Royal Family Competing With Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's TV Special? Expert Says No

The members of the royal family and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not competing despite having TV specials airing on the same day.

The palace announced that the Queen will have a TV special for Commonwealth Day. It will air on the same day as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey, sparking rumors that the royals are competing with each other. Jamie Samhan, a royal commentator for ET Canada, denied the rumors that there is rivalry among the members of the royal family.

"While many people and headlines have suggested that having both specials airing on the same day is evidence of how tense things are between the Sussexes and the royals, that is false," Samhan said. "Not only does having them on the same day proves nothing, there are time differences and they won't even air at the same time."

When asked if the Commonwealth special has always been in the works, Samhan gave a positive response. Normally, the royal family celebrates the event at Westminster Abbey. However, due to the pandemic, the BBC special as a celebration for Commonwealth Day will replace the usual service.

"There were always plans to broadcast a special program for Commonwealth Day on March 7 if the service could not go ahead," a source told ET Canada.

Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr. David Hoyle, also confirmed that the program is significant for the Commonwealth Day celebration because the royal family could no longer celebrate it like before due to the pandemic.

"The Commonwealth Service is one of the Abbey’s most important annual services, but as it is not possible to gather here, we have seized the chance to take the celebration well beyond these walls," Hoyle was quoted by the Independent as saying. "We are so pleased that this rich and vibrant BBC program with the Royal Family and the Abbey at its heart will celebrate our global connections at a time when we are all so physically isolated.”

When asked about the royals' relationship with the Sussexes, Samhan said the latter were hoping there would be some sort of agreement that would allow them to pitch their titles. However, even if the Queen stripped them of their military appointments and royal patronages, it doesn't mean their relationship has ended. Also, they are not sabotaging each other by outdoing each other's "very different specials."

Prince Harry and Markle's CBS special and the royal family's BBC Special for Commonwealth Day will air on March 7.