While acknowledging the tedious aspects of reporting on Harry and Meghan's split, their biography, and various speculations surrounding them, Witchell recognizes the public's appetite for sensationalized reporting on the royal family. In an article for the Sunday Times, the 70-year-old journalist, who has dedicated a quarter-century to covering the royals, shared his reflections on the job and the challenges it presented. Witchell recalled a rare incident during a live broadcast outside Buckingham Palace in May 2019 when he struggled to find words while announcing the arrival of baby Archie, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first child.
The incident led to online speculation about his health and raised eyebrows. Witchell now explains that this was a moment he considered his "single worst" in 48 years of his career. He attributes his struggle to his lack of interest in Harry and Meghan's story, stating that he may have subconsciously lost his enthusiasm for reporting anything positive about the couple.
While Witchell faced public scrutiny at the time, he received support from viewers and fellow performers who could relate to similar on-stage mishaps. However, he admits that he has never been able to revisit the incident, as it shook his confidence considerably. He also delved into the controversy surrounding Archie's birth announcement and the public's speculation regarding surrogacy. Witchell questions whether Royal commentators and journalists had inside knowledge they were not allowed to share, suggesting that the Palace struggled to handle Harry and Meghan's unique situation.
Witchell believes that the Palace should have made greater efforts to integrate Meghan into British royal life and vice versa. He suggests that perhaps rushing to grant her a title and patronages, as well as yielding to her financial demands, contributed to the challenges the couple faced. In hindsight, Witchell believes that a different approach might have yielded different outcomes.
