KING’S LYNN, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 25: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene on December 25, 2017 in King’s Lynn, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

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Prince Philip thought Harry and Meghan’s interview was ‘madness’ and ‘no good would come of it.’

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Updated on April 12, 2021

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Prince Philip thought Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey was ‘madness’ and that ‘no good would come of it.’

He also expressed sadness for his grandson’s decision to leave royal duties and relocate to the United States, saying it was “not the right thing, either for the country or for themselves.”

Eventually, he accepted it and said, “It’s his life.”

Philip, who died on Friday at the age of 99, believed that the early March tell-all would do him “no good,” according to his biographer Gyles Brandreth, writing in the Daily Mail on Sunday.

Gyles Brandreth, a long-time acquaintance of the Duke of Edinburgh, is the only journalist who has ever had a full-length sit-down conversation with him. He met Philip through their collaboration on a project to provide sports fields to underserved neighborhoods, and he remained a close confidant until his death.

He continued, “The fact that the Meghan and Harry interview was aired while Philip was in hospital did not trouble him. What did worry him was the couple’s preoccupation with their own problems and their willingness to talk about them in public. ‘Give TV interviews by all means,’ he said, ‘but don’t talk about yourself’. ”

When giving TV interviews, Philip told royals not to speak about themselves. “That was one of his rules. I know he shared it with his children. I imagine he shared it with his grandchildren, too .”

Brandreth said Philip told him more than once: “It’s a big mistake to think about yourself. No one is interested in you in the long run. Don’t court popularity. It doesn’t last. Remember that the attention comes because of the position you are privileged to hold, not because of who you are. If you think it’s all about you, you’ll never be happy.”

The Sussexes left their royal roles in March 2020 to start a new life in the United States.

The pair has purchased a home in California and negotiated lucrative agreements with Netflix and Spotify after leaving their jobs as working royals.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, who met on the set of Suits, have thrown the Royal Family into disarray with their candid interview.

They made a series of shocking allegations against the monarchy, including racist charges.

Brandreth said Philip wouldn’t speculate on the future of the Royal Family. “There’ll be ups and there’ll be downs, but beyond that I’ve no idea what the future holds. There’s no point in speculating about it. All I’ll say is that I’ve tried to help keep it going while I’ve been here,” he said.