Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been urged to push back the broadcast of their interview with Oprah Winfrey on CBS while Prince Philip remains in the hospital.
In a poll conducted by Daily Express, an overwhelming 86 percent said that the show's broadcast must be delayed as a sign of respect for the Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth. About 13 percent said that it should still be aired as scheduled on Mar. 7 because it will rake in viewers in millions.
Some of the respondents said that it seems disrespectful for Harry and Meghan to air the royal family's dirty laundry at this time. Royal fans also urged Winfrey to consider postponing the show as it will damage her reputation as a top talk show host.
On ITV's Facebook page, commenters said that they do not understand why Harry and Meghan are choosing to be interviewed, by Winfrey no less, if privacy is what they want. For some commenters, the upcoming show would just add fire to the controversies surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The interview comes after Harry and Meghan told Queen Elizabeth that they have decided not to return to their royal roles one year after stepping back. The Queen gave the couple 12 months to reconsider their first decision and they made the choice to completely walk away hence Her Majesty decided to take back their royal patronages and Harry's military roles.
Harry, however, reiterated that they did not walk away but only stepped back because the toxic environment of working as a royal had been damaging their mental health. The Duke of Sussex opened up about leaving his royal duties in an earlier interview with James Corden on The Late Late Show. Harry is expected to expound on this in the interview with Winfrey.
Meanwhile, a PR expert in the U.K. said that the interview's timing is indeed "horrendous" because it would appear like Harry and Meghan do not care for Philip's condition. The Duke of Edinburgh has been in the hospital for two weeks and was recently transferred to another institution specializing in heart care.
Buckingham Palace said that Philip, who is 99 years old, is responding to the medications for his infection. However, he has to undergo more tests as his illness might have taken a toll on his heart.
The PR expert, Mark Borkowski, said that regardless of what Harry and Meghan have said in the interview, which was filmed before Philip's hospitalization, it could mess up their brand as "sensitive, caring and empathetic" if the airing proceeds. Harry's interview with Corden was already criticized for its bad timing.
