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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly had their interview with Oprah Winfrey before the palace stripped them of their patronages in a move said to have "blindsided" the Queen.
The 'tell all' chat took place this week before the palace announced on Friday that the couple's removal from royal duty was permanent, the Sun on Sunday reports.
And the Mail on Sunday claims Harry did not tell his grandmother about the interview in advance, adding that the palace appears to have found out by accident.
The paper reports that US TV network CBS issued a statement on Monday only after ITV was tipped off to the project, and the channel approached the couple for comment.
All of this took place in the days before the palace confirmed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would lose their patronages, making the so-called Megxit official.
The royal family will now be braced for the couple's first televised interview since the Megxit saga as they sit down for an "intimate" conversation with the talk show legend, in a show due to be aired on March 7.
Oprah spent two days with the couple in California in the last week before leaving in her Sh7.6 billion (£50 million) private jet, the Sun reports.
A source told the paper: “The fact she has been with them at such an intense time has given her a unique insight into the rift with the royals.
“The drama...means that Oprah’s tell-all show will be pure box office gold. But it’s time for other royals to hide behind the sofa."
Harry will follow in the footsteps of his mother Diana and uncle Prince Andrew, who have both had sit down television interviews with varying results.
Both are in marked contrast to the Queen's famous motto "never complain, never explain".
Royal biographer Angela Levin believes there will be concerns in the palace about what the pair will discuss in the high profile interview, especially given the acrimonious nature of their departure from royal life.
"When senior members of the Royal family say too much or say things that (the Queen) thinks are wrong the whole family is affected by it," Ms Levin said.
"I think she is very concerned about what the interview with Oprah Winfrey will reveal.
"There's been a lot of publicity saying that it's going to be a tell-all, no-questions-barred, and I think she's concerned about how that would be, and she's got to protect the royal family."
The loss of the Duke of Sussex's military roles and royal patronages will be a particularly devastating blow to Harry.
A former soldier, Harry spent a decade in the military, risked his life on the frontline in Afghanistan, and took great pride in his association with the Armed Forces.
But he will no longer be Captain General of the Royal Marines, Honorary Air Force Commandant of the Royal Air Force Base Honington, nor Honorary Commodore-in-Chief of the Royal Naval Commands' Small Ships and Diving.
A source said on Friday Harry and Meghan had "absolutely, no question" wanted to retain the positions they have lost.
"They do respect the decision but they always made clear they were committed to doing those roles," the source said.
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