To think that if the only black adult in your family says they have experienced racism...

[Overcastcloudy]

... it's counterproductive to send a white man out to say, We're very much not racist?

That just is never going to end well. Ask Ian Murray how it worked out for him.

I couldn't care much either way about the Royal Family. Just baffled at the headline of William saying this.

RF can't openly respond to their accusations

Er why ever not?!

@Parker231

The RF are all as bad as each other - constantly putting their foot in it. Nows the time to just have a King and Queen in a ceremonial role and no powers. The rest aren’t needed and should get proper jobs.

Haha! That is what they are.

They are just ceremonial and in the main tied to protocols and laws.

They have infringed his family's privacy and essentially trashed everything he stands for in front of an audience of millions

Everything he stands for? Or everything he likes people to think he stands for? Why should people stay silent to protect a false image?

All while knowing that the RF can't openly respond to their accusations

This is such nonsense. The week before the broadcast even the broadsheets were flooded with PR briefings from those poor royals who can't speak for themselves but have to settle for free use of acres of favourable coverage attributed to "sources close to".

The palaces even brief against each other, never mind a woman who declined to be a silent clothes horse.

*Quite frankly I am amazed at her restraint and dignity. I am many others would have gone under long ago, I admire her for enduring for so long and the dignified matter she called it out. I think she is an excellent role model for young girls.

Yes, her 'motive' is very clear. To tell her truth, to call out the bullying and racism.

What is your motive in trying to silence her?*

This. It was ok when tabloids were making her out to be everything negative and people were happy to demonise her over said crap that was printed about her but now that she has spoken up about it, she’s a liar. No way it could have effected her mental health because rich people seemingly can’t be depressed or have suicidal thoughts despite there being more than enough evidence that it doesn’t matter how much money you have.

@NotFabulousDarling

She's an actress. Her job is to convince people that she's anything she says she is.

@NotFabulousDarling I'm always baffled at the PREJUDICE surrounding anyone who had the temerity to have once acted. Apparently it means you are a skilled liar. Or something.

Actors are PEOPLE too, with feelings and emotions. It's all so convenient for prejudiced people with a preconceived agenda to use her acting career against her as if it invalidates her experience of racism and abuse, which we have ALL seen through the media. I would take a look at myself if I had your prejudices and attitudes.

@Sprining

“I also remember a news item a long time ago of when apparently William was asked by someone about his then unknown identity of his girlfriend. And he allegedly responded "it's not as if she's black." This was to appease the questioner that the girl was an ordinary nice English girl. Does that make him racist? “

Yes, it does make him a racist if that happened it is appalling and he has no right to represent a multicultural UK

That was Harry talking about Chelsy Davy the South African girlfriend who sensibly decided Royal life wasn’t for her. I bet she’s counting her blessings right now.

@tinystranger

PW should have said 'Well it's true that my brother's done some racist things in the past, but I don't think you should tar our whole family with the actions of one person'

That would have been perfect.

Harry is the only young royal to have been openly racist as far as I know. If you haven't watched the video where he uses a racist word beginning with P to describe an army colleague then google it. It's easy to find. He should have been sacked from the army at that point in my opinion and stripped of his royal title. It wasn't banter. It was a nasty racist jibe for cheap laughs and it was very damaging for the army. The colleague may not have complained but I am sure they were hurt and offended. I certainly was.

I don't think this completly true. What I understood from this was, Harry's pictures came out to hide that of Williams becuase it was more embarrassing and far damaging. I am 100% this is on the Internet somone written by the guardian.

And is the dislike of some Royal Family members of Meghan racism or classism? The Queens own uncle Edward, had to abdicate the throne because he wanted to marry a working class divorced woman Wallis Simpson. Fast forward three generations, and Prince Harry is actually allowed to marry a working class divorced woman, but she was apparently not really welcomed as part of the family.

This family used to only marry other royalty/nobility not that long ago.

