she describes how the glamour on the outside hid the pain on the inside. wait, listen — did you hear that? the interview was personal, revealing and, at times, shocking. she told oprah winfrey that her son archie's mixed race heritage was an issue. that when pregnant, someone within the palace questioned how her child would look. in those months when i was pregnant, all around this same time, so we have in tandem the conversation of, "he won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title." and also, concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he is born. what? and you're not going to tell me who had the conversation? i think that would be very damaging to them. the interview highlighted strained relations within the royal family. meghan said media reports claiming she'd made her sister—in—law, the duchess of cambridge, cry, were false. in fact, it was the other way round, she said, and kate had apologised. when harryjoined the conversation with oprah, he described how he felt both his brother and father were trapped within the royal family. of william, he said their relationship now needed space and he hoped it would heal. and he revealed a rift with his father. there's a lot to work through there. you know, i... i feel really let down. because he's been through something similar. he knows what pain feels like. and this is... and archie's his grandson. but at the same time, of course, i will always love him. but there is a lot of hurt that's happened. there were lighter moments, too. the new baby is a girl, due in the summer, and life in california has brought the couple peace. this is, of course, one side of the story. but the interview is deeply critical of the royal family and its staff. it was a portrait of an institution unable or unwilling to help those struggling within it. daniela relph, bbc news. the prime minister was asked what he thought of comments made by the duke and duchess of sussex in their interview about racism and mental health. here's what he said. perhaps the best thing i can say is that i've always had the highest admiration for the queen and the unifying role that she plays in our country and across the commonwealth. and as for all other matters to do with the royal family, i've spent a long time not commenting on royalfamily matters and i don't intend to depart from that today. let's talk to dean stott, a former british special forces soldier who served with prince harry and has been a friend of his for 12 years. thank you very much for being with us. what did you make of this extraordinary entered review and some of the extraordinary claims that came out of it? it some of the extraordinary claims that came out of it?— that came out of it? it was a powerful. — that came out of it? it was a powerful, honest, _ that came out of it? it was a l powerful, honest, sometimes uncomfortable, but it was dispelling. up until now, it'sjust been what we've been reading and uk tabloids, so it's an opportunity for them to tell it from their side of them to tell it from their side of the story. i think what was really important here is the fact that distinguished in the royalfamily, both harry and meghan were very respectful towards the royal family and they talked about the dispute with kate and how that's been resolved. also their love for their grandparents. i think where the problem lies here is the institution.— problem lies here is the institution. ~ , ., f institution. when you say they're resectful institution. when you say they're respectful for — institution. when you say they're respectful for the _ institution. when you say they're respectful for the family, - institution. when you say they're respectful for the family, harry l institution. when you say they're i respectful for the family, harry had some quite strong words about prince charles. he said that he felt let down by him, that he'd been through something similar, that archie's his grandson, that his father and brother are trapped, they don't get to leave the institution monarchy. made it sound like a prison. yeah, that last comment _ made it sound like a prison. yeah, that last comment about - made it sound like a prison. yeah, that last comment about him - made it sound like a prison. yeah, | that last comment about him being trapped, he feels like he's escaping his brother and his father. i don't think they have a voice. i think they've been dictated by the institution and i think the reach out to his barber, he couldn't assist. it feels disappointing, but at the end of the interview, he talked about how he wanted to rebuild those relationships. so we are where we are at the moment and hopefully, they can go on to do that. ., �* , , ., ., that. you've been his friend for a number of _ that. you've been his friend for a number of years. _ that. you've been his friend for a number of years. are _ that. you've been his friend for a number of years. are these - that. you've been his friend for a - number of years. are these thoughts that prince harry in particular has had for a number of years? h0. that prince harry in particular has had for a number of years?