Ken Olisa, London’s first black lieutenant, said the issue of race is a “hot topic of conversation” at the royal house, in an interview to be broadcast on Friday, PA Media reports.
The royal family’s attitude toward race has recently been prompted following allegations of racism by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and the revelation that immigrants and foreigners from ethnic minorities were banned from clerical office until at least in the late sixties.
However, Olisa suggested that the family be open to talking about racism.
“I have discussed with the royal family this whole issue of race, especially in the last twelve months since the George Floyd incident,” he said.
“It’s a hot topic of conversation. The question is what more can we do to force society to remove these barriers. They [the royals] he is passionately concerned with making this nation bound by the same values. “
Olisa was also asked if the royal family supports BLM. “The answer is easily yes,” he said.
The aide reported that the Queen had asked him for advice on visiting the Grenfell Tower after the June 2017 fire in which 72 people died, and said he should go.
“I remember thinking it all happened, it was very scary, we didn’t know if she would be booed or things would be thrown at her, etc., and when she got out of the car all these people applauded,” Olisa added.
The interview was part of a program called “Black to Front”, which will be broadcast on Friday evening at 19:00 local time (14:00 ET) on channel 4. The program was conducted by a completely black team of presenters and reporters.
Family members continue to have problems with their attitude toward race after Harry and Meghan claimed in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that a family member made racist comments about the color of their eldest son’s skin. They later clarified through Winfrey that this was neither the queen nor Prince Philip.
Buckingham Palace responded with a statement on behalf of the Queen.
“The issues raised, especially that of race, are worrisome,” the statement read. “While some memories may vary, they are taken very seriously and the family will address them in private.”
The Guardian’s investigation into recruitment practices also revealed that decades ago, the palace used a parliamentary procedure known as “Queen’s consent” to obtain an exemption from UK legislation aimed at preventing discrimination in place of work, including hiring people based on their ethnicity. The Queen is still exempt from those laws today, The Guardian reported.
And in June, Buckingham Palace admitted that the royal house is not diverse enough.
The Sovereign Grant report first revealed that the proportion of ethnic minority employees within the royal house was 8.5%, with a target of 10% by the end of 2022. According to a 2011 census, the 14% of the population of England and Wales came from ethnic minorities, while in Scotland the figure was 4%.
When the financial statement was published, a source at the palace highlighted the diversity and inclusion policies, training and programs in place, but also acknowledged that “we are not where we would like to be.”