In an interview with True Royalty TV’s Royal Beat, royal expert Katie Nicholl stated that Her Majesty and the Royal Family “need to listen and learn” from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Some royal watchers were taken aback by the Queen’s remarks following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s surprise tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey.

While it is thought that Harry and Meghan were made aware of the impending Buckingham Palace statement prior to its release on Tuesday, this was apparently communicated to them by officials. However, it is expected that the Queen will personally call her grandson and his wife in the coming days, as she believes it is time to take a more personal approach – having allegedly imposed a “three-line whip” barring royal employees from discussing the subject publicly.

The 94-year-old wrote in a statement posted by Buckingham Palace, “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. 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.” Her Majesty concluded.

Katie responded to the remark, saying, “I think [The Queen] wanted to give it a moment and come back with something that was going to pacify a situation.

“She is not brushing it under the carpet, she is extending an olive branch, which I think is very clear in that statement.”

In their interview with Winfrey, which aired in the United States on Sunday night and in the United Kingdom the following evening, Harry and Meghan discussed a number of troubling issues, including Meghan’s experience with suicidal thoughts and allegations that an unnamed Royal Family member expressed “concerns” about how “dark” Archie’s skin might be. They also emphasized that their relationship with Harry’s grandparents, the Queen and Prince Philip, was strong and good, with Meghan praising the queen for being “wonderful” and “generous” on a frequent basis.

According to the expert, Harry and Meghan’s interview bore remarkable similarities to Princess Diana’s Panorama appearance, and the Royal Family will need to “modernise”

“It is like nothing has been learnt from Diana,” she said.

“It makes the institution look like it’s stuck in another era when what is crucial to the Monarchy’s survival is its progression.

“If it doesn’t progress and modernise it has no place in society, it has to keep up with the times.”

Furthermore, the expert believes Meghan’s assertions that she was denied mental health help may have an impact on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Heads Together initiative.

“What is also damaging is that the younger Royals have been such advocates for mental health,” Katie added. “And the idea that William’s sister-in-law is feeling suicidal and the family somehow haven’t been able to help is extraordinary.”

According to English, courtiers are now hoping that the Queen’s more personal touch would help ‘detoxify’ the situation, with a source telling the Daily Mail: ‘It is difficult to underestimate how shell-shocked everyone is by what has happened… People are literally reeling from what has happened and some staff would dearly love to publicly rebut some of what has been said about them. But the Queen has taken a very measured, sensible approach. She is leading by example. This is a matter for her and the family to deal with.’ Another source added: ‘There is a long way to go but hopefully things will start to move in the right direction in order for bridges to be built.