Anne Boleyn star Jodie Turner-Smith calls out the royal family for not embracing Prince Harry and Meghan

Jodie Turner-Smith, the star of the new series Anne Boleyn, has called out the royal family as she remarks, “I think they could have looked at this marriage and that relationship as a way to evolve."

Jodie Turner-Smith appeared on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday morning after the historical drama series that she stars in, Anne Boleyn, aired on Tuesday 1st June 2021. In the new show, Jodie Turner-Smith plays Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife who was beheaded and killed for treason.

There has been a lot of intrigue surrounding this show as the producers decided to cast Jodie, a Black actress, as a white historical figure. Being cast in this role has meant that Jodie has had to speak about race and showbiz in various interviews and has even weighed in on how the royal family has handled allegations of racism. 

In a pre-recorded interview with showbiz correspondent Richard Arnold, Jodie spoke about the new series about the Tudors. During the interview, she was also asked about the current royal family and the royal family’s treatment of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle. 

The actress revealed that she thought the royal family could have embraced Prince Harry’s relationship as a way to push the monarchy into the modern era. 

She said, "There's a lot of resistance to new things that can push that institution forward in a way that represents the world today. I think they could have looked at this marriage and that relationship as a way to evolve."

The actress continued to say that the royal family could have perhaps worked harder to protect Prince Harry’s wife and son. "They could have embraced it and embraced her fully, and protected her. And protected their son in a way that made him feel like he didn't need to leave," she said. 

Jodie Turner-Smith has previously spoken about Meghan Markle before and in an interview with The Telegraph, she was asked if she viewed the Duchess of Sussex as the great modernizer of the monarchy. 

“I think that Meghan could have been that,” she said as she reiterated her view. “It was a terrible missed opportunity, the way in which it was not allowed to be something that really modernizes that institution, and to change it to something for the better. I think that’s why there’s dysfunction there.”

Much of Harry and Meghan’s plight was revealed during an Oprah tell-all interview. This interview included shocking comments about Archie that made Oprah gasp in horror as Harry and Meghan revealed that the color of their son’s skin was a concern to the institution.

The royal family announced following this interview, “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”