Why Royal Experts Are Fuming At Oprah

Royal biographers and commentators tend to be pretty protective of the royal family — so it's no surprise that they're already a little testy regarding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's upcoming "no-holds-barred" interview with Oprah Winfrey on CBS, which was just extended from a 90-minute special to a full two hours.

Harry and Meghan have, shall we say, gone a bit rogue when it comes to royal family protocols, giving up their positions and duties as Senior Royals, suing the press, and moving to California to raise their soon-to-be two children. It's no secret that Meghan, in particular, has had a rough time of it living under such close and invasive public scrutiny, or that she struggled to adapt to the many, many etiquette rules of the British monarchy.

One of the most important rules? Chatting about family drama with the press is a strict no-no. Especially with someone as huge as Oprah, of all people. Rumors are buzzing that the rest of the royal family is feeling seriously upset by Harry and Meghan's decision on this one, as per Express, and apparently the monarchists (U.K. citizens who are extremely loyal to the royal family) aren't feeling much differently.

In a preview for the upcoming interview, Oprah Winfrey tells Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, "You've said some pretty shocking things," and asks, "Were you silent or were you silenced?"

And apparently this implication — that they were forbidden from speaking truthfully to the public by the royal family — has royal experts, historians, and monarchists livid with the iconic television host. Some critics have even accused Oprah of comparing the family to the mob.

"The Queen and the Royal Family are not the Corleone family of Windsor," Robert Jobson, a biographer of Prince Charles and Prince Philip said to the Daily Mail. "There are no hit men or heavies going around silencing people. Meghan, whilst a working royal, was always protected by a team of Scotland Yard officers."

On Twitter, the same biographer fumed, "Is she suggesting our Queen, who has dedicated her entire life to duty and public service, is some kind of mob boss & the Royal Family the mafia? Daft."

All of this is also happening at the same moment that Prince Philip is dealing with health issues, and some experts are calling for the whole thing to be called off. "In the circumstances it would surely be appropriate to postpone the interview which Harry and Meghan are giving to Oprah, which is due to be aired on Sunday, as it involves an examination of the problems they faced when working royals," commentator Richard Fitzwilliam told the Daily Mail.