'Whole family is saddened', Queen's response to racism allegations

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has responded to explosive racism claims from her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, voicing deep concern and sympathising with their troubles with royal life."The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," she said in a statement on Tuesday. "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."the statement noted.

Buckingham Palace has come under mounting pressure to respond to the claims made in an Oprah Winfrey interview first broadcast on Sunday, which triggered a crisis unseen since the anguished days of Harry's late mother, Diana, in the 1990s. Meghan, whose mother is black and father is white, also spoke about how she had suicidal thoughts, but failed to receive any support during her time in the royal family. But Meghan's estranged father Thomas Markle defended the royals, saying he hoped the skin tone comment was "just a dumb question".

The couple dramatically quit royal life last year and now live in California with their young son, Archie, and are expecting their second child, a daughter, this summer. Harry, 36, has admitted his mother's death in Paris in 1997 -- in a high-speed car crash as she tried to flee paparazzi photographers -- has affected his mental health and coloured his view of the media.