- had for a number of years? no, i think from _ had for a number of years? no, i think from the _ had for a number of years? no, i think from the interview, - had for a number of years? no, i think from the interview, he - had fora number of years? iirr, i think from the interview, he married meghan and they committed to the royal family. meghan and they committed to the royalfamily. it'sjust meghan and they committed to the royal family. it's just the fact that they were told they would get no protection and there was obviously signs of double standards, then we talk about meghan�*s mental health. he had to take action. but they rightly say in the documentary that they were committed 100% to the royal family. that they were committed 10096 to the ro al famil . that they were committed 100% to the ro alfamil . , .,, royalfamily. some people will say and have said _ royalfamily. some people will say and have said harry— royalfamily. some people will say and have said harry and _ royalfamily. some people will say and have said harry and meghan l and have said harry and meghan wanted out of the family, wanted to go and live somewhere entirely different, united states, california, fine. but do they really need to be doing a very, very long protracted, quite painful interview with oprah winfrey? prince ferry has been doing interviews with james corden as well —— prince harry. do they have to go on television like this if they want a quiet life? i this if they want a quiet life? i don't think they ever said they wanted a quiet life. in their own —— they own their own media company, but the differences are between intrusion and consent. that's where the problem lies here. just because they show you one photo on their phone doesn't give you access to the hole in the camera, and that's where the problem was lying here. with the archie royal foundation, the problem was lying here. with the archie royalfoundation, they need the media and this public profile to haveit the media and this public profile to have it flourish.— have it flourish. thank you very much indeed, _ have it flourish. thank you very much indeed, good _ have it flourish. thank you very much indeed, good to - talk to you. we're going to talk to jonathan dibble be —— dimbleby. thank you for being with us. what did you make of this interview, particularly the comments about prince charles who you know well, that harry feels hurt by his father and that his father is trapped in the institution of the monarchy and he doesn't get to leave? i the institution of the monarchy and he doesn't get to leave?— he doesn't get to leave? i think first of all. _ he doesn't get to leave? i think first of all. i— he doesn't get to leave? i think first of all, i should _ he doesn't get to leave? i think first of all, i should say - he doesn't get to leave? i think first of all, i should say i - he doesn't get to leave? i think| first of all, i should say i haven't seen all the info. i've only heard people talking about the interview. and i'm careful of not speculating because there's been an awful lot of speculation based on hearsay, based on one side of a very, gated story. the response on that particular aspect of the interview, you know, of course the heir to the throne is at one level flat. the heir to the throne is part of the institution. to become the sovereign in due course. the queen is trapped, but you make that solemn obligation from very early on, in this case when he was 21. it's called service, public service. we live in a democracy that has an apex who is the monarch, and thatis has an apex who is the monarch, and that is their overwhelming duty. does it have its frustrations? of course, they're human beings. are course, they're human beings. are ou course, they're human beings. are you saying — course, they're human beings. are you saying that harry also has the obligation because in their statement the other day, harry and meghan said there are different kinds of services for life and pointed rebuke at the queen. he: could serve in whatever ways he wishes. similarly, meghan can. in public life and private life, the particular service of the institution of the monarchy has constraints. you cannot speak freely, you cannot go out and say exactly what you wish without it having repercussions. you cannot go into the private sector and combined being a representative of the state of being a prince and at the same time, go and do what you like in the private sector. itjust doesn't work like that. it's inevitable that's the case. d0 like that. it's inevitable that's the case. ~ ., ., the case. do you think though that the 've the case. do you think though that they've got — the case. do you think though that they've got a _ the case. do you think though that they've got a point? _ the case. do you think though that they've got a point? with - the case. do you think though that i they've got a point? with everything they've got a point? with everything they said, generally they were badly treated by the royal household, by buckingham palace. harry says that he was literally cut off financially. i he was literally cut off financially.