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The British media were already certain on Monday night: A bang had occurred, even more, a "bomb" had detonated when British Prince Harry and his wife Meghan spoke to talker Oprah Winfrey for two hours on US TV .
In the conversation they made serious accusations against the British royal family, including racism, suicidal ideation and personal disappointment.
All of this happened in front of an audience of millions: In the USA, 17.1 million viewers tuned into the channel CBS at peak times.
No quota is known for Great Britain, where the conversation ran on Monday evening on ITV.
In Germany, too, the interview moves commentators in many newspapers.
Some of them find critical words for the couple who tried to pose as victims.
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"Frankfurter Allgemeine": Small state affair
What motivated Meghan to make this semi-anonymous accusation public, only she knows. She will have calculated the consequences not only for the family relationship, but for the reputation of the royals in the world.
(...) Overnight, a family soap opera has turned into a small state affair.
Even Prime Minister Boris Johnson felt compelled to declare that “there is no place for racism in British society” - so not even in the ranks of the royal family.
The Labor Party even asked Buckingham Palace to investigate the allegations (...).
(...) In the next few days it will be seen whether the royals can stick to their traditional line of “never complain, never explain” (never complain, never explain).
"Märkische Oderzeitung": Naivety does not protect against harm
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Some of the allegations Meghan made in this interview are easy to refute.
Her claim that her son Archie did not get the title of prince is not due to the racist prejudice of the court, but simply to the fact that this was determined by King George V 100 years ago.
As Meghan freely admitted, she went into her new role as a core member of the royal family with great "naivety".
But good faith does not protect against personal harm if, as in their case, one does not understand the rules of the "company", as the royal family defines itself self-deprecatingly.
"Reutlinger General-Anzeiger": Public rift
Do you have to be interested when the British Prince Harry and his wife Meghan wash the family's dirty laundry in public?
Of course not.
There are far more important issues.
However, the now publicly sealed rift in the British royal family goes far beyond the usual entertaining gossip from the world of the nobility.
With Queen Elizabeth II she is the head of state of Great Britain and several other states.
As representatives, the Queen and her relatives are in public, the British should be able to look up to them, they have a kind of role model function.
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"Mitteldeutsche Zeitung": Low point of a sad saga
The interview is the low point for the moment in this sad saga about Meghan and Harry, who, with their statements, have probably hardly encouraged anyone to change their minds.
Sussex fans will believe the two, others will find it disrespectful to the monarchy.
One thing is certain: Harry and Meghan are sawing the branch they are sitting on.
"Ostfriesen-Zeitung": Sad realization on women's day
Everyone has their role - and that of women dates back to the previous century.
The life of the Queen is mostly one of duty and self-control.
Kate always dutifully fulfills her role as wife and mother, and as a secret lover, Camilla learned early on how to be perfectly in the shade.
Meghan collided with these living role clichés - emancipated, independent.
She embodies a modern image of women.
And what happens?
She becomes an outsider - and the culprit.
Also, the fact that many people don't believe her no matter what she says speaks volumes about us as a society.
A majority of the citizens are still skeptical about women who act, call things by their name and sometimes even briskly swing the scepter themselves.
A sad realization on Women's Day 2021.
"Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung": Modernization postponed
The British royal family did not take the opportunity to gently renew ossified traditions.
The modernization of the monarchy has been postponed.
Instead, the UK has a new scandal.
Racism, bullying, inhumanity - the Duke and Duchess have turned their backs on the “company” in order to then wash dirty laundry in public from a safe distance.
The machinery of stylizing oneself as victims is in full swing.
Do you want to bring down the monarchy?
They won't succeed.
Scandals are as much a part of the monarchy as salt is in soup.
As a habitat for quirks, the monarchy is predestined for intrigues, intrigues and tragedies.
Poison and bile have always been the downside of glamor and glory.
"Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung": perfect entertainment
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Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have made a sweep and presented their "truth".
The interview with Oprah Winfrey was not only much more explosive than the pre-released clips suggested, but was simply devastating for the palace.
One can only be amazed at how quickly this mud battle has escalated.
There are less than three years between the fairytale wedding in May 2018 and the couple's attack on the palace and the British tabloids.
Cynics may point out that the Royals have once again delivered what they do best: perfect entertainment.
"Badische Latest News": A dangerous game
Racism is a grave allegation and the debate about it is important.
However, it is not really surprising in connection with the British royal family.
Perhaps one or the other still remembers the pictures of Prince Harry in Nazi uniform?
Racism needs to be talked about in public - absolutely.
But certainly not between the chicken coop and cute film sequences that show the family on the beach.
One thing is certain: Harry and Meghan's interview was never about initiating an important social debate.
Nor is it about the truth about life at court.
It is the vile attempt to look for a public without losing the authority to interpret one's own life.
It's a dangerous game.
“Passauer Neue Presse”: self-staged media event
For days, the world has been under the spell of an interview that the majority of people should not actually be interested in.
Because monarchies and their problems do not play a role in most countries on earth.
The feelings that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan trigger with their sometimes violent allegations against the British royal family are just as contradictory.
Is a battered couple in conversation with star presenter Oprah Winfrey uncovering outrageous grievances at court?
Or is the same couple selling themselves so skilfully in a media event staged from front to back that their pitying ploy distracts them from what it's actually about: to earn a lot, a lot of money?