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The director of CBS This Morning has reportedly rejected a $5 million interview deal with Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in a move that has sent shockwaves through the media industry. Harry and Meghan had approached the director with a proposal to sit down for a candid interview, similar to their explosive conversation with Oprah Winfrey last year where they opened up about their experiences with the royal family and allegations of racism.
However, the CBS director turned down the lucrative offer, feeling that simply providing Harry and Meghan with a platform to discuss their personal grievances would not be sufficient. According to sources close to the decision, the director wanted to take a more investigative approach to truly uncover and expose the deeper issues of institutional racism that may have contributed to Harry and Meghan's treatment.
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Rather than just airing another interview with the Sussexes, the director plans to produce a longer-form investigative piece examining allegations of racism within the British royal family. The goal, says one CBS insider, is to "shed light on the systemic problems and biases that exist, through interviews with sources, experts and people who have experienced discrimination first-hand."
The decision has been met with mixed reactions. Some have praised the director's bold move, seeing it as a brave step towards confronting uncomfortable truths about a traditionally secretive institution. But others argue it risks further inflaming tensions between the Sussexes and the Firm by seeming to take sides against the royals.
"This is an undeniably controversial choice by CBS," says media analyst Sarah Wilkins. "On one hand, rejecting the interview gives them credibility that they want more than salacious gossip or ‘he said, she said’ claims. But it also firmly positions them as allies of Harry and Meghan in their disputes with the Palace."
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The royal family is yet to publicly comment on CBS's decision. However, it is likely the move will be viewed with suspicion and irritation at Buckingham Palace, where the relationship with the Sussexes has badly frayed since they stepped back as senior working royals in 2020. Recent interventions by the couple, including their bombshell Oprah chat, have been interpreted by the Palace as unnecessary public criticism and criticism of the institution.
This latest rejection of an lucrative Harry and Meghan project in favor of a more probing investigation into long-standing racism allegations is sure to exacerbate existing tensions. It puts further pressure on the traditionally tight-lipped Windsors to defend themselves against claims of biased attitudes and conduct within the Palace walls.
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The Oprah interview spawned a renewed global focus on issues like racist treatment and lack of support for Meghan's mental health struggles, after she tearfully shared her experience of a family member raising "concerns" about her son Archie's skin color. Many see this revelation as a damning indictment of behind-closed-doors attitudes, and a sign that Buckingham Palace has serious unaddressed problems.
"The royal family can no longer ignore these allegations," says royal commentator Emily Chambers. "CBS's decision to forego a profitable commercially-focused interview, in favor of real accountability journalism, will only increase demands for the Palace to respond properly to claims of racism. Sweeping things under the carpet is no longer an option - they must address the abundant issues head on."
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How the Palace chooses to respond, if at all, to CBS’s upcoming investigation remains to be seen. But the pressure is mounting from all sides for the Windsors to take racism claims seriously, reform outdated attitudes, and embrace greater diversity and inclusion both in public statements and private operations. Failure to do so risks further damaging the royal brand worldwide and ceding PR ground to a couple portrayed as modernizing freedom fighters by their fans and detractors alike.
As this saga develops further, the hope of CBS executives must be that their upcoming special helps force overdue changes within the royal family by lifting the lid on problems they have long preferred to keep discreetly under wraps. A $5 million paycheck would have been a boon, but throwing the full weight of investigative journalism behind exposing uncomfortable truths may prove an even greater contribution towards making once impervious institutions accountable in the face of new social movements and expectations. Either way, the royals now find themselves in the white-hot spotlight of racism claims once more, and this time they may not be able to ignore the glaring beam for much longer.
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