RTÉ has announced it will broadcast Oprah Winfrey's interview with Britan's Prince Harry and Meghan during which the Duchess of Sussex says "a lot has been lost already".
The special interview, which will be shown on RTÉ2 on Monday, March 8 at 9:30pm, features Oprah Winfrey as she sits down with Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for an intimate conversation.
In a wide-ranging interview, the couple will speak about everything from life as a working royal, marriage, parenthood, philanthropic work to how they are handling life under intense public pressure and their move to America.
In a clip released ahead of the interview airing the Duchess of Sussex said she could not be expected to stay silent if the royal family played a part in "perpetuating falsehoods" about her and Harry.
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In the 30-second teaser Winfrey asks the duchess: "How do you feel about the Palace hearing you speak your truth today?"
She replies: "I don’t know how they could expect that, after all of this time, we would still just be silent if there is an active role that The Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us.
"And, if that comes with risk of losing things, I mean, I … there is a lot that has been lost already."
The Firm is widely considered to be shorthand for the institution of the royal family.
The clip was released soon after Buckingham Palace said it had launched an investigation into claims that the duchess bullied former royal staff.
Past and present employees are to be invited to speak in confidence about their experiences of working for Meghan, after it was alleged she drove out two personal assistants and that staff were "humiliated" on several occasions.
The Times newspaper has reported that the duchess "destroyed" one member of staff and another was left in tears before she departed.
There has long been speculation about the atmosphere in the Sussex household, after a number of staff left, and the newspaper chronicles what it describes as "turmoil" within palace walls.
Underlying Meghan's actions, the paper claims, was the view of a number of sources that she wanted to be a "victim" so her "unbearable experience" would convince Harry they had to leave the UK – something her lawyers have denied.
Meghan and Harry will not be part of the process as they are not staff, and it is understood the Palace hopes to start the investigation soon.
Lawyers for the duke and duchess said the Sussexes believed staff were comfortable and happy.
However, Jason Knauf, the couple’s then communications secretary, made a bullying complaint in October 2018 in an apparent attempt to force Buckingham Palace to protect staff.
A source suggested the attitude to the allegations was more about making them "go away" rather than "addressing" them, with the paper claiming that Mr Knauf’s complaint was never progressed.
Meghan’s spokesman said: "The duchess is saddened by this latest attack on her character, particularly as someone who has been the target of bullying herself and is deeply committed to supporting those who have experienced pain and trauma.
"She is determined to continue her work building compassion around the world and will keep striving to set an example for doing what is right and doing what is good."
CBS Presents Oprah with Meghan and Harry will be available on-demand on RTÉ Player for 30 days after broadcast on RTÉ Two, Monday, March 8 at 9:30pm.
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