Queen overrules Sussexes' Oprah interview, a media cold war

Due to the pandemic, Queen Elizabeth II was forced to cancel many official ceremonies, among then one of the biggest events on the royal calendar: Commonwealth Day. Instead, the royals will proffer messages on a special broadcast the BBC will air on March 7th. The same day, you could give a try to the interview of Meghan Markle and Harry by Oprah Winfrey on CBS.

A pandemic-updated schedule

A scheduling coincidence? Commonwealth Day always takes place on the second Monday in March. Initially scheduled for Monday, March 8, it was cancelled for sanitary reasons. As the ceremony cannot take place at Westminster Abbey, it will be replaced by this special program broadcast the day before and presented live by Anita Rani.

The program will include music, readings from all over the Commonwealth, contributions from the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Wessex and of course a message from the Queen herself.

'A unique glimpse of the break with the royal family'

As for the interview of Meghan Markle and Harry by Oprah Winfrey, it will be broadcast on CBS at 8 pm local time, meaning 1 am in Great Britain. This show was understandably filmed just before the Queen withdrew the couple's royal patronages. In this exclusive interview with their friend and neighbour Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle and Harry would give 'a unique glimpse of the break with the royal family.' The parents of little Archie, who are expecting a second child and stripped of their last royal titles, nevertheless seem determined not to make the break so easy for the royal family. They have already made it known that they would like to participate in the celebrations for the 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, scheduled for 2022.

A real 'head-scratcher' for the palace

Last year, Commonwealth Daywas marked by the acrid reunion between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family in the midst of the Megxit crisis. This year, the day should not go all that smoothly either...