Princess of Wales was behind the royals' tough response to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Oprah interview

Catherine, Princess of Wales was allegedly behind the tough wording of the royals' response to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 2021 Oprah interview, according to a new book.

The updated edition of royal author Valentine Low's Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown claims the Princess of Wales pushed for specific wording to be added to the palace's response to the first of many bombshell interviews done by the Sussexes, as per The Times.

The palace's statement at the time read: "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.

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"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."

Catherine reportedly insisted that the words, "some recollections may vary" were added to the statement, with Low quoting a source that said the palace originally had "a much milder version" of the "recollections" sentence.

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"The debate was, do you rise entirely above it and offer the olive branch of [Harry and Meghan being] 'much-loved members of the family'? Or is there some moment when you have to intervene and offer a view?" the source shared with Low, adding that Prince William and Catherine both wanted the statement to be "toughened up".

"They were both of one mind that we needed something that said that the institution did not accept a lot of what had been said," they explained.

Another source added on to the discourse, telling Low, "It was Kate who clearly made the point, 'History will judge this statement and unless this phrase or a phrase like it is included, everything that they have said will be taken as true.'

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"She does not get as much credit as she should, because she is so subtle about it. She is playing the long game. She has always got her eye on, 'This is my life and my historic path and I am going to be Queen one day.'"