'The Queen is not Don Corleone': Royal experts accuse Oprah of suggesting Monarch is 'some mafia boss who silenced Meghan' and the Palace 'should be worried' after tell-all CBS interview is EXTENDED to two hours
- Prince Harry and his pregnant wife Meghan Markle joined Oprah for CBS interview airing on CBS on March 7
- Royals are warned to 'hide behind the sofa' when it is broadcast at 8pm US time, and around 1am UK time
- Show extended from 90 minutes to 2 hours - allowing CBS to rake in up to $200,000 per extra 30 second ad
- Harry says that he took family to LA because of his mother's ordeal and feared 'history repeating itself'
- He says that the past year has been 'unbelievably tough for the two of us but at least we have each other'
- Meghan does not speak in the 30-second trailer but Oprah hints that ex-actress uses the word 'unsurvivable'
- Billionaire interviewer also confirms no topic was 'off limits' and asked Meghan if she was 'silenced' by palace
- Sussexes not believed to be being paid for Oprah show, but is part of building a $1bn US brand, experts say Oprah Winfrey's assertion that Meghan Markle may have been 'silenced' by the Crown is 'ridiculous' and unfairly paints the Queen as a mob boss like Don Corleone from The Godfather, royal experts told MailOnline today.
Buckingham Palace should also be 'scared' after it emerged that the Sussexes' tell-all interview due for broadcast on Sunday night has been extended from 90 minutes to two hours at the 11th hour.
Oprah pushes Meghan Markle on whether she was 'silenced' by the Crown while Prince Harry claims he emigrated to LA with his family because he feared 'history repeating itself' after the deathThe Duke of Sussex also describes leaving the Royal Family as 'unbelievably tough' and Oprah claims the couple both say ‘some pretty shocking things’ in the bombshell interview that is expected to upset the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William when the show is broadcast on March 7.
Oprah promises viewers there will be ‘shocking’ revelations and 'no subject off limits' in the over produced teaser complete with dramatic music released online by CBS in the US overnight. In more bad news for the royals, who have already been warned to 'hide behind their sofas' on Sunday, the broadcaster also revealed the show has extended from 90 minutes to a two-hour special that will be watched by tens of millions of people worldwide.
Robert Jobson, a biographer of Prince Charles and the Duke of Edinburgh, said the trailer was packed with 'over the top, melodramatic nonsense'.
He said: 'The Queen and the Royal Family are not the Corleone family of Windsor. 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. Thankfully, she was never in danger physically and Harry knows that. Talk of being "silenced" is just ridiculous. It suits a narrative, I suppose, but at what cost to the Queen, Prince Philip and the Royal Family and our reputation as a country'.
On the late decision to extend the show, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline: 'An extra 30 minutes could be scary for the Palace. Was this because Harry and Meghan were angry at having their patronages removed or had it always been planned? The interview with Oprah will determine their future relations with the royal family for the foreseeable future'.
Another critic tweeted sarcastically: 'It’s been so unbelievably tough moving into our $11million home, signing huge deals with Netflix and Spotify, and drawing on my huge trust from my Royal lineage. Like if you want a quiet life, go have one, keyword being quiet'.
The extra half-hour of the show will allow CBS to rake in more advertising, with a 30-second prime time slot believed to cost around $200,000. According to Page Six, the Sussexes are not being paid for the Oprah interview, but experts believe it is part of their plan to build a billion-dollar brand in the US after signing mega-deals with Netflix and Spotify worth at least $100million.
The teaser trailer will likely upset Buckingham Palace days amid fears that the interview will be a no-holds barred airing of the feud with her husband's family. And while it is not clear exactly how Harry compares their treatment to Princess Diana's, royal experts have already criticised his decision to raise it.
During the trailer a visibly pregnant Meghan, wearing a $4,700 black Armani dress and £13,000 bracelet belonging to Diana, says nothing, and is only shown looking emotional or nodding while either cradling her baby bump or holding on to her husband's hand on location in Santa Barbara, California.
But in a hint that Meghan will not hold back about Harry's family, Oprah reveals the former actress calls her 20 months as a royal 'almost unsurvivable' and the interviewer brands her account 'shocking'.
