intruded upon, the same thing everybody else in the world wants, and that there is a difference between privacy and intrusion and being able to have boundaries. millions of children in england go back to school — borisjohnson describes it as an important first step towards a "sense of normality". we all need to get back to some sort of routine. i have every confidence in the school and the way this has all been set up, and how they are going to get tested regularly. holding hands at last — care home residents in england are now allowed one person who can visit them indoors — but no hugs yet. on international women's day — we look at new technology being introduced to help female athletes perform better. all families have their disagreements — but nothing quite like this. once again, the royalfamily is at the eye of a global storm — over its treatment of the duchess of sussex, over the fall—out between prince harry and his father, and over the issue of race. and all in an interview on american television. the duchess told oprah winfrey she had felt suicidal — and considered harming herself before withdrawing from royal duties. she also said that an unnamed figure in the family had raised concerns to prince harry about how dark skinned their children would be. the duke of sussex also told the talk show host that he still had a good relationship with the queen — but prince harry spoke about his troubled relationship with his father. this report from our royal correspondent daniela relph. the duchess of sussex didn't hold back. she described a royal life of loneliness and isolation that left her in the darkest of places. so, were you thinking of harming yourself, were you having suicidal thoughts? yes, this was very, very clear. wow. very clear and very scary. and, you know, i didn't know who to even turn to in that. these are the thoughts that i'm having in the middle of the night that are very clear, and i'm scared, because this is very real. this isn't some abstract idea, this is methodical, and this is not who i am. meghan described feeling unsupported by what she called "the institution." the duke and duchess of sussex! she talked about this charity event in january 2019. she said just before leaving, she told her husband that she'd thought about taking her own life. 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. more on the interview prince harry and meghan markle gave to oprah winfrey, our royal correspondent gave us this update as short while ago. oprah winfrey, the queen of chat show host, and she has just been it speaking on cbs, speaking about her experiences and how it came about and everyone fascinated in every single detail as you would imagine of this interview. one of the things that she talked about is one of the main clips which came out of the interview, the question of somebody interview, the question of somebody in the royalfamily interview, the question of somebody in the royal family talking about archie and what colour his skin will be and oprah said in the interview that prince harry wanted to make clear to her that everyone knew it wasn't his grandmother or his grandfather, those people were not part of those conversations. that is one point you bring out. she was questioned about why prince harry and meghan markle who often talk about privacy and a lack of privacy, why they would go on and be interviewed by one of the biggest names in the world in terms of interviews and this was her response. interviews and this was her re5ponse-_ interviews and this was her resonse. , , ., , response. yes, they want privacy, but they understand _ response. yes, they want privacy, but they understand that - response. yes, they want privacy, but they understand that they - response. yes, they want privacy, but they understand that they are | but they understand that they are public _ but they understand that they are public figures, and the privacy is to not_ public figures, and the privacy is to not be — public figures, and the privacy is to not be intruded upon. the same thing _ to not be intruded upon. the same thing everybody else in the world wants _ thing everybody else in the world wants and — thing everybody else in the world wants and that there is a difference between _ wants and that there is a difference between privacy and intrusion and being _ between privacy and intrusion and being able to have boundaries. yes, you want_ being able to have boundaries. yes, you want privacy and you don't want helicopters — you want privacy and you don't want helicopters and people hiding in the bushes, _ helicopters and people hiding in the bushes, filming your baby outside playing. _ bushes, filming your baby outside playing, and i'd think that when people — playing, and i'd think that when people say, oh, they are talking now, _ people say, oh, they are talking now. they— people say, oh, they are talking now, they wanted privacy, but they don't _ now, they wanted privacy, but they don't understand that there is a difference between being a public figure _ difference between being a public figure who wants to have some boundaries and not to be consistently intruded upon, versus being _ consistently intruded upon, versus being private. gne consistently intruded upon, versus being private-— being private. one of the points that oprah _ being private. one of the points that oprah second _ being private. one of the points that oprah second at _ being private. one of the points that oprah second at one - being private. one of the points that oprah second at one of - being private. one of the points that oprah second at one of the j that oprah second at one of the difficulties was shortening down the interview which actually lasted three hours and 20 minutes, down to one hour and three hours and 20 minutes, down to one hourand 20, three hours and 20 minutes, down to one hour and 20, so one can only imagine what might actually have ended up being on the cutting room floor. she was asked whether she had spoken