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BBC presenter gasps live on air after Harry & Meghan's claim about 'orchestrated' interview

Watch: BBC presenter gasps on air after Harry and Meghan's 'orchestrated' interview claim

A BBC presenter audibly gasped live on air when she heard claims made about her engagement interview with Harry and Meghan in their highly-anticipated docuseries.

The first batch of episodes of Netflix's Harry & Meghan were released on Thursday morning and are already causing a stir.

In the third episode, Meghan recalls the interview she gave with the BBC shortly after they announced their engagement in November 2017.

In it the couple – appearing happy and relaxed – sat on a sofa as they spoke about how the “stars were aligned” when they met, how Harry proposed during a cosy night in as he cooked a roast chicken dinner, and how much William and Kate had welcomed them.

But in the third episode of the Sussexes’ Netflix documentary Meghan called it an “orchestrated reality show” and said: “It was, you know, rehearsed.

In the documentary, the couple were asked whether they were prepped with questions they might be asked, with the duchess saying: “Yeah. But then also like ‘and then there’ll be a moment when they’ll ask to see the ring’.”

Harry and Meghan during their engagement interview with the BBC's Mishal Husain. (BBC)
Harry and Meghan during their engagement interview with the BBC's Mishal Husain. (BBC)

She added: “My point is we weren’t allowed to tell our story because they didn’t want…”

Harry then interjected: “We’ve never been allowed to tell our story…that’s the consistency.”

Meghan agreed, laughing: “That’s true… that is consistent… until now.”

The comments were recounted by BBC royal correspondent Jonny Diamond on Radio 4 in front of presenter Mishal Husain, who interviewed the couple at the time and happened to be presenting on Thursday morning as well.

Husain could be heard gasping when it was mentioned.

Dymond with added: "At the time it seemed like a rather charming interview of two people very much in love and Mishal lobbing questions at them."

Husain said: "We know recollections may vary on this particular subject, but my recollection is definitely very much 'asked to do an interview, and do said interview'."

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - APRIL 24: BBC presenter Mishal Husain attends unveiling of Millicent Fawcett statue in Parliament Square. The monument to the suffragist leader, created by Gillian Wearing OBE, is the first of a woman to stand in Parliament Square. The statue has been commissioned by the Mayor of London to commemorate the Centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918 which granted the first British women the right to vote. April 24, 2018 in London, England. (Photo credit should read Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
BBC presenter Mishal Husain carried out the engagement interview with Harry and Meghan. (Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Dymond also spoke briefly about the start of the docuseries, which revealed that members of the Royal Family refused to comment on the content in the episodes.

He said that a source told him Buckingham Palace – which is a separate entity from Royal Family members – "were not asked for their comments".

Dymond said this was "a direct contradiction between what the Sussexes are saying and what the Palace is saying".

Yahoo News UK also understands that neither Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace nor any member of the family were approached for comment on the content of the series

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 13: King Charles III and Prince William, Prince of Wales during the National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 13, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The Prince of Wales and King Charles will be steeling themselves for any revelations made in Harry and Meghan's Netflix series. (Getty)

Harry & Meghan was released on Netflix at 8am on Thursday in the UK with the final three episodes being released next Thursday.

The release comes just over 18 months after Harry and wife Meghan, who is the first mixed-race member of the modern monarchy, painted the institution as racist and uncaring during an interview with American talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

The Netflix show continues on that theme in parts with the couple making a series of claims about the royal family, including an allegation from Harry that members of his own family dismissed the abuse in the media aimed at Meghan, telling him: "My wife had to go through that, so why should your girlfriend be treated any different. Why should you get special treatment? Why should she be protected?"

Harry says he told them the difference was the "race element".

The third episode of the documentary refers to an event in 2017 when Princess Michael of Kent wore a Blackamoor-style brooch which was deemed to be racist.

Harry said: “In this family, sometimes you are part of the problem rather than part of the solution. There is a huge level of unconscious bias.

“The thing with unconscious bias, it is actually no-one’s fault. But once it has been pointed out, or identified within yourself, you then need to make it right. It is education. It is awareness. It is a constant work in progress for everybody, including me.”