Ms Winfrey then tells her friend: 'It sounds like there was a breaking point,' before asking the former actress: 'Were you silent or were you silenced?' Oprah also says to the camera: 'Just to make it clear to everybody, there is no subject that is off-limits' in the interview the Sussexes plan to use to boost their popularity in the US and continue their war with the press.
Harry, wearing a smart grey suit and white shirt, also said he was 'relieved and happy' to have his wife by his side, hinting he feared that Meghan would suffer the same fate as his mother, who died 23 years ago. There will be some disquiet at the palace because it has now emerged that Harry has chosen to reference Princess Diana, who died in 1997 in a Paris car crash along with her partner Dodi Fayed.
He tells Ms Winfrey in the 30-second clip: 'I'm just really relieved and happy to be sitting here talking to you with my wife by my side because I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like for her going through this process by herself all those years ago'. He added: 'Because it's been unbelievably tough for the two of us but at least we have each other.'
With days to go until the bombshell interview is broadcast, it also emerged:
- Prince Philip, 99, was today transferred by ambulance to NHS' St Bartholomew's Hospital in London for 'testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition' following a two-week stay at the private King Edward VII Hospital;
- Brand experts believe this could be start of couple's partnership with Oprah to help them break US and build a $1billion brand;
- The 'Sphinx-like' Duchess of Sussex maintains an 'enigmatic' smile as she speaks to Oprah Winfrey in the first trailer for their bombshell interview in echoes of Princess Diana on Panorama, a body language expert has told MailOnline;
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of his mother Princess Diana, a new trailer shows.
Prince Harry reveals his 'biggest fear was history repeating itself' in new teaser for bombshell sit down interview with Oprah
Sitting down with Meghan alone, Oprah asks her in the first teaser: 'Were you silent or were you silenced?'
CBS' Gayle King claimed this sit-down with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is 'the best Oprah has ever done', and it has now been decided to extend it from 90-minutes to two hoursIt came days after Harry's 17-minute interview with his friend James Corden on the Late Late Show last week.
On that show Duke of Sussex said the move to California last year was about 'stepping back rather than stepping down' as royals. The Duchess of Sussex also made a brief appearance on the show during a FaceTime call, revealing her pet name for Harry is 'Haz', while her husband calls her 'Meg' throughout and reveals that his grandmother bought their son Archie a waffle maker for Christmas.
There is already tension between Harry and his family after their 'horribly disrespectful' swipe at The Queen after she took away their patronages, telling Her Majesty that 'service is universal', left Prince William and courtiers furious.
The way the couple blindsided the Palace and the Queen with the Oprah deal also sparked anger and prompted the announcement that they would lose their royal patronages.
In a second, 30-second teaser posted Sunday, Harry said he was 'relieved' to be opening up with Meghan by his side - and said he can't imagine what his mother went through 'going through this process by herself. Oprah's with Prince Harry and Meghan is scheduled to air on CBS at 8pm on March 7.
Oprah called her interview with the royal couple 'the best she has ever done', according to her best friend Gayle King.
King, 66, who is an anchor for CBS, made the comments on This Morning on Friday while reporting on the Duke of Sussex's appearance on James Corden's Late Late Show.
King said the interview with Oprah, which was filmed before Harry's appearance with Corden, is the couple's 'first major broadcast interview since giving up their senior royal duties.'
'I've heard from reliable sources, this is Oprah talking, that it's the best interview she's ever done so I'm curious. That's saying something,' King said.
King revealed on February 16 that Oprah had been given permission to ask Harry and Meghan 'anything she wanted' and that 'nothing was off limits' during the interview.
News of the interview likely sparked fresh fears for Buckingham Palace over what embarrassing revelations could come to light - particularly in the wake of the Queen's decision to remove the couple's remaining royal patronages and honorary titles, a move that prompted the Sussexes to bite back in a petty public statement.
On Monday, it was revealed that the Queen address the UK in a pre-recorded speech that will air on BBC One before the interview with Harry and Meghan.
The Queen was due to attend the annual Commonwealth Service on March 8 - but this has been cancelled for the first time in nearly half a century due to COVID-19, Westminster Abbey announced on Monday.
Instead, the Queen has chosen to share her annual message 24 hours earlier with a show of support from Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex.
