Oprah Winfrey recalled the frantic scene as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attempted to rehome a family of ducks in their pond, offering a rare glimpse into their A-list Southern California community.

The talk show queen is neighbors with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Montecito, and the trio are still friends years after Oprah provided the stage for their most explosive interview ever.

In a less controversial moment that was still dramatic in a light-hearted way, Harry and Meghan were left running around their estate trying to catch their feathered friends.

Why It Matters

Oprah is predominantly linked to the Sussexes in the public imagination due to the high drama of her March 2021 CBS interview with them, complete with allegations that a racialized comment was made about the couple’s unborn child by a royal they did not name.

Rarely, though, has she discussed the interview itself in the years that followed, despite major high-profile debates about what Harry and Meghan told her. It is interesting, therefore, to hear about their friendship continuing privately even if she does not ordinarily provide a running commentary on the royals.

What To Know

Oprah told the story during an appearance on Live! with Kelly and Mark host Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, which filled in the blanks around an Instagram post by Meghan earlier in the year that showed the ducks.

It all started when Oprah got a call from Harry on Easter Saturday saying, “Sorry to bother you, O, but we have a duck problem here.”

Harry described how a duck had come onto their land and laid eggs, which then hatched into fluffy ducklings near their $14.7 million mansion.

“Our pond is a stream. We don’t have a pond, so can we bring the ducks over to your pond?” Harry asked.

The duke and duchess brought the ducks over in a box, but chaos ensued when they got out of the car in front of Gayle King and her kids.

“As he opens the door,” Oprah said, “the mama duck flies out and he’s got all the baby ducks in a box. He goes, ‘Oh no, the mama duck has flown away.'”

“Then we’re chasing the mama duck who’s in the front yard and has flown to the other side. We’ve got her ducks. Harry’s running after her,” she said.

“Megan gets out. She’s running after chasing the mom and trying to get the mom to come back for their ducks. And for like a half an hour, we’re running around with the ducks in the box and we’re all…and we have video. It’s funniest thing I’ve ever seen.”

What People Are Saying

Kelly Ripa joked after hearing the story: “Stars…they’re just like us.”

In her original Instagram video about the ducks, Meghan wrote: “Wishing you a Happy Easter full of love….and surprises!”

Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.