BBC Breakfast are getting some reaction on Harry and Meghan's interview from Los Angeles where Sean Mandell hosts a podcast called Spilling Royal Tea.

He says over the last week "support for Meghan has definitely grown here in the US and I suspect by tomorrow morning will eclipse anything that it has been in the past".

He says accusations of bullying "which a lot of Americans thought were done by Buckingham Palace to undermine and discredit Meghan" brought "a lot more viewers" and the "bombshell revelations" of the interview have people "invested" and "rallying to her side".

Mandell says Meghan's claim that she was not able to receive help for mental health problems is "history repeating itself".

He says: "She even at one point told Harry she couldn't be left alone for one night because she was concerned at what she would do, this was all while she was pregnant with Archie."

He adds: "This really does feel like a bookend to Princess Diana's Panorama interview which also talked about her struggles with mental health as a member of the Royal Family, so you seem to have history repeating itself in terms of Diana talking about trying to get support not getting it, Meghan very much said the same thing."

The UK anti-monarchy campaign group, Republic, has commented on the interview, calling it the "worst crisis since the abdication in 1936".

"Whether for the sake of Britain or for the sake of the younger royals this rotten institution needs to go," it said in a tweet.

It called the interview "devastating".

Good morning to our UK audience. If you're just waking up, there's a lot to catch up on.

Meghan and Harry's interview with Oprah aired last night in the US - at 01.00 GMT - and will be broadcast tonight on ITV at 21:00.

The couple gave their side of the story, including:

• Oprah and Meghan spoke about the Royal Family deciding not to make Archie a prince. Meghan said that there were also conversations within the family - relayed to her by Harry - "about how dark his skin might be when he was born". Both Harry and Meghan refused to say who said that, saying it would be "very damaging to them".
• Meghan revealed to Oprah that she had suicidal thoughts, and "just didn't want to be alive anymore". She said she became lonely after limits were put on the things she could do and she didn't go out in months. Harry said he "had no idea what to do" and "went to a very dark place as well".
• Harry said he has a "really good" relationship with his grandmother, the Queen, but the relationship with his father has suffered, he said. "There's a lot to work through there," he says. Of Prince William, he said they were on "different paths"
• The prince also said his family "literally cut me off financially" and that's why the couple have struck deals with Netflix and Spotify so they can afford security.
• Meghan spoke about what it was like joining the Royal Family. She said she did not realise that curtsying to the Queen happened within the family - she thought it was just part of the "fanfare". She said she didn't do any research about the family beforehand and had never looked Harry up online
• Harry said the couple have watched some of the Netflix royal drama the Crown.
• Meghan was also asked about her relationship with the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate. It came after rumours in newspaper reports suggested Meghan had made Kate cry in the run-up to Harry and Meghan's wedding. Meghan said the "reverse" was true
• And the couple revealed they are now expecting a baby girl

Image source, Getty Images

The explosive interview saw the couple talk about their relationships with other royals, as well as racism claims.

They covered a lot, so we've pulled together a summary here.

The newspapers went to press last night before the interview was aired in the US - but a few of them have printed second editions on the bombshell revelations.

The Daily Mail and Daily Mirror focus on Meghan and Harry's allegation that a member of the Royal Family had discussed how dark Meghan's baby might be.

Meanwhile, the Sun leads with Meghan revealing her mental health suffered and she experienced suicidal thoughts.

The interview saw Meghan open up about how her mental health suffered after entering the Royal Family.

She said she found it scary having suicidal thoughts and didn't know who to turn to.

Meghan said she asked for help but was told that there was nothing that could be done to help her "because you're not a paid employee of the institution".

She said she was "begging for help" saying she was concerned for her mental welfare. "Nothing was ever done, so we had to find a solution," she said.

Prince Harry told Oprah he felt let down by his father Prince Charles. He said he would always love him but there was a lot to work through.

He described himself, his father and his brother Prince William as being "trapped" within the system of the monarchy.

The highly-anticipated interview which aired overnight in the US, will be broadcast in the UK on Monday night on ITV at 21:00 GMT and on ITV Hub

During the interview Meghan spoke about the Royal Family deciding not to make Archie a prince. She said there were also conversations within the family - relayed to her by Prince Harry - "about how dark his skin might be when he was born". She refused to say who said that, saying it would be "very damaging to them".

Later in the interview Harry said "that conversation, I am never going to share". "At the time it was awkward, I was a bit shocked". Harry also went on to say he was hurt that no-one from his family ever condemned racist media coverage of them.