The Royal Family will also take part in the Queen's A Celebration For Commonwealth Day show, hosted by Anita Rani to share their royal perspectives on the importance of Britain's Commonwealth links.
On Monday, it also emerged that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's incendiary interview with Oprah may have to be re-edited or even partially re-shot due to the rift it has caused with the royals and 99-year-old Prince Philip's hospitalisation.
Some previously claimed that the interview, believed to be completed two weeks, could even be toned down - though new trailers show that seems unlikely.
Harry's decision to mention his mother and any suggestion by the couple they were silenced is likely to cause upset with the Royal Family
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were pictured holding hands in the interview while discussing their decision to leave the Royal Family
Buckingham Palace previously announced that Harry and Meghan had been stripped of their remaining roles following their move to California
It has also emerged that Meghan is expected to speak about the feud with her own family on her father Thomas' side in the interview with Oprah.
This Morning host Holly Willoughby said that Oprah's team had been in contact with ITV for footage of an interview with her half-sister.
In the January 2020 broadcast Samantha Markle said the former Suits actress and Harry owed her and their father an apology for 'incredibly wrong, untoward, and shocking' behavior after the royal wedding in 2018.
'Oprah Winfrey's team contacted This Morning requesting footage from our interview with Samantha Markle in preparation for the interview with the Duchess of Sussex,' Willoughby said on Monday.
She added: 'So, we don't know whether or not they used that in the interview, but what we do know is nothing was off limits.'
Insight into the no-holds-barred interview with Oprah has prompted further questions about why Harry and Meghan chose to take part in such an explosive sit-down, in spite of their continued insistence that the media respects their privacy.
Those same questions arose after Harry's interview with Corden aired - while critics also outrage over his decision to defend Netflix show The Crown, despite its very negative portrayal of his grandmother, parents, and wider members of the family.
Harry, who, along with his wife, inked a very lucrative deal with Netflix last year, told long-time friend Corden that he has watched The Crown, and said that the show is 'fictional' but 'loosely based on the truth' and captures the feeling of being expected to put 'duty and service above family and everything else'.
While sitting down for the widely-publicized interview, which partly took place on an open-air double-decker bus in Los Angeles, Harry hit out at the 'toxic' media - blaming the press for his decision to quit the UK and relocate to the US.
The Duke said the pressure of being in London was 'destroying my mental health', but insisted that he never 'walked away' from the royals - instead describing the move as a 'step back'.
'It was never walking away. It was stepping back rather than stepping down. It was a really difficult environment, which I think a lot of people saw. So I did what any father or husband would do and thought: 'How do I get my family out of there?' But we never walked away.'
And while the interview was carried out before the Queen stripped the Sussexes of their royal patronages, Harry appears to know what was coming.
'My life is public service, so wherever I am in the world it's going to be the same thing. As far as I'm concerned, whatever decisions are made on that side [in Britain], I will never walk away,' he said. Make-up artist Lisa revealed: 'Megan had opted for the more demure soft makeup application for the last couple of years, but for the show she gave us full glam.
'Showing us true la red carpet style makeup, the Duchess chose a heavy smokey eye which made her eyes really pop with the eyeliner application on both the lid and the water line.'
'These were a real focal point for me teamed with a set of false lashes, which were fuller on the outer part of the eye to give that cat lifting eye effect we are seeing everywhere at the moment.'
The expert continued: 'Although Megan was wearing foundation, it was sheer coverage which allowed her freckles to remain poignant and giving her that sun kissed glow.
The makeup artist pointed to the Duchess' bold eyeliner and heavy false lashes as part of her 'red carpet style' look
'Teamed with perfectly placed contour and a pop of heavy blush Megan truly looked like she had settled back into her previous la girl glam!
'With a heavy eye and popping blush Megan balanced her look with a soft buttery lip giving them just enough colour to tie the whole look together.'
Is Harry and Meghan's rebrand a swipe at the palace? New Archewell logo features the word 'service' after Queen said their multi-million dollar US media career was not compatible with life of public service
Harry and Meghan rebranded their website yesterday in the build-up to their Oprah Winfrey interview – with a defiant new swipe at Buckingham Palace.
