Life behind the scenes has been anything but a fairytale for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

The couple’s highly anticipated interview with Oprah aired Sunday night on CBS. The pair did not hold back in discussing sensitive topics like racism, tabloids, and even thoughts of suicide that took place behind closed doors.

Harry and Meghan announced last year they would be stepping away from their royal duties and declared they’d be permanently stepping down last month. Their decision raised questions about what had happened to cause such a brazen move, and Oprah did not hold back when it came to getting answers from the pair.

Oprah asked Meghan to elaborate on the rumor she’d made her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, cry just before her wedding to Harry. Meghan acknowledged an incident about flower girl dresses, but while the British tabloids had reported she was the aggressor, it was actually Kate who made her cry.

She and Kate made amends, but Meghan told Oprah she was shocked when the press twisted the story and made her the villain.

“I would have never wanted that [story] to come out about her ever, even though it had happened,” Meghan said. “I protected that from ever being out in the world.”

For Meghan, this was just the beginning of the press vilifying her, taking shots at her upbringing and even her race. Unfortunately, Meghan and Harry revealed it wasn’t just the tabloids perpetuating racism, but the royal institution itself.

Meghan told Oprah that Harry had been subjected to “many conversations” about how dark their then-unborn baby, Archie’s, skin tone might be.

“They were concerned that if he were too brown, that that would be a problem?” Oprah asked.

The couple confirmed that was the case and even went on to say the royal family told them their child would not be given a royal title nor security protection that the institution would typically afford to someone in his position.

“While I was pregnant, they wanted to change the convention for Archie,” Meghan said. “Why? There’s no explanation.”

Harry said he began to see the parallels between what was taking place and what happened to his own mother, Princess Diana, and knew he must do what he could to prevent history from repeating itself. Meghan told Oprah her own mental state was deteriorating to the point that she felt suicidal, and the institution refused to protect her or Harry when they needed it most.

“I just didn’t want to be alive anymore,” she said. 

Meghan and Harry did not disclose who made comments about their baby’s skin tone. Harry did say his father, Prince Charles, had stopped taking his calls. Oprah later told her pal, Gayle King, that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip did not discuss Archie’s skin color.

The couple now lives in California and has been cut off financially from the royal family. On a brighter note, Meghan and Harry revealed they would be welcoming a daughter this summer.

Did you tune into last night’s interview? What did you find most surprising? Do you expect the royal family will have a rebuttal? Let us know!