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Meghan says it's "liberating" for her and Prince Harry to be able to make their own choices

Meghan Markle's liberation from the royals
Meghan Markle's liberation from the royals 01:45

Meghan Markle feels liberated now that she and Prince Harry can make their own choices without consulting the royal family, she told Oprah Winfrey in an exclusive interview airing on CBS on Sunday. The couple stepped away from royal life last year, and in February, the split was finalized. 

Winfrey called Meghan in 2018 asking her to do an interview before her and Prince Harry's wedding, but at the time, the Duchess of Sussex said it wasn't her decision to make. 

"I remember that conversation very well. I wasn't even allowed to have that conversation with you personally," Meghan told Winfrey, adding that other people were in the room at the time of the call. 

Now, "so many things" are different, Meghan said.

"We have the ability to make our own choices in a way that I couldn't have said yes to you then. That wasn't my choice to make," Meghan said. "So, as an adult who lived a really independent life to then go into this construct that is different than I think what people imagine it to be, it's really liberating to be able to have the right and the privilege in some ways to be able to say yes."

"And to say it for yourself and not to have to consult with anybody at this point," Winfrey said.

"Yeah, to be able to just make a choice on your own. And just be able to speak for yourself," Meghan said.

For Winfrey's exclusive interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, watch OPRAH WITH MEGHAN AND HARRY: A CBS PRIMETIME SPECIAL on Sunday, March 7 from 8 to 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

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