Oprah Winfrey supports Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s royal exit “1,000 percent.”
While out in New York City Tuesday night, Winfrey, 65, and her best friend Gayle King were asked by TMZ to share their thoughts on Meghan and Harry’s bombshell decision.
“I support them 1,000 percent,” Winfrey told TMZ. “You know why I support them? I support them because I believe, when you have thought about this as long as they have — and even in the Queen’s statement [she] says,
‘This has been going on for months,’ these discussions have been going on for months — and when Harry said in that charity statement the other day [that] he had to make the decision to move forward in peace with his new family, who doesn’t feel what that takes to make that decision to give up everything you’ve known your whole life to say I’m going to choose this new life or what I believe to be the truest vision for myself?” Winfrey added.
Winfrey went on to condemn anyone who has anything negative to say about Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back as senior members of the royal family.
“Who are any of us to stand in judgement of that?” Winfrey told TMZ. “He did what he needed to do for his family.
I don’t think anybody has any right to say anything. When a person has thought what is the best decision to make for my family and then he makes that decision — none of us have any right to say anything about that.”
King, 65, chimed in, telling TMZ, “They didn’t make the decision in a vacuum. There were a lot of conversations. That’s why I thought it was very unfair to say the Queen was blindsided. Even the Queen’s own statement said these conversations have been going on for months.”
Winfrey and King have
long been supporters of Meghan, with both women previously speaking out about their friend’s loving heart and the unfair treatment she received after marrying into the family.
“I don’t think she’s being treated fairly, I don’t. I think she is sweet, she is loving, she is kind. She’s extremely generous with her time and her spirit, and I wish we heard more about that,” King, who attended Meghan’s baby shower in New York City in February, told ET in April.
That same month Winfrey, who had just announced her partnership with Harry in creating a mental health series launching on Apple next year, told CBS, “I think she’s being portrayed unfairly, and I feel that if people really knew her they would know that she is not only everything we perceive of her in being graceful and dynamic in holding that position, but she just has a wonderful, warm, giving, loving heart.”
“I think it’s very unfair,” Winfrey added.
Although Winfrey is proud of Meghan and Harry’s new chapter, the media mogul told PEOPLE she didn’t have anything to do with it.
Earlier this month, Winfrey spoke out amid a report that she had advised Meghan and Harry on their decision.
“Meghan and Harry do not need my help figuring out what’s best for them,” Winfrey, who famously attended the couple’s wedding in May 2018, tells PEOPLE.
“I care about them both and support whatever decisions they make for their family.”
After about 10 days apart from his wife, Harry, 35, touched down in Canada on Monday night to join Meghan, 38, and baby Archie and begin their new lives away from royal life.
Meghan and Harry shared their decision to step back from royal life on Jan. 8, soon after which Meghan flew back to Canada to reunite with Archie.
Harry, meanwhile, remained in England to continue the discussion about the big changes ahead with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Prince William.