— he was literally cut off financially. he was literally cut off financiall. ., �* ~ ., ., financially. i don't know what the conversations _ financially. i don't know what the conversations were, _ financially. i don't know what the conversations were, and - financially. i don't know what the conversations were, and no - financially. i don't know what the conversations were, and no one. conversations were, and no one outside those conversations knows either. in all disputes, there are more than one perspective, there are at least two sides. being cut off, as he says, reflects obviously a degree of frustration, irritation may be, anger and sorrow, but being cut off inevitably, if you are no longer serving the royal family, cut off inevitably, if you are no longer serving the royalfamily, you cannot expect to get the payment for being a public servant. it's inevitable fax. how it was put, i know not. it's in —— we don't know, although it looks as though by process of elimination because the queen and prince philip has been eliminated, that meghan by implication to her husband was pointing towards the heir to the phone, the prince. i've known them for a long time. the one thing i cannot... ifind astonishing is that in that partial allegation, his whole life has been bringing people together. his work in the community. black people, young people, all colours, all races and all faiths, bringing people together. having seen him in action together. having seen him in action to think that he would've said something of a kind which is clearly as expressed by meghan and perhaps ijy as expressed by meghan and perhaps by harry as well, extremely distressing to say. i have my doubts about whether it was said, i have no reason to know either way and certainly, grave doubts about whether it was said in the way that it was apparently interpreted. the labour party _ it was apparently interpreted. the labour party are saying there should be an s investigation by buckingham palace into this. would you go that far? figs palace into this. would you go that far? �* , ., , , , palace into this. would you go that far? a , ~ ., far? as it happens, we know buckingham _ far? as it happens, we know buckingham palace - far? as it happens, we know buckingham palace said - far? as it happens, we know. buckingham palace said there far? as it happens, we know- buckingham palace said there would be an investigation for the bullying claims. i have no knowledge, i have not spoken to anyone inside buckingham palace. iwould not spoken to anyone inside buckingham palace. i would think it would be sensible of buckingham palace to make it clear that it does not tolerate racism, as i'm quite sure the palace does not tolerate racism. it is very, very sensitive, and that's how the institutions applies for so long. changing attitudes down the centuries have been dramatic.— attitudes down the centuries have been dramatic. standing back with a little bit of perspective, _ been dramatic. standing back with a little bit of perspective, here - little bit of perspective, here before but what was a young princess talking about how she had suicidal thoughts, thoughts of self harm, how she felt from frozen by the royal family and then doing an explosive interview, it is reminiscent of princess diana all those years ago. do you feel the royal family haven't really learned their lessons through those dramatic episodes? i wouldn't 'um from those dramatic episodes? i wouldn't jump from the _ those dramatic episodes? i wouldn't jump from the former _ those dramatic episodes? i wouldn't jump from the former to _ those dramatic episodes? i wouldn't jump from the former to the - those dramatic episodes? i wouldn't jump from the former to the latter. | jump from the former to the latter. i think they're very different in character, circumstances are very different indeed. as i say, i don't know. ifind it very different indeed. as i say, i don't know. i find it very hard to believe — i'm sure this is how megan interpreted it —— meghan — ifind it hard to believe that person said, mainly it wouldn't look good to get help if you're feeling as unwell as this. i would help if you're feeling as unwell as this. iwould be help if you're feeling as unwell as this. i would be very surprised if anyone has said that. they may have said, "are you sure, how do you want to do it?" protected from publicity, but who knows? but to do it?" protected from publicity, but who knows?— to do it?" protected from publicity, but who knows? but should they have done more. — but who knows? but should they have done more, should _ but who knows? but should they have done more, should they _ but who knows? but should they have done more, should they have - but who knows? but should they have done more, should they have bent - done more, should they have bent over backwards to make her feel welcome as they should have done with diana? should they have gone the extra mile to bring her into the fold? , ., ._ the extra mile to bring her into the fold? , ., ., fold? use all the way at the wedding where her father _ fold? use all the way at the wedding where her father was _ fold? use all the way at the wedding where her father was absent -- - fold? use all the way at the wedding where her father was absent -- you | where her father was absent —— you saw the way. to her mother and put his arm around and lifted her up from the chair she was sitting. that wasn't evidence to me of a careless, thoughtless family, let alone household. should they have done more? what are you supposed to do? every life is lived whether complexities, they are acutely different and the challenges are enormous. coming