Britain’s Queen Elizabeth has said claims of racism within the UK royal family will be “addressed by the family privately.”

It comes after her grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle outlined their reasons for stepping away from official life in an interview aired all over the world.

In the interview, Ms Markle told Oprah Winfrey that there concerns within the British Royal Family about how dark her son's skin might be, after she announced her pregnancy.

She also said the family did not want her son to be a prince and that she was so unhappy as a senior royal that she had suicidal thoughts.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II delivers the Queen's Speech in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster in London | Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire/PA Images

In a statement released by Buckingham Palace this evening, Queen Elizabeth said her whole family was “saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan.”

"The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” she said. “Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.

"Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members."

Britian's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (left) with US TV host Oprah Winfrey. Image via @Oprah on Twitter

In the interview, Ms Markle said someone in the royal family had opened 'several conversations' with Prince Harry about the colour of their child's skin.

"In the months when I was pregnant, all around the same time, so we have in tandem the conversation of he won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title, and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born," she said.

She did not name the family member involved, noting that it would be "very damaging to them."

She said she was ashamed to tell her husband about her suicidal thoughts, but was worried that if she didn't voice her fears, she would act on them.

"I knew that if I didn't say it, that I would do it - I just didn't want to be alive anymore."

The couple later told Oprah that the racist comments were not made by either Prince Philip or Queen Elizabeth.

On The Pat Kenny Show this morning, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said the interview was like a 'nuclear attack' on the British royal family.

On Newstalk Breakfast meanwhile, the editor of internet magazine Spiked said the Harry and Meghan interview was 'decadent, inappropriate and odd'.

Yesterday the Labour Party criticized the decision by RTÉ to air the interview in Ireland.