Fans demand delay of Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview amid Prince Philip's health battle

Demands have increased for CBS to postpone airing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey later this week in the wake of Prince Philip's continued hospital stay.

The Duke of Edinburgh was transferred from King Edward VII hospital in Central London to St Bartholomew's hospital on Monday, a day after two previews from Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview teasing "shocking" statements were released. Senior royal sources told The Sun that the British royal family was "pretty appalled" by the idea of the explosive interview being aired amid rising concerns for Prince Philip's health who is in his longest hospital stay.

Royal experts and fans have been urging CBS to postpone the interview until Harry's 99-year-old grandfather returns home from the hospital. The Duke of Sussex is pressured to step in and ask the network for a postponement "out of respect" for the Prince Consort of England.

Commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told Mail Online: "In the circumstances, it would surely be appropriate to postpone the interview, as it involves an examination of the problems they faced when working as royals. Oprah is their friend and neighbour and would undoubtedly comply if asked and the gesture would I am sure be appreciated by the royal family."

Royal biographer Robert Jobson told the outlet that the no-holds-barred interview being aired at a time when Prince Philip is "clearly very unwell" will make Harry and Meghan appear "heartless, thoughtless and supremely selfish."

Royal expert Richard Key also wrote that the "implied criticism of the Royal Family in the melodramatic trailer — at a time when the focus is on Philip — looks both insensitive and thoughtless."

Penny Junor, who has written several books about the royal family, said "It's bad timing when they're (Harry and Meghan) going to be saying 'poor us'."

Social media users have also been vouching for the postponement of the interview, noting that it's the last thing the royal family needs with Prince Philip being in the hospital.

However, royal sources have said that the family has "more important things to worry about" than the Sussexes' interview. Buckingham Palace aides told The Telegraph that the family's focus is solely on the Duke.

"The family is very worried about him and their thoughts are very much with him rather than this Oprah interview. They have much more important things to worry about," one aide said, while another senior aide noted: "This programme is really not something we are focusing on at the moment."

The two-hour-long tell-all interview titled "Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special" is due to be aired on the network on Sunday, March 7, at 8 pm ET. The Mirror reported that producers of the interview are refusing to delay the chat despite increasing demands for it.

A TV insider said about the matter: "CBS has sold millions of dollars worth of advertising around the interview, but bosses are aware of the delicacy of the Duke's heath. They have no loyalty to the Royal Family, although some feel as though they do to Harry and Meghan."

"For it to run if Philip's condition worsened would be like setting off a diplomatic bomb. It would be grossly insensitive and hugely disrespectful," the source said.