into the outside of the institution of the royal family, of the monarchy. of course that's the case. constraints are made. and people can be getting on with their lives and they're very busy people, so maybe, i don't know. maybe she wanted more... i don't want to say anything negative about her. but the evidence from her past is that she's a very strong character, very clear views and very, very capable, so i would be surprised if she felt she was being cold shouldered or treated with contempt. as i say, we don't know. there are lots of other very important things happening in the world. talking about this issue, which in the context of what's happening, everywhere in the world, i think she might be regarded as a make or break moment for the institution of the monarchy. my view is it isn't, it won't be, in time it will drift on. i hope that if they are as bad as they describe, if they are as bad as they describe, if they are restored, that takes two sides. i think the institution will not be damaged significantly by this at all. thank you so much for your time. we are really grateful to you. pleasure. now it's time for a look at the weather with ben rich. the week has got off to a relatively quiet start but it looks like this is just the calm before the storm. livelier weather to come, spells of rain and very strong winds especially around the middle part of the week. as we head into the evening and tonight, we will see a lot of cloud, the odd spot of rain, but for parts of wales, the midlands and southern counties of england, with clear skies it will get quite cold, towns and cities down around freezing or below, some spots in the countryside down to —3 or —1l. milder elsewhere but with a lot of cloud to start tomorrow morning, again some mistiness and the odd spot of rain, and as we go through the day the winds picking up over western areas with outbreaks of rain arriving in northern ireland and western scotland. highs of 9—12, pretty windy through tuesday night and into wednesday, and then windier still on wednesday into thursday, and that could well cause some disruption. hello, this is bbc news. a look at the headlines. the duchess of sussex tells american interviewer oprah winfrey that one unnamed family member raised questions about the skin colour of her son archie. oprah winfrey has since said harry wanted to clarify that it was not the queen or prince philip who made the comments about archie's skin. the duchess also tells american tv that her treatment by the royal family led her to contemplate suicide. in other news... millions of children in england go back to school — borisjohnson describes it as a "big day and an emotional day" for millions of families. holding hands at last. care home residents in england are able to have one relative or friend visit them regularly from today. time for a look at the latest sports news. good evening. good evening. more sports than ever are offering equal prize money to men and women at the top level, that's according to a new bbc sport study. when the first one was carried out in 2014, it found 30% of sports paid men more prize money than women. in this latest study, however, it's fewer than 10%. the biggest gaps in prize money remain in football, golf and basketball. cricket has taken the biggest strides to narrow the gap. i don't think were at the stage of equal play and things like that because if you look at the crowds the men have, all of those kinds of things, they are going to get paid more but for me prize money, particularly when you have two identical tournaments running side by side, there is no reason to have an equal prize money when you have two groups of people doing exactly the same thing. snooker players reanne evans and un on—yee have been told they can turn professional from the start of next season with two—year tour cards. evans, from england, is top of the world women's snooker rankings and is the most successful women's player, having won 12 world championship titles. you can hear her reaction on sportsday on bbc news at 6:30. novak djokovic has beaten roger federer�*s record for the most weeks as world number one. this is the 311th week he's been on top of the rankings. djokovic won his 18th grand slam title and his ninth australian open crown in melbourne. his great rivals roger federer and rafa nadal both have 20 slams, but the big three can't stay at the top forever. the new generation of top men's tennis players are all very tall, very powerful, they have big serves and everything happens very quickly on the court so i think rafer, roger, myself, we had to adjust to that but i feel like we have been able to do that very well and the rivalries i have had with federer and nadal over the years have made me also stronger and better player. of me also stronger and better player. of course, they also keep motivating me even more to keep going and of course each one of us has their own uniquejourney and it's course each one of us has their own unique journey and it's wonderful to share the stage. we're less than half an hour away from kick off at stamford bridge where it could be a defining night in the race for champions league football. fourth placed chelsea are taking on everton in fifth with just a point separating them. thomas tuchel is unbeaten in his first ten games as