‘Atomic bomb’ – Local royal expert on Oprah’s broadcast with Duke and Duchess of Sussex

MONTECITO, Calif. - Montecito-based royal expert, Richard Mineards, is keeping close tabs on the latest drama and deepening fracture splitting the royal family.

It is something he's done for 45 years.

The NewsChannel 3 team checked in Monday afternoon with the Montecito Journal columnist to find out what type of reaction he's hearing Across the Pond in Britain.

"I do think this will do even more damage between the royal duo and the royal family back in England," said Mineards.

Mineards said the revelations and accusations shared by the Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, with Oprah Winfrey "really upset the British public."

He also noted that the British media is "unrelenting."

"The broadcast was like an atomic bomb at Buckingham Palace and will lead to more division between Harry and Meghan and Buckingham Palace. It's deeply upsetting that they felt the need to do this in the first place," said Mineards.

Among the most explosive revelations during the two hour long interview, the royal couple shared that they'd been subjected to racist conversations with at least one member of the royal family, aimed at their son, Archie.

"Now the witch-hunt has begun to find out which royal is racist," said Mineards. "Meghan said afterwards it was not the Queen nor Prince Philip. This has gone down like a lead balloon in Britain."

Mineards said there have never been accusations of racism before within the royal family. He also pointed out that Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry's grandmother, will turn 95-years-old next month. Prince Philip, who will celebrate his 100th birthday June 10, remains hospitalized.

The Montecito columnist said Sunday night's bombshell interview broadcast in 68 countries, thanks to CBS.

Several crews from Europe and the U.S. reached out to Mineards for his input on the fractured House of Windsor. He said he spoke with a German crew and a celebrity magazine in Ghent, Belgium as well as CBS in Los Angeles. 

Mineards said he hoped Sunday night's interview (which aired Monday in the U.K.) does not drive an "irreparable wedge" between Prince Harry and his brother, Prince William and, his father, Prince Charles. 

The Duke of Sussex is scheduled to fly back to London in July to join his brother for a public unveiling of a statue of their mother, Diana, the late Princess of Wales.