We won’t get anywhere if we try and make people afraid to open their mouths Well said. I'm glad I am my own boss now. People in paid employment should be very careful now. It's becoming terrifying actually.

I was wondering if the conversation was actually with William and at the same time as he asked Harry to slow down. My thinking being perhaps he was asking Harry if he was ready to face the racism and what it would mean to him / them as parents if they had a much darker child... because of the vicious press and perception in the country. Why would I think this? I’m talking about the constant rumours and speculation that Harry was not Charles’ child and how that affected the family and Diana. There would be bound to be a lot of speculation if any child were not ‘the expected colour’.

As to the op. I think however William responded, his response would have been seen as inadequate. If what I’ve said above is correct, I can imagine he would have felt very hurt.

As for why Meghan said there were several conversations, I think the conversations were between her and Harry when she was pregnant. I think they may have been off the back of the press accusing her of making Kate cry. Kate had only given birth about 3 weeks before the crying incident. I think probably both women cried and maybe neither were aware the other cried. By the time the story was leaked, Meghan was pregnant and the announcement was made about a month earlier. It was horrible of the press to print this story and for it to keep going forward so long. Pregnant women and women, who have recently given birth are vulnerable.

Everything he stands for? Or everything he likes people to think he stands for? Why should people stay silent to protect a false image?

Absolutely true. But having infringed your brother's privacy and that of his wife and children and trashed their reputations in front of billions of people, you can't then complain that they don't like you anymore. It's no wonder William hasn't contacted them yet.

What i find bizarre is the only way u have formed ur opnion on mm is through what the papers have said , we do not know her personally. We cannot form an truly objective opnion as its all hear say how we think of her. The press has been awful since they got together. This was very clear. Its not like they suddenly because upset with her due to what she said. And its crazy to say just because someone is a actress she is somehow a lier, i read on here that because of her role in suits and the power that the laywer had somehow makes her power hunger in real life, like crazy talking. We have been bombarded with negative stories on her and her life. Why shouldn't they call it all out. I didnt have massive opnion on her before tue interview due to not automatically believing the press as i know they can hardly be believed but i definitely feel for her after the interview.

Ancestors of current royal family were colonialists and slave owners. I'd say they have form.

What i find bizarre is the only way u have formed ur opnion on mm is through what the papers have said , we do not know her personally. We cannot form an truly objective opnion as its all hear say how we think of her.

I agree. It’s completely unhinged how people speak about MM as if they know her personally. Regurgitating what they’ve been fed by the same tabloids who’d happily write half truths to sell a few papers.

@Overcastcloudy I liked the honesty of your question. And also wondered why he said anything after the official statement that it would be handled privately. Even Charles was seen in public and said nothing, presumably in observance of the "we'll handle the matter privately" decision.

If we keep carrying on like crabs in a barrel about racism, then nothing gets better. It's a race to the bottom.

@itispersonal

Yes she can perceive it as racism, but that doesn't it was, or intended to be. I can take a lot of things the wrong way, think things are said one when actually it means another. It doesn't automatically mean x was being a racist.

Maybe people were mean to her, because they didn't like her, thought she was above her station, she would have been used to a pecking order in Hollywood, certain actors getting x treatment and her having less. Were they racists too? Also if it is a firm, Would you expect a new employer to be treated the same as the CEO.

Those who are bringing up Prince Philip and Prince Michael of Kent, these are 99yo and again very old. There is a generational thing, my own 70year old parents included, where they do and say racist, homophobic things, they don't always mean it as such. Yes you can explain why you can't say x and y but them saying them doesn't automatically mean they are racist!

Bollocks. Your 70 year old parents were young adults in 1970, not 1770.

If my 85 year old grandfather, born whilst Queen Victoria was still on the fucking throne, could buy me a set of dolls for my 5th birthday that included a black and a mixed heritage baby and tell my mother to stop being so bloody racist (she wasn't happy about it and wanted to chuck them out) for once in her life, and then follow up with warning my mother to keep her mouth shut when she went on about her first grandchild 'being neither one thing nor another', I'm pretty sure that it's not inherent - or innocent - in people born decades later than he was.

