to Taronga Zoo in October 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive at the University of Chichester's Engineering and Digital Technology Park during an official visit to West Sussex in October 2018. Getty -
The queen, Meghan, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF 100th anniversary fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace in July 2018. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan on their wedding day in May 2018. Getty -
Prince Harry places a wedding ring on his new wife's finger. Getty -
Meghan and Prince Harry head to their evening wedding reception at Frogmore House. Getty -
Prince Harry and Meghan walk through the corridors of the Palace of Holyroodhouse on their way to a reception for young people at the Palace in February 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Getty -
Prince Harry and his then-fiancee Meghan visit Nottingham for their first official public engagement together in December 2017. Getty
The Duchess of Sussex added: “The actress thing was the biggest problem, funnily enough. There is a big idea of what that looks like from the UK standpoint ― Hollywood ― and it’s just very easy for them to typecast that.”
The prince's appearance was also referenced by Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, who tells of her first impressions.
“He was this 6ft 1in handsome man with red hair and great manners,” she said. “He was just really nice. They look really happy together.
“He was The One.”
Prince Harry said there is a temptation in the royal family to marry someone who “fits the mould”.
In the first episode, he said: “I think for so many people in the family, especially obviously the men, there can be a temptation or an urge to marry someone who would fit the mould, as opposed to somebody who you perhaps are destined to be with.
“The difference between making decisions with your head, or your heart. And my mum certainly made most of her decisions — if not all of them — from her heart.
“And I am my mother’s son.”
American film writer, producer and director Silver Tree said her friend the Duchess of Sussex was crazy about Harry after meeting him.
Argentine polo player Nacho Figueras, a friend of Prince Harry, told the show: “Right after they met, my wife, me and him, we had dinner together, and he sat like that, he looked at us and he said: ‘Guys, I’ve met a girl. We’ve just met, but I think this may be the one.'
“You could tell right away that those were the eyes of someone who had fallen in love.”
