Meghan and Harry don't look right together

[bungle99]

I was in small shop earlier with only 4 of us in their. I am a regular customer.
I heard a member of staff who was serving another customer talking about Meghan and Harry and staff member said they don't really look right together and that she's not an English Rose like Kate Middleton. I was really shocked by this because 1) that people of my generation actually think like this (middle age) 2) that she admitted this view out loud knowing i could actually hear it (i'm not white). I was only 3 feet away.

AIBU to think that this was a racist comment and that most white people do not think like this ? Please restore my faith Mumsnet.

"1) She’s not an English rose.
2) People are entitled to their own opinion about whether they look "right" together, whatever that means."

The context meaning and implication of the above totally change when you combine them:

"They dont look right together because shes not an English rose" means something different to what those two statements mean in isolation. Combine them and its racist. Thats how language works. You cant deconstruct it and say that the individual components are innoculous so when put together they cant be harmful or nasty.

And what Littlelamb said. Good luck to them I say.

Despite the fact he's totally punching - they look fab together.

Of course it's a racist comment, how could it be anything else?

I started typing out a comment about how it may not be consciously racist or not but then I deleted it. Because it's racist.

English Rose = v pale skin, usually blonde and blue eyed. Like Diana,in fact. Being an English Rose doesn't equal a happy marriage

They were probably commenting that she's an American. There's something about British people and hostility towards America...

But I do agree they don't look right together but that's probably because I had plans to marry him.

"They dont look right together because shes not an English rose" means something different to what those two statements mean in isolation. Combine them and its racist. Thats how language works. You cant deconstruct it and say that the individual components are innoculous so when put together they cant be harmful or nasty.

Exactly GingerbreadMa - that's why it came across as racist.

English rose doesnt = british. It means white.

Sandra Bullock could be described as english rose looking

Naomi Campbell has never been described as an english rosd

People are entitled to their own opinion about whether they look "right" together, whatever that means.

And sometimes those opinions will be grounded in racism, either conscious or unconscious.

She's gorgeous. So is he. He looks totally smitten and they make a lovely looking couple.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett - i also have thought it may be not be consciously racist as well as she's perfectly ok with talking to me earlier, but am coming to the conclusion that some people that i mix with are closet racists.

Yeah that was racist! Hopefully their marriage will improve attitudes like that.

I'm getting a bit obsessed by her. Spent all afternoon looking at websites with links to where her clothes are from.

English rose
noun
an attractive English girl with a delicate, fair-skinned complexion regarded as typically English.

I don’t think it is racist. Stupid irrelevant shite, sure, but looking at the definition, clearly Meghan is not one. I’m not either, I’m Scottish from a Mediterannean family, so it’s not racist to say it.

If the idiotic woman had said he should be with a English rose, ie he should marry an attractive English woman, I’d think she was Poorly educated to be honest. The queen isn’t just the queen of England.

So not racist more uneducated to thr level she thought Harry should marry an English person. Not British. English.

naomi campbell has never been called an English Rose'

That's coz she ISN'T one, she is a thorny nettle.

English rose doesn't = British. It means white

Completely agree.

The only ones who are being negative are chavs.

Now about British attitudes to class....

I don't think that Sandra Bullock looks like an English rose.

I'm not being racist, but someone I know had a very olive skinned baby with bright red hair. He was a bit odd looking, especially in the summer when he was really tanned.

Re “half caste” i really don’t think some people understand the history and why it’s a derogatory term.

When i was growing up halfcast simply meant mixed race- before mixed race was a term. I think people were thinking half one race, half another, rather than the caste system.

So I don’t assume people using it are racist, unless they continue to do so when politely corrected. It’s usually those of my mums generation...

She is way out of his league!

Trevor Noah did a segment on this (Yes, I spend too much time on Youtube):

btw. just for the record i think they look good together, cos they look really happy. I also think Kate Middleton would be mortified that someone was comparing Meghan to her as she's not an 'English Rose'.

Op some of the most racist people I know dont think theyre racist.

They describe people as half caste and exotic and think they should be allowed to because they say they mean it as a compliment. So so long as THEY think its okay/"not meant that way" it doesnt matter how the people theyre describing feel about it

"Black babies are beautiful" "oriental women have lovely shiny hair" etc

I don't like the term mixed-race. We're all human race.