chelsea boss, but is expecting a tough game against carlo ancellott�*s side. everton eve rto n ha d everton had a very strong start to the season and a big win also here at anfield and they kept the momentum going. very strong squad, very, very physical, full of talent, strong strikers, dangerous number ten, strong experienced players, super strong manager at the sideline who knows how to keep the momentum and flow going. west ham against leeds is at eight. next, uefa's suspended the romanian fourth official sebastian coltescu until the end of the season, for what it calls "innappropriate behaviour" during a champions league match in december which sparked a player walk off. the game between istanbul basakshehir and paris st—germain was stopped after 13 minutes following an argument on the touchline. pierre webo, assistant coach of the turkish side was sent off, he accused the fourth official coltescu of racism. the game restarted the next day when the romanian officials were replaced. as well as the suspension, coltescu has been ordered to attend an educational programme. and that is all your support for now. jane will have much more on those stories at 6:30pm. i'm glad we coordinated on the blue ties. i know! but yours is bigger than mine. and probably more expensive. thank ou ve and probably more expensive. thank you very much _ and probably more expensive. thank you very much indeed. _ an important first step towards normality — that's how the prime minister described today's return to school for millions of children in england. some primary age children have already returned to school in wales and scotland, and some younger children return today in northern ireland. sean dilley reports on the return of pupils to their classes. and then we're going to go up one of your nostrils... for pupils at the bexleyheath academy in south—east london, it's an experience that may feel more medical in nature than traditionally educational, but it is the new normal, at least for now. oh, that is awful. there is no doubt that the lateral flow tests cause slight discomfort, but there's a real sense here that students are prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect others. we would rather be safe than not so, we've just got to do what we have to do, and if we have to wear masks, we have to wear masks. i'm prepared to do it, i'm happy to do it, i but i think the whole process is a bit nerve—racking. - hopefully within a few weeks i will get used i to the feeling and will be able to prepare myself before. - like all secondary schools in england, pupils will be offered three on—site tests in the first two weeks, and followed by twice weekly home tests after that. secondary school students are also asked to wear facemasks where social distancing is not possible. some teachers say government guidance on the matter could be stronger, but it's not a concern here. facemasks in classrooms, that is new from today and we are encouraging all of our students to wear a face covering. we have been overwhelmingly positive in the response from our students that are cooperating with that request. primary school pupils in england are not being asked to wear masks or take tests. for parents, there is palpable relief after more than two months of remote learning from those children. i think it's essential now that we try to get back some sort of normality. i think, obviously, the children need it. we all need to get back to some sort of routine. i'm very reassured that the transition from being in lockdown at home, studying online, to being back in school will be a really smooth transition, hopefully. he doesn't seem worried. he has been seeing his teachers every day online, and the students. on a school visit in essex, labour has launched a campaign for universal breakfast clubs to help children in england catch up on lost learning. they make a huge difference, notjust in learning but also social development. we want to see that properly funded and available for all children to help in particular with the catchup that is needed. the government says reopening of english schools to all pupils is an important first step in lifting lockdown restrictions. this is the first step on that road map to recovery. we have always prioritised children. we have said that schools will be the last to close, and the first to open. it is so important for young people's mental health and well—being. in northern ireland, younger primary schoolchildren are also returning today. in scotland and wales, younger primary pupils returned last month, with phased returns for more pupils from the 15th of march. the government says it will monitor the reopening of schools in england closely, but it is clear it does not want to restrict attendance in future. restrictions have been eased in care homes in england. each resident will be allowed one person who can visit them indoors — and they'll be able to hold hands, although hugs and kisses remain forbidden. luxmy gopal reports. we've waited a long time, haven't we? to come and do this. a simple act, a year ago taken for granted, now a huge step in reuniting people with their loved ones. from today, people in care homes in england can, for the first time since the pandemic started, meet family or friends indoors, face—to—face and hold hands, separated