Buckingham Palace has issued its first statement following the broadcast of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey over the weekend.
The two-hour programme - shown in the US on Sunday night and in the UK last night - the couple made a series of damaging allegations about the Royal Family, most notably claiming that an unnamed senior Royal had raised "concerns" with Harry over "how dark" their children might be.
The Palace had not officially responded until tonight, issuing a statement on behalf of The Queen which read: "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.
"The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.
"Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members."
More than 12 million people tuned in to watch the interview on ITV last night, while on today's Good Morning Britain, Piers Morgan's polarising reaction to the programme led to him storming off set.
> Recap: All the key moments from Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview
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