The pair dropped a photograph of Princess Diana and their 'Letter for 2021' from the home page of their Archewell website, and replaced them with a lofty new mission statement.
The Archewell logo was also updated, to include the words 'Service. Compassion. Action. Community.'
The couple's prominent use of the word 'Service' is likely to raise eyebrows at Buckingham Palace, following a row over whether the Sussexes could continue a life of public service after their decision to quit as working royals.
Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, are preparing for a 'tell-all' interview with chatshow host Oprah Winfrey to be shown in the US next Sunday. It is likely to be broadcast on ITV in Britain a day later.
The Sussexes have updated their Archewell website, swapping an image of Prince Harry's late mother with a picture of the couple volunteering in California (pictured now)
The Sussexes have updated their Archewell website, swapping an image of Prince Harry's late mother with a picture of the couple volunteering in California (pictured now)
In December last year the pair launched the website of their non-profit organisation, in which they vowed to 'unleash the power of compassion' and Harry described himself as his 'mother's son' (pictured in December)
The site still plugs the couple's commercial ventures - Archewell Audio, the brand they have chosen for their £30m podcasting deal with Spotify. Pictured, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in their California home
Their updated Archewell website outlined their aims for their non-profit work in a mission statement written in the 'woke' language of their new home in California.
It said: 'Welcome to Archewell. Through our non-profit work, as well as creative activations, we drive systemic cultural change across all communities, one act of compassion at a time.'
The home page previously featured photographs of Harry and Meghan as children with their mothers.
Those images have been replaced with a single picture of the Sussexes handing out supplies for low-income families at a charity event in Los Angeles last year.
A lengthy message, entitled 'A Letter for 2021', was also removed from the home page.
The message started with the words 'I am my mother's son' and urged the couple's supporters to help them 'work to build a better world'.
The couple, who are expecting their second child later this year, have insisted they will continue to 'live a life of service' outside the Royal Family.
When it was announced they would not be returning to royal duties, Buckingham Palace said their new life meant they could not continue 'the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service'.
The Queen is understood to have told the couple that their commercial careers were incompatible with the impartiality required of those in public service, but insisted they remained 'much loved members of the family'.
The pair issued an immediate response, saying: 'We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.'
Their interview for US TV is likely to be one of the most-watched programs this year.
According to a close friend, Meghan declared 'nothing is off limits' for the show, entitled Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special.
The photo of Prince Harry and his mother was replaced by this photo of the Duke and Meghan volunteering with Baby2Baby at Dr Owen Lloyd Knox Elementary School in LA last August
The Duchess of Sussex, 39, appeared alongside the Duke, 36, in a 20-second video to plug their Archewell Audio podcast at a Spotify live stream event broadcast earlier this week
Last week Harry took a fresh swipe at the Royal Family when he insisted he had not walked away from royal duties.
The sixth in line to the throne appeared in a 17-minute skit with friend and TV host James Corden on the US entertainment programme, The Late Late Show.
It came as Prince Philip spent a second weekend in hospital battling an infection. The Duke of Edinburgh has been in London's King Edward VII hospital for 13 nights.
In a segment filmed before he and wife Meghan confirmed they will not be returning as working members of the Royal Family, Harry joined James Corden for a double-decker bus tour of Los Angeles where he broke his silence on quitting as a royal
The friends video call Meghan, who in response to Corden's suggestion they buy the Fresh Prince's house, quipped 'I think we've done enough moving' and reveals she calls her husband 'Haz'
Let the battle commence: Gayle's comments about Oprah's interview were made just hours after James Corden's sit-down with Prince Harry aired on CBS
The Archewell website had featured this picture of a young Prince Harry sitting on the shoulders of Princess Diana, taken at Highgrove in Gloucestershire in July 1986In another extraordinary moment Harry raps the theme tune to The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air outside the mansion where it was filmed before the royal and Mr Corden head off to complete a muddy army assault course together, ferried around LA on an open-top tour bus serving afternoon tea.
But critics have questioned the timing of his 'prancing' TV appearance, released last night just as the Queen gave a rare public statement encouraging all Britons to 'think about others' and have the Covid-19 jab.