to either prince harry or meghan at since the interview was aired and she said no, she was hoping to speak to them later today, but she had a text from meghan asking, how is it going? so what has the response been to the interview? adina campbell has been gauging reaction. it was one of the biggest tv events of the year. as millions of us worldwide watched the fairy tale wedding of prince harry and meghan markle, three years later it is a very different story. this time millions of people tuned in overnight to watch the couple open up to oprah winfrey about their lives in the royal family. it was uncomfortable viewing, with allegations of racism aimed at their son, archie. the duchess of sussex revealed, when she was five months pregnant, there were conversations and concerns within the royal family about how dark their son's skin would be. while we talk about this issue, particularly the issue of members of the royal family having conversations about the colour of archie's skin, that is racist. for those who would like to see that as, oh, it'sjust family having a conversation, no, it's not. and that kind of thinking normalises racism. this is without doubt one of the most staggering interviews given by any members of the royal family, with front—page headlines in many of today's papers. and it is all over social media, dividing opinion with an outpouring of heated discussions about race. tennis star serena williams, one of meghan's closest friends, and also a guest at their wedding, has shown her support on twitter. she said, meghan markle, my selfless friend, lives her life and leads by example with empathy and compassion. but some royal biographers are not convinced by what the couple had to say. it was a very soft serving, soapy interview in meghan's favour. nobody asked her about her relationship with her father. nobody asked her the astonishing fact that she only had one member of her family at her wedding. this is a woman who seems to make a habit of falling out with people. but none of meghan's real behaviour was questioned. it was an absolute exercise in torching the house of windsor and i came away with a very distasteful taste in my mouth. while friends of prince harry say it is important to be clear about what was said in the interview. there is a distinction between the royal family and the institution. the royal family, meghan only had praise for them. however, the institution, the officials, i think they are the ones that have come out quite bad in this interview. and in the states, the couple's interview is the most talked about story of the day so far. back here, labour is calling for buckingham palace to investigate an allegation of racism. adina campbell, bbc news. well, for more on the oprah interview, anna whitelock, a royal historian and the head of history at royal holloway, university of london, joins us from cambridge. does anybody come out of this well? no, i don't think they do, and your package has summed it up, for those who are supporters of the royal family, they will see harry and meghan having done a very unedifying thing, at a time when harry's grandfather prince philip is in hospital, and for those who have a different view, it will be very much throwing fresh light and new light on the institution of monarchy and confirming their worst suspicions that it was an outdated and it seems, the suggestion by some, a racist institution. the seems, the suggestion by some, a racist institution.— racist institution. the racism issue is erha -s racist institution. the racism issue is perhaps the _ racist institution. the racism issue is perhaps the standout _ racist institution. the racism issue is perhaps the standout from - racist institution. the racism issue is perhaps the standout from the i is perhaps the standout from the interview. in saying that a senior member of the royal family made a comment which appears racist, but not naming them, of course it has got everybody asking, who is it. it is unfair on those who did it, isn't it? -- is unfair on those who did it, isn't it? —— on those who didn't. that is unfair on those who did it, isn't it? -- on those who didn't. that is riuht. it? -- on those who didn't. that is right- oprah _ it? -- on those who didn't. that is right. oprah winfrey _ it? -- on those who didn't. that is right. oprah winfrey has _ it? -- on those who didn't. that is right. oprah winfrey has, - it? -- on those who didn't. that is right. oprah winfrey has, to - it? -- on those who didn't. that is right. oprah winfrey has, to say . it? -- on those who didn't. that is right. oprah winfrey has, to say it| right. oprah winfrey has, to say it was neither the queen or prince philip, that harry did say that, but it raises questions about who it was. it begins to tart the royal family with the brush of racism that when this is it about one individual who made at best an ill—advised comment to harry about the colour of the skin of his then unborn child. if relations were good between harry and whoever he was talking to ever time, one might have seen this as innocent, perhaps in —— ill—advised butinnocent innocent, perhaps in —— ill—advised but innocent question, but because of the perception of meghan's ill—treatment from harry, clearly he saw this as a question that was underpinned by racism and that is how it is being reported today. he passedit how it is being reported today. he passed it on to meghan. she did not hear the comment herself. trio. passed it on to meghan. she did not hear the comment herself.