Image source, Getty Images

As US audiences reel from what they're watching UK audiences are waking up to news stories and social media comment.

Piers Morgan, long-time critic of Meghan Markle, has issued his response, suggesting on Twitter that the emotional interview was a show of acting.

"Is it too late for Oscar nominations? #meghan, external," he wrote on Twitter.

But he didn't stop there.

"This interview is an absolutely disgraceful betrayal of the Queen and the Royal Family," Morgan wrote, describing the interview as "vile destructive self-serving nonsense".

While the US East Coast is still processing the two-hour blockbuster interview, it's all just starting on the West Coast.

Thanks to the three-hour time difference, those in Meghan's home state of California are just now catching up.

And if Twitter is any indication, audiences there are just as riveted as those on the other side of the US.

"THIS IS RIVETING TELEVISION," tweeted journalist Caitlin Flanagan.

Activist, Kennedy family heiress (and ex-wife of Arnold Schwarzenegger) Maria Shriver is also weighing in, writing that "it’s true what Meghan Markle told Oprah, we don’t know what goes on in people’s lives behind closed doors."

"That’s something we can all remember," she said.

If two hours of interview wasn't enough for you - you're in luck.

Oprah will be back on CBS for the network's Monday morning show, sharing extra details and "never-before-seen" clips from her interview with Harry and Meghan.

This added footage will air on CBS News between 07:00 and 09:00 EST (12:00 - 13:00 GMT).

Image source, Getty Images

It looks like some of America's biggest names were among the millions of expected viewers tuning in tonight, and many are throwing their support behind Harry and Meghan.

Tennis star Serena Williams, a close friend of Meghan, took to Twitter to show support for her "selfless friend".

Meghan "lives her life - and leads by example - with empathy and compassion," Williams wrote. "She teaches me every day what it means to be truly noble".

Meena Harris, the niece of US Vice-President Kamala Harris, also spoke up, tweeting ahead of the interview to celebrate "Meghan Markle appreciation day".

By the end, Harris had crowned a new monarch - tweeting to "Her Majesty the Queen Oprah".

Bernice King, daughter of the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, also weighed in, writing that "Royalty is not a shield from the devastation and despair of racism".

She added: "I'm grateful that Meghan Markle is still here."

Harry and Meghan now know what it's like to be interviewed by broadcast icon Oprah Winfrey.

So what's that like? Well, let's ask someone who knows.

Christiane Amanpour, chief international anchor of the news channel CNN, was interviewed by Oprah in 2005.

She says Oprah’s interview style is empathetic and – although she is not an investigative reporter – her interviews are "forensically researched" and predicted that Meghan and Harry wouldn't be given an easy ride despite their friendship.

Oprah runs a media empire estimated to be worth nearly $2bn and the programme offers an enormous global audience for the couple.

Oprah, the veteran broadcaster, is being widely praised for her handling of the royal interview.

Through 25 seasons and more than 5,000 episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the TV icon says she has interviewed some 37,000 people.

According to Twitter, the experience has paid off. She is being applauded for her questions - including some key follow-ups - and tone.

"I didn’t actually quite understand Oprah’s singular genius as a broadcaster and interviewer until I became one but she’s legit on another level," wrote US journalist Chris Hayes on Twitter.

Image source, Getty Images

Oprah's blockbuster interview with Harry and Meghan has grabbed attention worldwide.

Even Amanda Gorman - the poet who performed at President Joe Biden's inauguration - has weighed in, commenting on her fellow Los Angeles native.

"Meghan was the Crown's greatest opportunity for change, regeneration, and reconciliation in a new era," the 22-year-old wrote. "They didn't just maltreat her light - they missed out on it."

Jonny Dymond
BBC royal correspondent

Meghan and Harry have upended the narrative created by Britain’s bestselling newspapers. They have revealed the terrible strains inside the palace. They have drawn a picture of unfeeling individuals lost in an uncaring institution. They have spoken of racism within the Royal Family.

This was a devastating interview. But Harry describing his brother and father as ‘trapped’, and Meghan revealing that she repeatedly sought help within the palace only to be rebuffed, is a body blow to the institution.

It’s not at all clear if and how the palace will respond. Many of the revelations are so personal that getting any reaction seems unlikely. The Queen has made clear repeatedly the affection in which the couple are still held.

As for the newspapers that the couple so despise - will they change their tune? It is not in their nature.

There were pages of bile in some Sunday newspapers prior to the interview. Meghan and Harry have given up on getting a fair hearing from many of the most popular publications. It seems highly unlikely that they will see anything published that will make them change their minds.

