We asked people in Sunderland their thoughts on Meghan and Harry after Oprah interview

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex talked about a variety of topics, including mental health, racism and their relationship with the rest of the family in a two-hour interview aired on CBS, which will be broadcast on ITV tonight.

Visitors to Roker had plenty to say on the subject this afternoon.

Sisters Alex and Shaunagh Lillie, from Fulwell, were enjoying a coffee on the seafront.

Shaunagh, 30, had seen reports of a few lines from the interview – including a claim that the question had been raised of how dark the couple’s son Archie’s skin would be.

"I have only seen a few bits and pieces on Facebook,” she said,.

"I heard about someone asking about the baby’s skin colour – if that is true, that is not very good.”

Alex, 33, was also unimpressed by the reports: “I always thought the Royal family were quite modern,” she said.

“It seems a shame that they have taken a step back in mentioning skin colour.

"It is quite sad to think that skin colour has been brought up.”

She supported the couple’s right to walk away from their Royal duties and start a new life in America.

“If she has been driven to feeling suicidal, I think that is awful,” she said.

"If moving to America has made them happy, then they should go for it.”

Tom McIntosh said he would not have expected the baby’s skin colour to be raised – but said he was “not totally surprised by it.”

He added: "She has married into a strange family but she knew what she was getting into."

He believed Meghan Markle had made the most of her relationship to raise her own profile: “My personal thoughts are that she has come from television and she has exploited it,” he said

Pauline Averre, 60, was celebrating her 41st wedding anniversary with fish and chips on the promenade. She, too, had heard reports about the comments regarding the colour of baby Archie’s skin.

"It does not impress me at all but I am not surprised,” she said. "I could probably hazard a guess as to who has said it.”

She could see echoes of the situation with Harry’s mother in the way the couple had been treated: “Look at what happened with Diana,” she said.

"She had a terrible time of it and nothing has changed.”

She had sympathy for members of the Royal family who were bound by convention and tradition. “Harry has said that Prince Charles and Prince William are trapped and they are,” she said.

Michelle Hancock, 44, who was out walking her dog along the coast said she had initially been a fan of Meghan’s but had been unimpressed by her subsequent behaviour.

"I don’t think I feel much sympathy for them because I find them a little hypocritical,” she said.

"Harry has released these comments that came out about the baby’s skin colour, then said he does not want to talk about it – but he has talked about it.

"He has dropped this bombshell, then refused to discuss it any further,” she said.

"I was really happy when they got got together, but I don’t think she knew what she was getting into.

"Being part of the Royal family, you get the privilege, but that comes with massive responsibility,” added Michelle.

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