Palace sources told MailOnline the timing of Harry's TV appearance is 'unhelpful, and has caused 'disquiet' at the palace, especially with Prince Philip spending his 11th day in hospital battling a nasty infection. 'When the Queen speaks as she has done about the vaccine it is accepted that she has a clear field', the insider said.
Others watching the film, where Harry complains about the 'toxic' media attention he received in the UK during a TV interview watched by millions, urged him on social media to 'stop bl**dy whining' and 're-writing history'.
The prince was also accused of 'ignoring' the multi-million dollar deals he and his wife have signed with Spotify and Netflix, with Harry even praising the streaming giant's The Crown, despite its negative portrayal of his family, including his parents Charles and Diana.
Royal expert Phil Dampier said: 'As The Queen urges us to think of others, Prince Harry prances about in LA and makes the absurd claim that he hasn't walked away from the royals. What planet is he on? Hollywood I suppose.'
Prince Harry used the interview to point the finger at the British press for his decision to emigrate with Meghan, 39, and Archie, one.
'It was never walking away. It was stepping back rather than stepping down, there was a really difficult environment as I think a lot of people saw,' Harry said.
'We all know what the British press could be like, and it was destroying my mental health, I was like this is toxic. So I did what any husband and what any father would do is like, I need to get my family out of here.'
Critics of the couple, who announced this month they were expecting their second child, have said they are keen for publicity but only on their own terms. An in-depth interview they have given to U.S. chat show host Oprah Winfrey is due to be aired on March 7.
During his interview, carried out on a tour of Los Angeles, Harry told Corden that Netflix's hit series 'The Crown', a fictional account of the life of the queen and her family, was 'loosely based on the truth', before again pointing a finger at the press.
'It gives you a rough idea about what that lifestyle, what the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else, what can come from that,' he said.
'I'm way more comfortable with the Crown than I am seeing the stories written about my family or my wife, or myself, because ... that is obviously fiction, take it how you will, but this is being reported on as facts because you're supposedly news.'
Meghan's tribute to Princess Diana: Duchess of Sussex dons her late mother-in-law's £17,700 tennis bracelet alongside £3,300 Armani black gown for bombshell Oprah interview
The Duchess of Sussex paid tribute to Princess Diana as she appeared in a trailer for her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Pregnant Meghan Markle could be seen wearing a dazzling diamond tennis Cartier bracelet from Princess Diana's jewellery collection, which retails for an eye-watering £17,700.
The mother-to-be, 39, proudly cradled her baby bump in a teaser trailer for her discussion with the media mogul which is her most high-profile appearance since she and Prince Harry, 36, revealed they are expecting their second child later this year.
The Duchess showed off her growing stomach in the £3,300 dress for the interview, which was belted above her stomach and featured floral embroidery over one shoulder.
The Duchess is known for her love of designer brands, and her first maternity wardrobe is believed to have cost over half a million pounds. It was further boosted by decadent jewellery, which adds financial value to several of her outfits.
Meghan Markle, 39, pulled out all the stops as she donned an Armani dress and thousands of pounds worth for her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey
The Duchess swept her long dark locks into a low bun for the interview, allowing two wavy tendrils to frame her face.
She swapped her usual low key make-up for a bold and glamorous look, with dark eyeshadow and a sweep of blush.
The royal is known for her love of designer brands, and rarely wears the same outfits twice, selecting new outfits from favourite designers such as Givenchy and Victoria Beckham on almost every appearance.
For the discussion, the mother-of-one wore the sweeping black silk dress by Armani, which is described online as 'sensuous with a subtle, refined twist.' It features white printed detailing and a matching high-waist belt.
The Duchess of Sussex wore a sweeping floor length gown from Armani as she sat down with the Duke and Oprah for the interview
Meanwhile the royal paid tribute to her late mother-in-law by wearing her diamond Cartier tennis bracelet, which retails for £17,700
Meghan has long spoken of her love for stacking jewellery, and today was no different.
As well as Princess Diana's bracelet, the royal looked in her own beloved collection for pieces.
The mother-of-one accessorised with her £5,000 gold Cartier Love Bracelet, which is believed to be a romantic token from Prince Harry during the early days of their romance.
The Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson each had earlier versions of the Cartier Love Bracelet.
She also donned a £1,400 Aquamarine Collette Pendant Cord Necklace from sustainable designer Pippa Small.
