British royal family embroiled in another racism scandal
Published Date: 12/1/2022
Source: axios.com

The British royal family is facing backlash this week over another racism controversy after a longtime royal aide was accused earlier this week of repeatedly questioning a Black charity head about their origins.

Why it matters: This is not the first time the royal family has faced accusations of racism.


Driving the news: Lady Susan Hussey — a longtime aide to the late Queen Elizabeth II and William's godmother — resigned from her role Wednesday after she reportedly questioned a Black charity head at a Buckingham Palace reception about where she was "really from," Reuters reported.

  • Ngozi Fulani, the head of a domestic abuse charity called Sistah Space, met Hussey at a reception hosted by Camilla, the queen consort, on Tuesday.
  • Fulani said Hussey, 83, repeatedly asked her questions such as: "What part of Africa are you from?" and "What nationality are you?"
  • Fulani told the BBC that the conversation felt "like an interrogation."

What they're saying: "Racism has no place in our society," Kensington Palace said in a statement, AP reported.

  • "These comments were unacceptable, and it’s right that the individual has stepped aside with immediate effect," the statement added.
  • "We take this incident extremely seriously and have investigated immediately to establish the full details. In this instance, unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments have been made," Buckingham Palace said in a statement, per Reuters.

The big picture: The controversy is threatening to eclipse William and Princess Kate's trip to America this week.

  • President Biden intends to meet the royals during a visit to Boston on Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing Wednesday.