Oprah Winfrey says she was 'surprised' that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry went 'all the way there' with their bombshell revelations

• Oprah Winfrey spoke with journalist Nancy O'Dell about interviewing Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
• O'Dell asked Winfrey if she was "surprised at how open" Markle and Harry were in the interview.
• Winfrey said yes, and added she had "no idea" the interview would have a "reverberating impact."

More than one month after her CBS special with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aired, Oprah Winfrey is reflecting on the bombshell interview and what she says "surprised" her.

In a Talkshoplive video on Friday, Winfrey spoke with journalist Nancy O'Dell about her conversation with Harry and Markle.

"I had no idea that it would have the reverberating impact that it has had and continues to have," Winfrey told O'Dell.

Winfrey continued, saying that prior to the interview, she texted Harry and Markle about their "intention" in doing the interview.

"Whenever I'm doing interviews with anybody, I have a conversation with them before," Winfrey said. "I didn't see Harry and Meghan before, but I did text them and say: 'Intention is very important to me. Tell me what our intention is so that we can be aligned in our goal.' Our shared intention was the truth. They wanted to be able to tell their story and tell it in such a way that allowed them to be truthful as possible."

O'Dell asked Winfrey, speaking of Markle and Harry: "Were you surprised at how open they were?"

"I was surprised," Winfrey said.

Winfrey continued: "Literally, that thing that's now become a meme that's like: 'What?' You're going there? You're going all the way there."

Winfrey seemed to be referencing a moment from the interview when Markle told her that while she was pregnant, unnamed members of the royal family (who Winfrey later said did not include the Queen or Prince Philip) had "concerns and conversations" over her baby's skin color.

Winfrey said Harry and Markle are what made the interview 'powerful'

Winfrey - whose TV special with the royal couple was a masterclass in interviewing - told O'Dell that while she asked the questions, to her, it was Harry and Markle's willingness to speak that made the conversation impactful.

"The reason why it was such a powerful interview - first of all, I know how to ask questions and you know how to ask questions - we all know how to do our jobs. But what makes it powerful is when you have somebody else who is willing to be as open, as vulnerable, as truthful as they were," Winfrey said.

"So I don't give myself credit for that," she added.

"I give myself credit for asking the questions, but the reason the interview was what it was was because they answered the way they did," Winfrey said.