‘We have nothing to lose’ – Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on Oprah interview

Finding Freedom co-author Omid Scobie discusses what to expect from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's much awaited interview with Oprah Winfrey this weekend.

Scobie shared what stories he thinks the duke and duchess will share, how Queen Elizabeth II feels about the pair speaking out. The 90-minute special, titled Oprah With Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special, will be Harry and Meghan's first television sit-down since their November 2017 engagement interview.

Scobie told ET's Nischelle Turner, “Oprah's been there on this ride, so she knows precisely the questions to ask and who caused the issues for Harry and Meghan.” “I believe Harry and Meghan will be completely open about everything they share.”

“Their problems are more with the monarchy as a whole than with individual members of the royal family,” he said, “but their lives have been made incredibly complicated.” “There were several reports from different royal assistants and courtiers that often ended up in British newspapers, causing them a great deal of distress and trouble. We never heard them say anything. This is the first time we've heard of the personal stress and uncertainty that came with serving as a member of the royal family during those dark days.”

“I think at this point Harry and Meghan know they have nothing to lose,” Scobie added to ET.

“They've already given up a lot to find a place where they can succeed,” he said. “So, if there are consequences for doing this interview, I believe their mindset is, ‘So be it.' The world has spoken about Harry and Meghan for years, but they haven't been able to speak about themselves.”

Of course, considering Prince Philip's ongoing health challenges, the scheduling of the interview is less than optimal for the royal family. The 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh has been in hospital since February 16 and had surgery earlier this week to treat a pre-existing heart disease.

“For Harry and Meghan, it's a difficult one,” Scobie told ET. “They scheduled this interview before Prince Philip was admitted to the hospital, and now we're on our third weekend with him still in the care of the London hospital. However, Harry and Meghan have maintained a positive friendship with Philip and the Queen. ”

“This notion that they would throw the queen under the bus on national television… is far from the reality,” he said. “This is a pair that recognizes the distinctions between the monarchy's machine, the organization, and the family itself. And it's the same family with whom they have wonderful relationships.”

In terms of Harry's brother, Prince William, how do they get along? Scobie said that since Harry and Meghan stood down as senior members of the royal family, contact between them has been “light.”

“It's been up to 16 months since they've had a face-to-face talk,” he explained. “We're still a long way from deciding on anything. And I believe it'll be something Harry and Meghan will need to address far farther down the road.”