only by gloves, whereas, previously, visits had to be from behind screens or a window, which was the only way ann could see her mother kathleen until now. lovely. it's just lovely. in fact, we all got rather emotional. but, yeah, i got more response than i would get from her normally through the window. it still isn't much, but it is something. families face difficult decisions as, barring exceptional circumstances, only one person can be the visitor. my sister, ann, has been my mum's primary carer before she was admitted into the home. she lived on site on the farm, so she saw her day—to—day, so itjust came naturally that she was the first one to be allowed in. i do believe it will not be long before other family members are allowed. so, i'm prepared to wait that little bit longer cos my turn will come. this is the first cautious step in opening up care homes, and not without risk. and the extra safety measures demand extra resources. this chain of care homes has had to recruit two new staff just to oversee the visits and the lateral flow testing. it's so pleasing to see those loved ones reunited, so i think it's worth it. ijust hope that others will move forward, but we ask the government for a bit more support in helping us make sure that we can keep the visiting going because fitting everyone in has its challenges. everyone wants a visit. it's mother's day soon, so there has been tremendous demand. the visits are at the discretion of individual care homes, and the government says further physical contact such as hugging is too much of a covid risk to be allowed. but for hundreds of thousands of families today, while they cannot hold their loved ones close, just being able to hold their hands after months of separation is close enough. luxmy gopal, bbc news, scarborough. the latest uk government figures show that another ll,712 people have tested positive for the virus in the latest 2a hour period. that's down from last monday when 5,455 positive cases were reported. a further 65 people have died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test in the uk — that's down from 104 deaths reported this time last week. just a note that cases and death figures are usually lower after a weekend. meanwhile, more than 22.3 million people — have now received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine. police in london searching for missing 33—year—old sarah everard have given another update this afternoon. scotland yard say they remain "open—minded as to all possibilities" over ms everard's disappearance, but it is still a missing person investigation. ms everard hasn't been seen since wednesday evening when she left a friend's house in clapham. detective chief inspector katherine goodwin is leading the investigation. we continue to search the area. anyone around the area where she disappeared from may notice a lot of police activity as we continue our searches. in terms of the investigation, we've drafted in specialist officers from across the met and continue to work on every line of inquiry possible. i want to thank the members of the public across london and outside who have come forward with information and continue to pass information to us through the incident room. we are all looking to try and find sarah as quickly as possible. thank you. the principal financial backer of one of the uk's largest industrial groups has gone into administration. the appointment of administrators to greensill puts 5,000 jobs at risk at liberty steel and otherfirms. greensill capital, which counts former prime minister david cameron among its advisers, has been providing tens of millions of pounds per day in short term loans to gfg alliance. the hull west and hessle mp has announced she's standing down from labour's shadow cabinet. emma hardy was appointed as the shadow further education and universities minister last year after sir kier starmer was elected as the new labour leader. she is standing down to focus on her constituency work. john kerry is in london to discuss climate action. it is part of a three day visit to europe to strengthen global ambitions before major climate meetings later this year. nazanin zaghari—ratcliffe felt "euphoric" after the end of herfive—year sentence in iran, but her husband says that the prospect of fresh court proceedings means the "jeopardy" over her future freedom remains. hopes were raised yesterday that the british—iranian's ordeal was reaching the "endgame" after being released from house arrest and having her ankle tag removed. her husband, richard, has been speaking to the bbc, after delivering a petition to the iranian embassy in london. i thinkjust the joy of being able to is great and speaking to her, speaking to my mother—in—law and father—in—law, just big grins on their faces yesterday. so that was a good day, today is a good day and let's hope more good days follow. how close do you feel she is to coming home? so i feel it much less than she does. i think i'm quite guarded. we've just come here to do an event at the embassy to hand in a new position. they've still got her, there is still a new court case, it is still unclear what is going on, thatjeopardy still continues, so, yes, we have the hopeful hand on the one hand and we have the threats of this being lingering at the same time. it remains