She initially wore the piece during the royal tour of Australia and Fiji.
It features two larger jewels, one medium-sized jewel, and one much smaller jewel, and could be seen as a tribute to Meghan's own expanding family-of-four.
The piece was handmade in Kabul by artisans trained by the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, which creates jobs for young people who 'need hope and a sense of purpose in a beautiful country tragically caught up in violence and conflict'.
The non-profit NGO was founded in 2006 by her husband Harry's father Prince Charles with the former president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai.
She finished her outfit with £535 heels from her favourite designer Aquazurra.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose a rustic garden with 'touches of the English countryside' and shapes that 'foster trust' for their explosive Oprah interview, experts reveal
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose an outdoor setting with 'touches of the English countryside' for their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, experts have revealed.
Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan Markle, 39, filmed the 90-minute TV special in a beautiful garden at an unknown property in Santa Barbara, California, near their £12million mansion.
It was originally thought the couple invited Oprah to film the interview at the home they share with 10-month-old son Archie, however this is not the case.
Speaking to Femail, British interior designer Benji Lewis of online advisory service Zoom That Room explained how the couple chose a 'rustic' and 'relaxed' garden with nods to traditional English design as the setting for the explosive tell-all.
'My first thought is that the scene suggests reassuringly peaceful, smart English country house garden idyll,' he explained. 'We’re channelling a kind of Highgrove that comes to the West Coast vibe. It’s chic and very cleverly crafted, slightly grand and yet not overly complicated.'
He added they are surrounded by circular shapes that 'foster trust' and 'promote harmony'.
Here, Benji and Heather Barrigan of home renovation service MyJobQuote break down the key features of the outdoor setting...
England meets California: Experts told FEMAIL how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex opted for a garden that had features of the traditional English countryside for their tell-all interview. Pictured: 1. Soft paving stones like those favoured in England; 2. Soft fabrics that bring the inside out'; 3. Circular shape to foster trust; 4. Dressing to complement the scene; 5. Scented vines with a regal feel; 6&7 a lawn and soft lines with a wild meadow; 8. Round pots that foster harmony
1. SOFT PAVING STONES THAT BRING 'ENGLAND TO CALIFORNIA'
Benji said: 'Instead of choosing paving that is uniformly coloured, textured, and sized, the stone here has been laid more casually; the wider mortar lines in the further part of the terrace seemingly broken up in parts with moss.
'This softer approach covers the ground between formal (i.e. we have gone to the extent of paving) and informal (i.e. but the paving we chose and how we had it laid is relaxed and rustic).'
Heather added: 'The barely visible paving stones are typically seen in English gardens. This adds a hint of traditional décor, which works perfectly next to the more exotic elements.'
2. BRINGING THE 'INSIDE, OUT'
Benji said: 'They have very much dressed the setting in the way you would an interior with natural textures playing a key part (we’re thinking cotton and linens and timber and stone) – the herringbone sisal rug on the old York stone paving and the cut grass lawn beyond - accessorising the furnishings with soft linen cushions and including a coffee table and side table, suggesting "you have a comfortable place to sit and even more than that, a table close by on which to put your cup of tea".
'The seating is comfortable and supportive and loungey but not at all floppy or over relaxed.'
Heather added: 'The woven-style rug is the epitome of indoor/outdoor living which is a staple of Californian homes. This is a complimentary contrast to the traditional-style paving stones underneath, creating an authentic British-American fusion.'
3. CREATING A 'CIRCLE OF TRUST'
Promoting harmony: The choice of a round coffee table reflects the 'circle of trust' between Oprah and Meghan
Benji said: 'There’s a gentle formality about the scene I suppose but no hard edges, the round coffee table could have been square, but they rightly chose a circle. The circle of trust.'
4. DRESSED TO MATCH
Benji said: 'The colour palette wise has all been gently layered to deliberately not contrast with the rustic setting, and I love how they’ve worked their colour palette up, starting with soft creamy tan tones on the floor, working soft grey into the clothing they have dressed Prince Harry in, the charcoal dress on Meghan with Oprah cleverly dressed in tones of dusty pink, ivory and going into shades of light rosewood on her skirt.'
