Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, has spoken with CNN about the current tensions in the Royal Family. It was just over a year ago the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they would step back as senior royals. Since then, the couple has moved to California and given a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, claiming there were concerns over their son’s skin colour, a lack of support, and endless media scrutiny.
The Prince gave a more personal look into what’s going on behind the scenes saying the situation is “very sad” and has “been difficult for everyone” but also noting, “that’s families for you.” He also alluded to the Duke and Duchess’s comments on intrusive media: “Weirdly we’ve all been there before – we’ve all had excessive intrusion and attention in our lives. And we’ve all dealt with it in slightly different ways, and listen, we wish them the very best of luck. It’s a really hard decision.”
With constant headlines across the world, Edward shared his sadness over how publicly things have played out: “Of course, you know. I mean it’s . . . there are all sorts of issues and circumstances there. We’ve all been there. I stay way out of it. It’s much the safest place to be.
“We’ve all had that same spotlight shone on our lives,” he continued. “We’ve been subjected to massive intrusion and all the rest of it. We all deal with it in different ways.”
In the interview, the 57-year-old is also asked about the name of the Duke and Duchess’s new daughter, Lilibet Diana, a nod to an intimate family nickname for The Queen and a nod to the Duke’s late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
“Well, we just wish them all happiness. That’s fantastic news, and absolutely, I hope they’re very happy.”
The candid interviews aired on the day that would have been the Prince’s father, the Duke of Edinburgh’s 100th birthday. The Duke died at the age of 99 on 9 April.