that uncertain. so part of myjob is to keep guarded — optimistic but also to remember we could have a while to go still. moor happened yesterday then you were predicting, you thought nothing might happen. yes, that is absolutely right. i honestly thought the ankle tag would not come off until she was about to leave and it did come off and that is a significant step forward. all of the iranians that i have spoken to thought it is clear that's a big step forwards and it obviously is in terms of the lived experience. and i can't tell until sunday whether the second court case is a bit of political theatre or if it's a real sentence. her lawyer was certainly clear he thought she was going to get convicted, so we will see what that means. richard ratcliffe there. the pope has finished his visit. during the four day trip, the pope told several cities and met muslim and christian leaders and preached peace and coexistence. it was the pope's first international excursion since the start of the pandemic in the first ever papal visit to iraq. the luxury car brand aston martin has said it will manufacture all its electric cars in the uk from 2025. the company, which is based in warwickshire, is due to start making hybrid versions of its vehicles over the next two years, followed by the first battery—only models. it has also confirmed that an electric suv will be built at its factory in st athan in south wales. the youngest woman to row solo across an ocean has told the duchess of cambridge she hopes her feat changes perspectives about what women can achieve. jasmine harrison is 21 and completed the 3,000—mile challenge from la gomera in the canary islands to antigua in 70 days, three hours and 48 minutes. the duchess spoke to her via video call... to do a challenge like this needs all the elements and all those positive sides to our mental health and our minds to see a challenge like this through, and it is rare to see such an amazing display of that and through the challenge you have just done, it should be really celebrated. to be in the peace of the ocean for so many days, i think you really get to appreciate the world that we live in, in a way that you can't when life is busy, as it is. so it has been great speaking to you, but the other side to what you are doing i think is really important to talk about, which is inspiring loads of other young women and young girls to continue in your footsteps. and do you hope to inspire them, and do you hope to, through what you have achieved, hope to leave a legacy behind you, in that regard? yeah. i hope to inspire... inspire is a very big word, i think, and it's almost like i feel i am not quite worthy of inspiring people. after doing all that rowing! yeah! but i want to, just more, i want to show people that it is possible just to educate and say, look, you can do something if you want. i've shown you that this can be done, and so anything else that you thought maybe you couldn't do. do it — at the downing street briefing this afternoon, borisjohnson thanked parents for their hard work to home—school children. home-school children. this has been a bi da home-school children. this has been a big day and — home-school children. this has been a big day and an _ home-school children. this has been a big day and an emotional— home-school children. this has been a big day and an emotional day - home-school children. this has been a big day and an emotional day for. a big day and an emotional day for millions of families up and down the country. as children see and play with their friends at school for the first time in months. and although i know that some will have been anxious as pupils always are on the first day of term, i also know that the overwhelming feeling is one of relief. we all know that the education of our children is so important that the greater risk now is keeping them out of school for a day longer. i want to thank all the teachers who've got their schools ready and have been teaching throughout the whole period, whether that's remotely or in person. your work has been astonishing. and i want to thank the parents and all those who have been teaching at home who have had to master zoom, who've had to communicate every detail of the syllabus from fronted adverbials to quadratic equations, and we all know that the burden has disproportionately fallen on women. often holding downjobs and providing childcare at the same time. so ourjob now as government is to build on your effort so that from now on our school children not only catch up on lost learning, but take the biggest possible step forwards, with a concerted national programme for educational recovery. it is thanks to all of you, parents, teachers, pupils, thanks to this huge national effort to keep kids at home, that we have been able to significantly reduce the spread of the virus. and so today, we have been able to take that crucial first step on what we hope is our cautious, but irreversible, road map to freedom. today allowing people to meet one—on—one outside for the first time in months, allowing care home visits to take place with all appropriate precautions. this first step on the road map is made possible, above all, by our nhs which has now vaccinated more than a third of the entire uk population. we take this step with confidence