5. 'REGAL' SCENTED VINES
Fit for royalty: The pillars behind Prince Harry and Meghan (pictured) are covered in scented vines for a regal feel
Heather noted: 'The vined columns, which date back to the second renaissance, help create a regal but wild feel to the garden. This incorporates royalty-style décor with the new trend of garden rewilding.'
Benji said: 'The creeping foliage on the old square stone posts looks like it could be jasmine and the pots of lavender means it is an all-round feel for space with the impression of scent as well.'
6. & 7. PLANTING WITH SOFT EDGES AND A WILD MEADOW
Benji said: 'The line of hedge trailing away down the hill in the yonder shows a degree of tailoring but there are no hard lines or edges, similarly, the creeping jasmine softens the architecture of the posts.
'The grounds are bountifully pleasing in their fullness and greenness - with the slightly wilder looking woodland trailing off down the hill, the charmingly almost non maintained hedge providing a break point suggesting that this side of the hedge we’re into the formal garden and yet before we reach the daisy lawn there’s an area of what looks like it could be allowed to run into a wild meadow. Different textures all the time to create interest.'
Heather noted: 'You will notice that the garden is not overloaded with flowers. Instead, there is more relaxed planting visible at the back of the garden near the grass.'
8. DESIGN THAT 'FOSTERS HARMONY'
Benji said: 'The use of round potted plants indicates a soft boundary from the terrace to lawn. The shape of the round pots being echoed by the coffee table to create a sense of harmony. It’s a very gentle vibe they’ve created, reassuring, trustworthy and not confrontational.'
Meghan Markle's 'enigmatic' smile in response to Oprah's explosive questions echoes Princess Diana's Panorama interview while her gestures show she's 'protective' of Prince Harry, body language expert claims
The 'Sphinx-like' Duchess of Sussex maintains an 'enigmatic' smile as she speaks to Oprah Winfrey in the first trailer for their bombshell interview in echoes of Princess Diana on Panorama, a body language expert has claimed.
During the 30-second trailer, Meghan Markle, 36, does not speak but is seen smiling slightly in response to Oprah saying 'no topic was off limits' for their TV special, which airs this Sunday.
It calls to mind Princess Diana's behaviour during her 1995 tell-all interview with Martin Bashir, body language expert Judi James told FEMAIL.
The teasers reveal Meghan will discuss what made royal life 'almost unsurvivable', and show Oprah asking: 'Were you silent or were you silenced?' Oprah also says to the camera: 'Just to make it clear to everybody, there is no subject that is off-limits.'
Elsewhere in the trailer, filmed at the couple's £12million California manion, Meghan clutches Prince Harry's hand in a 'protective' fashion as he compares their situation to the one faced by his mother and says he fears it would be a case of 'history repeating itself'.
Here, Judi breaks down the key moments of the TV trailers...
ECHOES OF DIANA
ENIGMATIC SMILE THAT ECHOES DIANA: The 'Sphinx-like' Duchess of Sussex maintains an 'enigmatic' smile as she speaks to Oprah Winfrey in the first trailer for their bombshell interview in echoes of Princess Diana on Panorama, body language expert Judi James said
DIANA'S BOMBSHELL INTERVIEW: The princess speaks to Martin Bashir on Panorama in 1995
The Duchess of Sussex doesn't say anything during the interview - but her facial expressions and gestures still convey plenty of meaning, Judi James noted.
At one point Meghan smiles slightly as Oprah, a close friend, says to the camera 'nothing is off limits' during their chat.
The moment, which is captured in the trailer, has clear parallels to the way Diana reacted to questioning during her own explosive TV moment: the Panorama interview that aired in November 1995.
However while Diana was clearly racked with sadness as she discussed Prince Charles's infidelity, Meghan seems more composed.
'Meghan's very subtle mouth-smile in response to Oprah’s dramatic claims does throw up hints of Diana’s interview back in the day,' Judi explained.
'But while Diana’s sadness was etched on her face, Meghan’s expressions looks far more enigmatic here.'
However the sneak peek suggests Meghan will not hold back on the night.
REGAL AND READY TO TALK
POISED: The Duchess of Sussex was confident and ready for Oprah's questions, Judi noted
'Meghan’s poise here looks regal and suggests confidence, rather than anything more defensive and wary.
