Oprah Winfrey defends silent or silenced question to Meghan

In a new interview, media personality Oprah Winfrey has revisited and defended one of the most pointed questions from her landmark 2021 interview with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Speaking with Vanity Fair, Winfrey reflected on the moment she asked Meghan, "Were you silent or were you silenced?" a question that became emblematic of the couple's allegations about their treatment within the royal institution.

Winfrey explained that her intention was to seek clarity. She stated she wanted to be clear about whether Meghan was being told not to speak, adding that she did not want any ambiguity later. The interviewer also remarked on the distinctive hand gesture she used while asking the question, noting she had not used it since and did not know where it came from. In the original interview, which aired in March 2021, Meghan had responded to the question by stating, "The latter."

The two-hour primetime special, watched by millions globally, featured several significant revelations from the couple, who had stepped down as senior working royals the previous year. Meghan disclosed she had experienced severe depression and suicidal thoughts while pregnant with...