Prince Charles is allegedly "at a loss" over Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
A pal of the 72-year-old told royal author and Vanity Fair correspondent Katie Nicholl that the Prince of Wales couldn’t bring himself to watch the sit-down, which has been viewed by nearly 50 million people worldwide.
"He will not be drawn into it, but it’s fair to say he is surprised and very disappointed by what has been said," the longtime friend told Nicholl on Thursday. "He didn’t watch the interview, but of course he’s heard what has been said. He feels let down by them both."
According to Nicholl, Charles is aware of the shocking accusations the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made during the televised interview, which first aired on Sunday.
Charles, who is first in line to the British throne, is one of several senior royals whose name keeps coming up on social media and the press for possibly being the mystery family member who Markle alleged voiced concerns about her son’s skin tone.
"There is not a racist bone in his body and to suggest otherwise is very hurtful," the pal insisted to Nicholl.
While Markle, 39, and Harry, 36, have refused to identify the person who made the comments, the prince did tell Winfrey off-camera that it was not his grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
On Monday, Nicholl shared that Charles was allegedly "in a state of despair" after Harry spoke out to the media mogul, 67.
"As Vanity Fair reported on Sunday, Harry was emailing his father to justify why he and Meghan had done the interview," Nicholl wrote. "Charles was said to be ‘in a state of despair’ according to a friend."
A rep for the royal didn’t immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Charles did not speak about the couple’s interview during a visit to a vaccine clinic in London on Tuesday. The visit was the Prince of Wales’ first public appearance since the sit-down and came amid increasing pressure on Buckingham Palace to respond to the allegations.
Soon after, Buckingham Palace issued a 60-word statement.
MEGHAN MARKLE, PRINCE HARRY'S RACISM CLAIMS SPARK CRITICISM OF ROYAL FAMILY'S RESPONSE
"The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," said a statement from the palace provided to Fox News 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 concluded.
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had no comment when reached by Fox News.
Harry told Winfrey the royal family cut him off financially at the start of 2020 after announcing plans to step back from his roles. But he was able to afford security for his family because of the money his late mother Princess Diana left behind.
He said his relationship with Charles has been impacted. He even noted that Charles had stopped taking his phone calls.
"There is a lot to work through there," Harry said about his relationship with his father. "I feel really let down. He’s been through something similar. He knows what pain feels like. And Archie is his grandson. I will always love him, but there is a lot of hurt that has happened."
Harry also acknowledged that he does not have a close relationship presently with his brother Prince William, 38, who is heir to the throne after Charles. He disputed rumors that he intentionally blindsided the queen with his decision to split. He suspected the rumors came from the institution.
"I’ve never blindsided my grandmother," Harry said. "I have too much respect for her."
In the interview, Markle described feeling so isolated and miserable inside the royal family that she had suicidal thoughts, yet when she asked for mental health assistance from the palace’s human resources staff, she was told they couldn’t help because she wasn’t a paid employee.
She also said Harry told her there were "concerns and conversations" about the color of her baby’s skin when she was pregnant with Archie.
After Harry and Markle married in May 2018 at Windsor Castle, the royal family seemed to welcome the Duchess of Sussex, a glamorous former TV star. The pair were seen as providing a fresh young face for the monarchy of an increasingly multicultural nation.
It didn’t take long for the fairytale to unravel.
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The couple stepped away from royal duties last year and eventually settled in California, saying they wanted to escape racist coverage and unwanted intrusions on their privacy by the British media.
During the interview, the duke and duchess shared they are expecting a girl due this summer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.