— hear the comment herself. no, you wonder how — hear the comment herself. no, you wonder how advised _ hear the comment herself. no, you wonder how advised that _ hear the comment herself. no, you wonder how advised that was. - hear the comment herself. no, you wonder how advised that was. but l hear the comment herself. no, you | wonder how advised that was. but of course this is only one side of the story. we don't know when it was said and we don't know who said it and we don't know the context, so i'm not for one minute defending racism but we need to be careful aboutjust racism but we need to be careful about just assuming that this is racism but we need to be careful aboutjust assuming that this is a charge of racism against the whole institution, even against the whole family, and indeed meghan and harry talked about how warmly welcomed she was by the queen. the queen very much tried to set the tone for the family in welcoming meghan and supporting her and helping her, trying to help, but that is not to say that meghan's charges about the fact she was neglected in terms of her mental health, those charges will stick, but to some extent that is about the institution and the workings of the monarchy. and buckingham palace. the issue that image is everything, that buckingham palace needs to be seen to be doing the right thing, well, at least doing the thing they would define as right, perhaps and secondly placing people's own personal happiness, very much down the line a priority, so this is about buckingham palace and the workings of the royal household and the institution as well as of course about a family which is now riven apart and on this huge media platform. we which is now riven apart and on this huge media platform.— huge media platform. we are all aware of the _ huge media platform. we are all aware of the same, _ huge media platform. we are all aware of the same, failed - huge media platform. we are all aware of the same, failed to - aware of the same, failed to prepare, prepare to fail, so for those who say she did not know what she was entering, she only needs to read about history to see it is not the bed of roses she thought it was. yes, that was a bit disingenuous. she was clearly very active on social media and she had her own blog so the idea that she had not googled harry and the royal family, i do think that doesn't quite ring true, but i also think it is fair to say that however much reading and googling you might have done, nothing can prepare you for the reality ofjoining the royal family. fitting into a role which is very prescribed. never complain, never explain, that is the adage which the queen lives by, and a mature woman, marrying into the family, having her own identity, having much to say, thatis own identity, having much to say, that is going to be very difficult for her, and arguably the institution at best can be said just hasn't moved with the times and really does need to catch up in terms of how they treat those marrying into it. what is sad is that harry and meghan were going to represent this kind of new style of monarchy and also add colour to the rather staid white institution and of course the opportunity has now been lost. . ., of course the opportunity has now been lost. , ., , ., been lost. use the word institution and we are — been lost. use the word institution and we are talking _ been lost. use the word institution and we are talking about _ been lost. use the word institution and we are talking about a - been lost. use the word institution and we are talking about a family | and we are talking about a family but then we are talking about the people who work for them and who they themselves with. anyone who has come into contact with them will be familiar with the phrase red carpet fever, where you feel almost as royal as you —— those you are working for, so that is a problem? i working for, so that is a problem? i think so, but there has been a change, especially around the young royals, they have had many different appointees over the last great few years which is in contrast to the royal officials of the past where you sought really long serving private secretaries and so on and a real sense of loyalty —— where you saw. and a real sense of deference. but maybe some of the more recent appointees have found it rather difficult to fit in with what is expected of being a servant within the royal family. expected of being a servant within the royalfamily. you either have people who almost see themselves as versions of royalty, demanding a kind of deference even though they are courtiers themselves, and in contrast those who come from a media background who perhaps don't understand the niceties or not at the sensitivities of being royal and what you can and can't do in the media. at best it shows the fact that the institution of monarchy has to be refreshed and it has to understand its place in the modern world. it needs to understand that the fact it is an anachronistic institution belonging to a bygone age does not mean it doesn't have to update itself in terms of how it treats people and how it represents itself, and i think now, of course, all eyes on the palate and how they will respond, and i think this will be really difficult to get the wording right —— eyes on the palace. to express the affection they still have four harry, meghan and archie but maybe also pushing back on some of the allegations, but maybe also suggesting everyone has something to learn from this episode in an way to broker a reproach in the future, but that would be difficult. they could stay quiet, of course and that would be difficult. they could stay quiet, of course— that would be difficult. they could stay quiet, of course and then maybe make some — stay quiet, of course and then maybe make some approach _ stay quiet, of course and then maybe make some approach behind - stay quiet, of course and then maybe make some approach behind closed l make some approach behind closed doors and we would never know. thea;r doors and we would never know. they could. in doors and we would never know. they could- in the — doors and we would never know. they could. in the days _ doors and we would never know. i'ie: could. in the days and doors and we would never know. ti;e: could. in the days and weeks doors and we would never know. ti9:1: could. in the days and weeks around the first announcement that harry and meghan were leaving, we saw those quite personal statem