CBS This Morning devoted three packages to Prince Philip‘s death on Friday but none mentioned the bombshell interview with Harry and Meghan that it aired just a month ago while Philip was in hospital and gravely ill.
The Queen announced on Friday that Philip died peacefully, aged 99, at Windsor Castle.
Like every other major network, CBS devoted the start of its morning show to his death.
But it did not mention that just last month, when Prince Philip was in the hospital, it aired an interview between his grandson, Prince Harry, and Oprah Winfrey, during which Harry and his wife Meghan Markle made devastating allegations of racism against the Royal family.
The interview sent shockwaves through Buckingham Palace and no doubt saddened Prince William who afterwards sternly told reporters during an appearance: ‘We are not a racist family’.
Gayle King – Oprah’s best friend who attended Meghan’s baby shower in New York City and who promoted the interview extensively – spoke briefly on Friday morning to introduce the first package on Philip’s death.
It was a marked difference from when she promoted the Oprah interview and gave long, opinionated commentary on how the Royal family supposedly treated Meghan. She and her co-hosts said Meghan had been ‘vilified’ and ‘oppressed’ by them.
Gayle King on Friday morning announcing Prince Philip’s death. CBS then aired three packages on it which detailed his life and marriage to the Queen but none mentioned the interview that CBS aired last month and made money from
On March 7, CBS aired Harry and Meghan’s sit-down with Oprah, during which they made devastating allegations against the Royal family
Gayle said on Friday: ‘Buckingham Palace has just confirmed that Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, has died at the age of 99. He was recently as you know released from the hospital after a heart operation. Mark Phillips has this story.’
The next two packages were not led by Gayle but her male co-hosts and featured interviews and commentary from CBS international correspondents and royal experts.
Gayle said during a talk back with CBS Senior International Correspondent Charlie D’Agata: ‘I am so sad to hear this news. When he was released [from the hospital] people were feeling really good people were feeling better.
‘Have you heard anything… was it just natural causes?’
D’Agata alluded to the recent turmoil in the family but none of the studio hosts acknowledged it.
‘Even recently with Prince Harry, Prince William, Prince Charles and everything that has gone on… when we talk about Megxit, we know he had a part in those conversations…’ he said.
Prince Philip was admitted to the hospital in mid February. He was released on March 16, after spending a month there. Oprah has not commented on Philip’s death.
Tony Dokoupil interviewed British historian Amanda Foreman for the second package. Again, they ignored the Harry and Meghan interview and turmoil from it
CBS host Anthony Mason speaking with Senior International Correspondent Charlie D’Agata. D’Agata, who is based in London, alluded to the recent turmoil in the family but none of the studio hosts acknowledged it
Neither CBS nor the Oprah Winfrey Network responded to inquiries immediately on Friday morning.
There was widespread criticism of the network choosing to air the interview with Harry and Meghan given Philip’s condition.
Gayle later claimed that they had a contingency plan not to air it if his condition worsened.
‘Just so you know, they had done that interview before Prince Philip went into the hospital, and if something, God forbid, had happened to him, the interview would not have run at this particular time,’ she said on her SiriusXM radio show afterwards.
Neither Oprah nor CBS has confirmed that this was the case.
A tribute to Prince Philip in London’s Piccadilly Circus on Friday morning after his death
Meghan claimed during the interview that she had an open line of communication with the Queen and phoned her when she learned Philip had been taken into hospital.
Neither she nor Harry has released any kind of statement since the announcement of Philip’s death.
They claimed during their bombshell interview that Meghan was mistreated to the point she was suicidal and was denied mental health help when they were working as senior royals.
They also made the sensational allegation that someone in the family had concerns about their son Archie’s skin tone and that it is why he was not given a prince title at birth.
The Queen responded saying she would investigate the allegations of racism in Buckingham Palace separately.