'Her back is straight and she sits central in her chair and we can see both arms splayed in a pit-bare gesture to suggest feelings of self-control rather than any self-diminishing or barrier rituals to hint she might have felt the questions were getting beyond her here.'
It suggests Meghan was well prepared for the questions coming her way.
MEGHAN, THE SILENT MOVIE STAR
SILENT: With the sinister-sounding music swirling about their heads to build up the drama, Meghan is presented as a silent movie star, Judi noted - although revelations are promised
HIDDEN EMOTIONS: The Duchess of Sussex doesn't speak in the trailers, released yesterday
'With the sinister-sounding music swirling about their heads to build up the drama, Meghan is presented as a silent movie star here with only a few meagre crumbs of hints about her verbal and emotional input,' Judi said.
'Oprah is in full-on jaw-drop mode though, using terms like "silenced" and "unsurvivable" while Meghan sits, sphinx-like and beautiful, with only a head-tilt and small swallow suggesting depth of emotion in terms of her responses.'
PROTECTIVE OF PRINCE HARRY
PROTECTIVE OF HARRY: Harry's hand looks balled into a fist beneath Meghan’s reassuring hand. The Duchess of Sussex also keeps a hand resting on her baby bump
Judi continued: 'Meghan looks protective of Harry though and the way that she cradles her baby bump with one hand (also displaying her wedding band) and places her left hand on top of Harry’s when he joins her suggests she is keen to protect both.'
'Harry sits across his seat in a way that suggest he is keen to talk, but his air of awkwardness is in contrast to his wife’s poise. His hand looks balled into a fist beneath Meghan’s reassuring hand and his free hand is placed between his legs in a "fig-leaf" pose, suggesting a very basic desire to form a protective barrier.'
NO MORE PLAYFUL 'HAZ'
AWKWARD: Prince Harry looks far less comfortable than Meghan in front of the camera
WORLDS APART: The behaviour is far removed from the light-hearted goofiness seen in his interview with James Corden last week
Meanwhile the Duke of Sussex's serious expression is worlds apart from the light-hearted goofiness he demonstrated during his interview on the Late Late Show With James Corden, which aired last week.
Judi added: 'After seeing Harry living his best life recently, sitting barefoot on the grass with Meghan or rapping and exchanging banter with James Corden, the body language in this clip suggests a complete change of mood, with the comical ‘Haz’ swapped for a man sitting on all sorts of anguish and even fear related to the fate of his beloved mother and worries about history repeating itself.'
LA girl glam! How Meghan Markle 'stepped up' her usual low-key look for 'red carpet style makeup' for Oprah Winfrey interview with lash extensions, bold eyeliner and a soft buttery lip
Meghan Markle swapped her usual low key look for a 'red carpet style makeup' for her bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, an expert has revealed.
The mother-to-be, 39, proudly cradled her baby bump in a teaser trailer for her tell-all with the media mogul, which is her most high-profile appearance since she and Prince Harry, 36, revealed they are expecting their second child later this year.
The royal stepped away from her usual signature 'natural' style of makeup, and instead opted for a gorgeous glamorous look, adding lash extensions, heavy eyeliner and a pale pink lipstick.
Make-up artist Lisa Little told FEMAIL the Duchess had 'settled back into LA girl glam' with the look for the explosive discussion, saying: 'Megan has really stepped it up when it came to her makeup look for the Oprah Winfrey interview.
Meghan Markle, 39, swapped her usual low key look for a 'red carpet style makeup' for her bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, an expert has revealed
The Duchess showed off her growing stomach in the £3,300 dress for the interview, which was belted above her stomach and featured floral embroidery over one shoulder.
The mother-of-one could be seen wearing a dazzling diamond tennis Cartier bracelet from Princess Diana's jewellery collection, which retails for an eye-watering £17,700.
But it was her make-up look which has stunned many, with Meghan opting for a more glamorous look, with a sweep of highlighter, added lash extensions and rimming her eyes in dark liner.
It was a step away from the mother-of-one's usual subtle, nude style of make-up which she is renowned for.
Meghan is renowned for her love of subtle and minimal makeup, often opting for a brush of bronzer and pop of pale lip
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