Your parents are racists. Automatically. Because they chose to say things that are racist.

I'm from a working class uneducated white racist English background. I have worked hard to understand and let go of the racism I absorbed growing up, but I've still got work to do as racism is nuanced, layered, deep. And I recognise the hot defensive flustered reactions of other white people when anyone dates to say that the UK is a racist country. It is. I'd like a £1 for every time another white person at the bus stop, in the pub, in a shop trots out with smug confidence a racist remark and fully expects me to be right on board with what they've said. Especially since Brexit gave racists and xenophobes carte blanche to express themselves. I've faced up to and overcome my own reluctance to stand against casual everyday racism. I've done so because racism wounds people of colour. British people. And because it wounds all of us and diminishes us.

Prince Philip is well known for his racist remarks. It’s not exactly a stretch to think he makes similar comments in private.

@Almondmilkgranola

Good on William for answering the question directly and truthfully. Clear signal to Harry that his brother is absolutely prepared to call him out on his malicious bullshit when his grandmother and possibly father can't quite bring themselves to.

Seeing as Harry made it clear in the interview that what he really cares about is money and the perks of being in the RF, his big problem is that it's William who will likely be King through the majority of the rest of his lifetime.

The reason Archie doesn't have a title has nothing to do with race and if I were Charles and William I'd insist to the Queen on making it clear that the slimming down of the monarchy will include Harry's two children (and therefore Charlotte and Louis' children in the future too) never becoming Prince or Princess. Before Harry & Meghan's baby girl is born.

As if William was going to remain silent, he lost Diana too so Harry can't pull that guilt trip with him either.

@Almondmilkgranola Maybe actually what the interview first and get your facts right. Due to Letters Patent, there IS a right for Archie to become Prince on the ascension of his grandfather (Charles) to the throne. The British family wanted the rules changed (despite Charlotte and George being granted titles) to prevent THAT, as well. So it's clear you don't know what you are talking about and didn't even watch the interview. The reason Archie won't have a title is ENTIRELY about race, and it is dishonest, malicious and manipulative to say it isn't. Oh and this 'slimming down' bs that CONVENIENTLY happened now. Seriously, I could sell a bridge to you. In London. $50 ono. You are so naive.

Although I bet Andrew is just loving this whole situation.

@BlackBucketOfCheese

all people living and breathing today still accountable for the actions of they’re ancestors?

We should be able to recognise when we benefit from it, the privilege we receive because of actions of our ancestors.

The royal family are still living luxurious lives off the back of their monies earned from the empire.

Aren’t we all though in one way or another, but that’s a different thread entirely.

What happened hundreds of years ago, doesn’t make them racist at all.

Well, he would have to say that. However, more than one of them have been caught out saying racist comments in the past.
Like someone else said turkeys don't vote for Christmas . They need to take a long hard look in the mirror and work much harder with public relations.

But having infringed your brother's privacy and that of his wife and children and trashed their reputations in front of billions of people, you can't then complain that they don't like you anymore.

Harry could say the same thing about them. Couldn’t they have made an effort to show some type of solidarity before it got to this point and lies were being printed about Meghan especially when they were pitting Kate and Meghan against each other. They didn’t seem to mind when she was said to supposedly be putting their daughter at risk with her wedding flowers, that she made Kate cry, when their nephew was referred to as a chimp. It will be interesting to see what they do when Charlotte is of age and she’s the next royal female on the chopping block. Looking at the history of the royal women so far and she is the second born, doesn’t look particularly great for her in the future. I’m hoping that Meghan speaking out puts an end to the tabloid crap that the Royal women have to go through so the next generation doesn’t have to deal with something that should have ended a long time ago.

Well maybe he believes they aren't a racist family? Lots of people have an elderly grandparent who makes dodgy comments about all sorts of things. Doesn't mean the whole family share their views.