because all four of the most vulnerable groups have not only been vaccinated in overwhelming numbers, but it is now three weeks, or at least three weeks, since they have received their first dose so that they will be feeling the full benefits of the vaccine's protection. we will continue on this road map. but we must remember that today's return to schools will, of course, have an impact on the spread of the virus. and so at all times, and as we decide on the next steps forward, and when we take them, we will be driven by the data. and with the number of patients being admitted to hospital with covid each day still around eight times higher than the lows of last summer, it's more vital than ever to follow the rules. hands, face, space, and please continue to stay at home, protect the nhs and save lives. the prime minister that today's coronavirus briefing. in a few minutes, it is the news at six. but now the news from ben rich. hello there. monday was the calm before the storm. yes, some of us saw rain, others got some sunshine, but the winds were relatively light. that is set to change. on the satellite picture, you can see this hook of cloud across the other side of the atlantic, a weather system that is being picked up by a strong and powerfuljet stream, turning it into a deep area of low pressure, and that is heading in our direction. it's going to bring some very, very strong winds, particularly during wednesday night into and thursday. so, the weather set to turn a lot livelier with spells of rain and some of those very strong winds in the forecast. tuesday, though, starts off on a relatively quiet note. a frost in the south with clear skies, more cloud further north, the odd spot of rain with that. but as we go through the day, we'll see thicker cloud bringing heavier rain into northern ireland and western scotland. it is going to be pretty mild out there — 9 to 12 degrees — but the winds will be strengthening across these western areas with gusts of 40 to 50, maybe 60 or 70 mph in parts of northwest scotland late in the day, hence that met office yellow warning. now, as we head through tuesday night, this band of rain and brisk winds will stagger further southeastwards. some clearer spells following on behind with some wintry showers into the northwest. but wednesday is going to bring some pretty wet weather to start off across parts of england and wales as this frontal system moves through. but instead of clearing away, this front actually bends back out into the atlantic. rain will return with increasingly strong winds. so, perhaps a brief window of calmer weather with some sunshine. still some wintry showers across scotland, but here comes our next brush of wet weather from the southwest, and with that, the winds will be strengthening once again. this is where we see our really deep area of low pressure pushing through. during wednesday night into thursday, a lot of white lines on this chart, a lot of isobars. there will be gales. already met office yellow warnings enforced for england and wales, but these are the kind of wind gusts we can expect through the early part of thursday morning. gusts of 60 miles per hour or more in the south, but even for northern ireland and scotland, it's going to be pretty windy as well. those winds may ease a little through the day on thursday, but it will stay blustery out there. we'll see some spells of sunshine, some showers as well, which could contain some hail. maybe some wintriness over higher ground because the air following on into the uk will not be particularly warm, and that continues on into friday. low pressure to the north, not as stormy by this stage, but still quite blustery. plenty of showers in the flow and a westerly wind bringing some relatively chilly air in our direction. there will be some spells of sunshine around, perhaps the best of that across eastern areas with some shelter. plentiful showers with some hail, maybe some wintriness, the odd rumble of thunder. temperatures between seven and 10 degrees. very similar weather on saturday. showers or longer spells of rain with some sleet and some hail mixing in. equally some spells of sunshine and those temperatures by this stage down in single digits for just about all of us. now, as we head through sunday and into next week, it looks like things are going to calm down. this area of high pressure is going to wobble its way northwards. it may be that we still see frontal systems for a time, but generally speaking, we can expect it to turn drier and calmer during next week. between now and then, some stormy weather in the forecast. tonight at six — one of the most damaging royal interviews for decades as the duchess of sussex says she thought about taking her own life. meghan tells oprah winfrey that a member of the royalfamily questioned what colour the skin of her child would be. so we had in tandem, the conversation of he won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title. and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born. prince harry reveals his relationship with his father became so strained that prince charles stopped taking his calls at one point. more than 17 million americans watched the interview. it's being shown here tonight. there's been no response yet from buckingham palace. also on the programme.