Meghan Markle was the American actress, with a passion for humanitarian and feminist causes. Harry was the rebel prince turned soldier, considered the world's most eligible bachelor.

In the summer of 2016, the two were brought together on a blind date by a mutual friend in London.

"Beautiful" Meghan "just tripped and fell into my life", Harry later told the press, and he knew immediately she was "the one".

After just two dates, the new couple went on holiday together to Botswana, camping out under the stars.

To the British press, their romance was catnip. Here was a golden couple who were able to draw vast crowds and sprinkle royal stardust on any cause.

But there were signs early on that the fairytale was some way off a happily ever after. When Harry first confirmed the relationship in late 2016, it came with a harsh rebuke of the media, accusing them of subjecting Meghan to "a wave of abuse and harassment".

Read our full piece about the duke and duchess's relationship.

Image source, Getty Images

Many people watching from the US tonight seem to have the same question: what does Tyler Perry have to do with all of this?

The American billionaire and media mogul provided Harry and Meghan with a home and security last year when they made the move from Canada to southern California. Something they say the Royal Family refused them.

This particular piece of news seemed to confuse some Americans online - wondering how and why Tyler Perry became the source of security to the royal couple.

Still not sure who he is? Here's a bit more on the comedian and producer, and the 'mid-life crisis' he experienced last year.

Meghan and Harry dropped several bombshells during the two-hour interview about life inside the Royal Family. Here's some of what we learnt:

• Oprah and Meghan spoke about the Royal Family deciding not to make Archie a prince. Meghan said that there were also conversations within the family - relayed to her by Harry - "about how dark his skin might be when he was born". She refused to say who said that, saying it would be "very damaging to them". Harry said "that conversation, I am never going to share". "At the time it was awkward, I was a bit shocked". Harry also says he was hurt that no-one from his family ever condemned racist media coverage of them
• Meghan revealed to Oprah that she had suicidal thoughts, and "just didn't want to be alive anymore". She said she became lonely after limits were put on the things she could do and she didn't go out in months. Harry said he "had no idea what to do" and "went to a very dark place as well". "I didn't have anyone to turn to," he said
• Harry said he has a "really good" relationship with his grandmother, the Queen, but the relationship with his father has suffered, he said. "There's a lot to work through there," he says. "I feel really let down because he's been through something similar, he knows what pain feels like... and Archie's his grandson. But at the same time, of course I will always love him but there's a lot of hurt that's happened and I will continue to make it one of my priorities to try and heal that relationship." Of Prince William, he said they were on "different paths"
• The prince also said his family "literally cut me off financially" and that's why the couple have struck deals with Netflix and Spotify so they can afford security. He said he has the money that his mother, Princess Diana, left him
• Meghan spoke about what it was like joining the Royal Family. She said she did not realise that curtsying to the Queen happened within the family - she thought it was just part of the "fanfare". She said she didn't do any research about the family beforehand and had never looked Harry up online
• Harry said the couple have watched some of the Netflix royal drama the Crown. Asked if they watch it, Harry replied coyly: "I've watched some of it. We've watched some of it."
• Meghan was also asked about her relationship with the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate. It came after rumours in newspaper reports suggested Meghan had made Kate cry in a fight about flower girl dresses for Harry and Meghan's wedding. Meghan said the "reverse" was true and that Kate later bought flowers a note to make amends
• And the couple revealed they are now expecting a baby girl. Later, Oprah asked if Meghan had got her happy ending with Prince Harry after all. “Greater than any fairytale that you’ve ever read," she said.

Image source, Getty Images

When Harry first confirmed the relationship in late 2016, it came with a stark critique of the media, accusing them of subjecting Meghan to "a wave of abuse and harassment".

He spoke of nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers, attempts by reporters and photographers to get into Meghan's home and the "bombardment" of nearly every friend and loved one in her life.

The couple's anger with some sections of the press and since moved into the full glare of the public spotlight.

Meghan sued the Mail on Sunday over the publication of parts of a letter that she wrote to her father, while Prince Harry sued the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online for libel and brought proceedings against other newspapers in relation to alleged phone-hacking.

In April last year, after stepping back as senior royals, the couple told the UK's tabloid press they were ending all co-operation with them.

More recently, in an interview with TV talk show host James Corden, Prince Harry said the decision to step back was taken to protect himself and his family from the "toxic" situation created by the UK press.

It was "destroying my mental health" and he "did what any husband [or] father would do," he said.