Sharon Osbourne questions purpose of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's letter to UK press

Sharon Osbourne says that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can cut themselves off from any interviews with the British press without having to send a letter and going public about their decision.

The outspoken TV show host said that the couple's letter came at such an inconvenient time amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She admitted that she is "confused" as to the purpose of their letter as it will make no difference.

"I'm a bit confused about this. Firstly, I think the timing is really, you know, terrible to do something like this. And the thing is, cut yourself off, you can cut yourself off without sending a letter," Osbourne said during Wednesday's edition of CBS' "The Talk."

The 67-year-old TV personality told Prince Harry and Meghan Markle that the "easy thing to do" is to "refuse all interviews." She said that their letter still cannot prevent paparazzi from "selling pictures to papers" and added that "that's the way the world works these days regarding the press."

Osbourne also questioned the motive behind the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to go public about the fact that they sent a letter to the U.K. tabloids. She admitted that she understood their frustration but does not understand the point, since they were already quietly getting on with their lives away from the royal limelight.

"Just when they were really nice, low-key doing their thing, doing their charitable work, and then they go and send a letter like the one they sent. I'm like, I just don't get why they needed to be so public about it," she asked, and mused that "it would have been better to say nothing and carry on."

"Just tell your publicist or all the people around you, your staff, that you won't have anything to do with them. It's simple that way," Osbourne suggested.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wrote in their letter that they will no longer "offer themselves up as currency for an economy of clickbait and distortion." They withdrew any future dealings with the U.K. tabloids following the publication of stories about them that were "distorted, false, or invasive beyond reason."