London – Prince William on Thursday became the first British royal to directly defend his family against accusations of racism made by his sister-in-law Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and her husband Prince Harry. interview with Oprah Winfrey. William told reporters that the royal family “is not nearly a racist family.”
Commenting during a visit to a school in East London, Prince William added that he had not spoken to his brother Harry since the interview, but said yes.
SWIMMING POOL / REUTERS
In the bombshell interview – which aired Sunday in the United States and Monday in the United Kingdom – Meghan said she had felt so isolated from the royal family that she had faced serious mental health difficulties, even contemplating suicide. She and Harry also said an unnamed family member had expressed concern about their son’s skin color at birth.
Buckingham Palace on Tuesday published its first response to the interview, with a Statement of 61 words in the name of Queen Elizabeth II.
“The whole family is saddened to learn about the full extent of the challenge they have had in recent years for Harry and Meghan,” the statement said. “The issues raised, especially that of race, are worrisome. While some memories may vary, they are taken very seriously and the family will address them in private. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”
But before the interview was understood, the royal family issued a statement saying yes investigating the allegations of the harassment committed by Meghan’s staff against her during her time as a royal worker.
Oprah’s interview has sparked a heated debate around the world about the royal family and race, and Dawn Butler, a member of the British Parliament in London, told CBS News’ Holly Williams on Wednesday that the royal family has existed. “cocooned in a whiteness bubble. “
“It’s a well-established racist troop against black women calling them a bully or calling them angry,” Butler said. “What Meghan was facing is what black women face every day in the workplace.”
In response to the barrage of negative stories about Meghan in British newspapers, Butler said the royal family had to answer for the racism that happened to their watch.
“When an institution meets another institution like the press, and they decide to amplify this racist trope, it’s a problem. This is structural racism, and that’s what we need to show in this country, and that’s what we need to do.The institution around the royal family needs to understand the fact that they were complicit in the amplification of a racist troop against a black woman, ”Butler said.