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Santa Barbara / London (dpa) - The "Megxit" turns into a mud battle - the British royal family is threatened with an open break in their closest circle.
On the one hand: Prince Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, and his wife Duchess Meghan.
In the other corner of the ring: The Queen (94) herself.
Commentators in London are already talking about the “War of the Family Wales 2.0” - referring to the public dispute with the deceased Queen's daughter-in-law Diana, Harry's mother and former “Princess of Wales”.
The trigger is now an interview by Meghan (39) and Harry (36) with the US star presenter Oprah Winfrey, which is to be broadcast on Monday night (CET).
It is expected that Meghan will shoot sharply at the palace - and the royal family will fire back preventively.
But one after anonther.
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The inner peace in Buckingham Palace has been tense for a year when Harry and Meghan decided to renounce their royal duties and emigrate to the USA with their son Archie, who will be two in May, the homeland of the former actress («Suits »).
In the meantime, together with the Queen, they have decided not to return to royal life.
Harry returned his military honorary degrees, which meant a lot to him.
The most important reason for the "Megxodus": He had to protect his family, the Duke of Sussex recently told the presenter James Corden.
In a pre-published clip from the interview with Winfrey, Harry emphasizes: "My greatest concern was that history might repeat itself" - a clear reference to the death of his mother Diana, who died in a traffic accident in 1997, followed by paparazzi.
According to royals experts in London, a heated argument has broken out about the interview.
On the one hand, it is criticized that the couple continues to hold on to the broadcast of the interview, although Queen's husband Prince Philip (99) has been in the hospital for more than two weeks.
On Thursday, the palace announced that the Duke of Edinburgh had survived a medical procedure on the heart.
However, he remains in the clinic for a few days to recover and for further treatment.
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On the other hand, the palace must fear that Meghan will open up sharp guns.
In another advance clip that was released on Thursday night, Meghan says: “I don't understand how you can expect after all this time that we will still remain silent if the company plays an active role in it, falsehoods to maintain over us. "
Members themselves are also said to occasionally refer to the royal family as a "company".
It should not be a coincidence, however, that Meghan calls the Royals the same.
Her testimony seems like a direct response to Buckingham Palace’s announcement on Wednesday that former employees would investigate allegations of bullying against the Duchess.
However, the interview was recorded earlier.
According to a report in the Times, former employees said they had been bullied by the Duchess when she was in London.
With its statement, the palace gave the subject the greatest possible turn, as the Guardian analyzed.
No more talk of Harry and Meghan remaining "beloved members of the family," as they asserted just two weeks ago.
The couple had the allegations sharply denied.
"Let's call it what it is: a calculated smear campaign based on misleading and harmful misinformation," said its spokesman.
It is no coincidence that allegations that have been going on for years were pierced shortly before the interview was broadcast to the media.
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The situation is messed up, the intimate family atmosphere that is publicly exhibited has long since vanished.
In a decade she has never seen such "overt hostility," said Royal reporter Victoria Murphy.
It is currently unlikely that the family will be able to repair the crack.
Meghan seems to be well aware of this.
In the clip, which was published in advance, she also speaks of the danger of further burdening the relationship with her openness: "If that entails the risk of losing things, I think ... a lot has already been lost."
At first there was no further comment from the royal family.
There was demonstratively “business as usual”.
The Royal Family celebrated International Book Day on their official Twitter channel.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210304-99-687699 / 2
Clip of the broadcaster CBS