Meghan Markle tells Oprah Winfrey it’s ‘liberating’ to finally speak out

"It's really liberating to be able to have the right and the privilege in some ways to be able to say, `Yes, I`m ready to talk.` To say it for yourself....To be able to just make a choice on your own and just be able to speak for yourself," Meghan Markle told Oprah Winfrey.

Pic Courtesy: Instagram

Washington: Fans are getting yet another sneak peek at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's tell-all interview with American talk show host Oprah Winfrey, which is scheduled to air on Sunday.

In the latest teaser, which was released on Friday, Oprah revealed she actually reached out to Meghan for an interview three years ago, before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex`s royal wedding in 2018, and that her request was declined. "So, I just want to say that I called you either February or March 2018 before the wedding asking, `Would you please give me an interview?`" Oprah recalled, "And you said, `I`m sorry it`s not the right time.` And finally, we get to sit down and have this conversation."

Meghan said she remembered it well and claimed that she "wasn`t even allowed to have that conversation" with Oprah personally and that other people had to be on the call. Looking back, Oprah noted Meghan turned her down "nicely" and said, "`Perhaps there will be another time when there`s the right time.`"

When asked what was right about this time, Meghan pointed to "so many things." "That we`re on the other side of a lot of, a lot of life experience that`s happened. And also that we have the ability to make our own choices in a way that I couldn`t have said yes to you then. That wasn`t my choice to make," she explained.

Meghan further said, "So, as an adult who lived a really independent life to then go into this construct that is different than I think what people imagine it to be, it`s really liberating to be able to have the right and the privilege in some ways to be able to say, `Yes, I`m ready to talk.` To say it for yourself....To be able to just make a choice on your own and just be able to speak for yourself."

Previously released clips also showed Harry opening up. The couple has referred to the British tabloids` treatment of Meghan as "bullying" before, and in the teaser of the upcoming interview with Oprah, Harry expressed his fear of "history repeating itself," referring to Princess Diana`s death.

"I am just really relieved and happy to be sitting here, talking to you, with my wife by my side. Because I can`t imagine what it must have been like for her going through this process by herself all those years ago. Because it has been unbelievably tough for the two of us, but at least we have each other," he said.

The forthcoming interview comes weeks after it was confirmed that Harry and Meghan will not be returning as working members of the royal family. The interview titled `Oprah With Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special` will air Sunday on CBS.

The interview is expected to cover Meghan`s journey from stepping into life as a royal to marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work, and facing intense public pressure. Harry will then join his wife to talk about their historic move to the United States. The special is produced by Harpo Productions. Terry Wood and Tara Montgomery will executive produce, along with co-executive producer Brian Piotrowicz.

In early 2020, Meghan and Harry had announced that they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. They live in Santa Barbara, California, and are expecting their second child.

Apart from the upcoming interview, the pair struck a major multi-year deal with Netflix in September that will see them developing documentaries, feature films, scripted television shows, and children`s series.They also recently launched a podcast on Spotify under their Archwell Audio production company, with the goal of building "community through shared experience, narratives, and values."

Harry and Meghan, who tied the knot in 2018, welcomed their first child, Archie Harrison, in May 2019.