There’s a new scandal involving the Royal Family, and it has something to do with racism...again. High-ranking Buckingham Palace aide Lady Susan Hussey - the same person who advised Meghan Markle on royal life - has resigned from her royal role after repeatedly asking Black charity CEO Ngozi Fulani what country she "came from," despite her insistence that she was a British national. Hmph. More inside…
We can’t say we’re shocked that someone close to the Royal Family said something racist.
A new scandal at Buckingham Palace is shaping up after a close friend of the late Queen resigned from her royal position after racist treatment of a Black Buckingham Palace guest.
The late Queen's lady-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey, reportedly apologized and stepped down from her new job in King Charles III’s household after making racist comments to a Black guest at a reception hosted by Camilla, the queen consort, for women working to fight domestic violence.
In a Twitter post shared on her charity’s account, Ngozi Fulani, the CEO of London-based nonprofit Sistah Space, revealed that an aide, only identified as “Lady SH,” questioned her about her background during the charity event at the palace. Ngozi was there to represent her charity, Sistah Space, which supports women of African and Caribbean heritage across the UK who have faced domestic and sexual abuse.
Ngozi said she had been at the reception all of ten minutes before the Palace aide harassed her about her racial heritage, where the royal aide repeatedly questioned her about where she was “really from,” even after she told the aide she was born in the U.K. and is British.
After the humiliating conversation, Ngozi wrote down their exchange and shared it on Twitter.
Mixed feelings about yesterday's visit to Buckingham Palace. 10 mins after arriving, a member of staff, Lady SH, approached me, moved my hair to see my name badge. The conversation below took place. The rest of the event is a blur.
Thanks @ManduReid & @SuzanneEJacob for support pic.twitter.com/OUbQKlabyq— Sistah Space (@Sistah_Space) November 30, 2022
”Mixed feelings about yesterday's visit to Buckingham Palace,” Ngozi tweeted. “10 mins after arriving, a member of staff, Lady SH, approached me, moved my hair to see my name badge. The conversation below took place. The rest of the event is a blur. Thanks @ManduReid & @SuzanneEJacob for support.”
You can their exchange below:
Whew. They don’t even try to hide it.
Mandu Reid, leader of the Women's Equality Party, witnessed the exchange. She told the BBC that the questions and remarks from Hussey were “offensive, racist, and unwelcoming.” Ms. Reid confirmed to BBC News that the person who made the remarks was Lady Susan Hussey, who is also Prince William’s godmother. Neither Buckingham Palace nor Ngozi named her.
Thanks everyone for their support. It is not our wish to reveal the person involved, it is the system that needs to be revised.
Yes the person was offensive, but it serves no purpose to name & shame her, it would make us just as bad. We prefer that this be handled kindly— Sistah Space (@Sistah_Space) November 30, 2022
”Thanks everyone for their support. It is not our wish to reveal the person involved, it is the system that needs to be revised,” Ngozi wrote in another tweet. “Yes the person was offensive, but it serves no purpose to name & shame her, it would make us just as bad. We prefer that this be handled kindly."
Buckingham Palace released a statement, issuing an “apology” on behalf of "the individual" involved.
”In this instance, unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments have been made. We have reached out to Ngozi Fulani on this matter, and are inviting her to discuss all elements of her experience in person if she wishes.
”In the meantime, the individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect.
”All members of the household are being reminded of the diversity and inclusivity policies which they are required to uphold at all times."
It has been reported that Lady Hussey apologized to Ngozi, but that doesn't seem to be true:
Excl: Ngozi Fulani tells me she hasn't heard from palace/received apology after resignation of aide who made racially offensive remarks. Also:
- Says incident evidence of racism in royal family
- Calls for anti-racism training to be rolled out across royal households..Brb pic.twitter.com/xgPr1HWYWr
— Nads White. (@Nadine_Writes) November 30, 2022
This racial insensitivity by a longtime royal aide comes at a potentially difficult time for the royal family. In the United States, one branch of the Kennedy family plans to honor Prince Harry and Meghan Markle next week for their "heroic" stand against "structural racism" in the monarchy. Hmph.
The 83-year-old "Number One Head Girl” for the queen had been a member of the monarch's inner circle since the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960. As a longtime aide, Lady Susan Hussey was tasked with advising newcomers, including Lady Diana, about royal life. Queen Elizabeth II asked Lady Susan Hussey to to help introduce Meghan Markle to royal life expectations prior to her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.
@KensingtonRoyal @Sistah_Space @RoyalFamily Meghan told us about the racism in the royal family but you racist vilified her . Just look at @KensingtonRoyal godmother’s racism lady Susan Hussey. @RoyalFamily is racist. Meghan has been vindicated. Shame on William @KensingtonRoyal pic.twitter.com/aHOcXgICPb
— Chudi Anya (@ChudiAnya1) November 30, 2022
"Meghan told us about the racism in the royal family but you racist vilified her," a Twitter uer tweeted. "Just look at @KensingtonRoyal godmother’s racism lady Susan Hussey. @RoyalFamily is racist. Meghan has been vindicated. Shame on William @KensingtonRoyal"
#RacistRoyalFamily is trending on Twitter.
Last year, Meghan revealed a royal family member had “concerns” over “how dark” Baby Archie’s skin would be before he was born in a candid interview with media mogul, Oprah.
According to royal author Tom Bower, Lady Hussey previously said Meghan and Harry’s marriage “would end in tears.”
A spokesperson for Prince William responded to the resignation of Lady Susan Hussey.
”This is a matter for Buckingham Palace, but as the Prince of Wales' spokesperson I appreciate you're all here and that you'll want to ask about it. So let me address this head on," a Kensington Palace spokesperson said in a statement at a media briefing during their trip to Boston, which was later shared with Insider.
”I was really disappointed to hear about the guest's experience at Buckingham Palace last night," the spokesperson said. "Obviously, I wasn't there, but racism has no place in our society. The comments were unacceptable, and it is right that the individual has stepped aside with immediate effect," they added.
Prince William and Kate, the new Prince and Princess of Wales, just touched down in the United States for the first time in eight years. They arrived in Boston on Wednesday (Nov. 30th), ahead of the second iteration of the Earthshot Prize Awards later this week.
We’re totally not surprised by the royal family's newest racist scandal because Meghan Markle already told us how they are. Thoughts?
Photos: Kin Cheung/AP Photo/Pool/Chris Radburn/PA via AP, File/Ngozi's Twitter
source: theybf
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