Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (opens in new tab) are finally ready to open up about their experiences with the press and the royal family over the past few years. The couple is expected to address many of the public's burning questions about the royal exit in a 90-minute conversation with Oprah Winfrey (opens in new tab) tonight.

Most of us can't imagine what Harry and Meghan (open in new tab) will say in their interview, but for some royal insiders, their situation feels like déjà vu. Patrick Jeffson, former private secretary and chief of staff to Princess Diana (open in new tab), explained in an interview with CNN (open in new tab) that the rift between the Sussexes and the royal family was estranged from the royal family (open in new tab) after Princess Diana's separation from Prince Charles (open in new tab) He explained that it was much like how Princess Diana became estranged from the royal family (opens in new tab) after separating from Prince Charles (opens in new tab).

"Thirty years ago, we were in a similar situation, with a rift within the royal family that was beginning to escalate," Jefferson explained. 'There were then, and no doubt still are, a lot of unhappy people involved. First and foremost, we should understand that this is a family rift. But at the root of it are real people who are really hurting, and I hope that somewhere in the current back-and-forth, someone is planting the seeds for eventual reconciliation.

Jephson also noted another similarity between Harry's royal friction (open in new tab) and his late mother: both eventually decided to give high-profile TV interviews as a result of their experiences. Of course, as Jephson pointed out, this type of royal confessional interview has not historically gone well.

"The precedent for this type of royal interview is not very encouraging. Both Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and more recently Prince Andrew, have tried to tell their side of the story on television through this type of interview, but in every case it has backfired."

Still, Jeffson hopes that Harry and Meghan's story with the royal family (opens in new tab) will have a happier ending than it did with Princess Diana, and that the relationship can be mended if other senior royals reach out.

"I hope there will be intervention from all well-meaning people to help Harry and Meghan adjust to their new lives and heal the wounds caused by the way they departed," he added.

"Oprah With Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special" (opens in new tab) airs this Sunday at 8 pm on CBS.