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.

@Brainwave89

Personally as a person of colour I think this was a little unwise. As Indians we love the royal family. However, Phillip is a typical upper class mail of his generation who has a long track record of saying slightly dodgy things. I would list examples, but mumsnet will delete the post if I do. In my family and my husband's family (he is white), there are lovely relatives who will also hold dodgy views on other races and cultures. So I certainly would not have said this. I would have talked about a strong commitment to making sure we all learn as go forward.

If it was an official statement or session to discuss it, yes. But this was a question thrown as him as he was walking away, if he'd stopped and starting explaining how obv there had been incidents in the past and they were all now committed etc etc it would have turned into a minefield as they pushed W to expand more and more. His job was to end the conversation. C didn't even answer when he was questioned on it. Perhaps that would have been a better option

William is a great future King 🌺

I agree with you OP. Firstly i’m not sure what he means by the statement considering all of the racist comments members of his family have said over the years, as mentioned by others. Those have often been brushed aside just as they brush aside the fact that a pervert is part of their family.

Secondly, it’s disappointing that once again, non-ethnic people continue to tell people of colour what is and isn’t racist.

We don't know about the family being racist but we sure do know that HARRY is racist!

RE: Nazi costume and calling his friend a p*ki!

I don't care how many years ago it was, I knew not to use that word at a very young age. Also to think that is how he behaves with the cameras on.. he must be much worse when they are off!

That statement from William had very convenient timing. Some of the reaction to the Queen's statement has been that there was no rebuttal of racism or even mention of mental health. The two big issues raised in H&M's interview. Compared to the statement on bullying released by the Palace about how they will not tolerate bullying and have been operating a dignity in the workplace for a number of years, the Queen's statement was very mild. In my opinion it seems as if the Palace wanted to correct this without having to issue an official statement because after all the Queen has said things will be done privately. So what is the next best thing? You get a reporter to ask the question, and William gives the answer that helps put the message out there. The only problem is that Charles on Tuesday morning had a similar encounter with a reporter and he was muted in response. Which ofcourse is the expected response. I was surprised that William was happy to give not one, but two responses and especially adding that he would call Harry. If only, a reporter had given Meghan the same opportunity to refute the daily things she was being accused of and if only she could respond just as easily.

1. If anyone in the royal family is racist it needs to come out, and they be fired from their position.

1. This includes Harry who has never apologised for his use of the P word and other slurs. He presents himself as “reformed” but I don’t see that truthfully.

I am not a royalist, but I don’t like racism whoever it’s from.

For heavens sake. What was the man supposed to do when confronted by journalists. Agree and say yeah, well actually we are all paid up members of the National Front?

He could have.... done exactly what he did when Meghan was victim of racist attacks for a start, and .. say nothing?

He could have just ignored the questions and comments like he normally does?

Isn't the royal family supposed to "never complain, never explain"?
Seems Meghan has touched too much of a nerve this time.

And if anyone says “he was young!” I’m so over it. We knew then that was a horrifying thing to say and he’s never faced it.

Secondly, it’s disappointing that once again, non-ethnic people continue to tell people of colour what is and isn’t racist.

Erm... I think you’ll find everyone has an ethnicity.

Of course the RF aren’t racist.

They only murdered, brutalized, dehumanized and colonized Black people in Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Jamaica, Kenya, Sudan, Botswana, Egypt, Somalia, Uganda, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Grenada.

[quote Topmum66]@NotFabulousDarling totally agree

She was in an amazing position to do so much for women who actually put up with real racism and no power or anyone do represent them but she’s way too narcissistic to actually care about that.[/quote]

We love her. She has done a lot for racism in one week compared to what william has probably done in, like never.

Uncle Edward was a Nazi and a Moseley sympathiser
This is Great Uncle Edward! Uncle Edward is a frustrated thespian and quite sweet.

The colour is the least likely issue. Britain is more about class than colour issues. We are not America.

Excuse me whilst I laugh myself senseless.

I happen to be mixed race and from another country (not America), and race is an issue I face every single day, rarely does anyone bring up my perceived class or the country I am from - save to ask where my accent is from.
One arm of my English in laws did have an issue with my race, but because it was in a jolly japes, what oh old chap, Prince Philip kind of way many people think I should just accept it. Hey no one used the N word, they just suggested I only like fried chicken, steel drums and have good rhythm.
Oh and they think my hair is disgusting if left natural but “I’m trying too hard” if I straighten it.

When my first DC was due, I was asked about the likelihood of my child being “very dark” and “standing out amongst cousins” or “looking as dark as a raisin”.
I see no reason to disbelieve that there was an issue with her race within their family (they might not have realised it but most racists don’t realise it and as someone above said - most British people would be more horrified at being accused of racism, than at an example of racism), and clearly it is a huge issue for the British press and the public.

Many people don’t realise they are racist.
I would say over 50% of white British people are racist, including micro aggressions (which the majority refuse to acknowledge even when pointed out) and there is no thirst to change that.

Why shouldn't he defend himself? MM spun a great yarn on a lot of things - Harry actually contradicted when it was said. She didn't even hear the comment firsthand . Why should we believe her (who wasn't even present) and her husband (you know the one who has actually engaged in some racist actions in the past ) over William. Why is William not allowed a voice?

@StillCoughingandLaughing

Secondly, it’s disappointing that once again, non-ethnic people continue to tell people of colour what is and isn’t racist.

Erm... I think you’ll find everyone has an ethnicity.

Oh for goodness sake, you know what I meant. If that’s all you took from my comment then that says it all.

@Xenia you cannot be serious. You are really not saying that someone marrying a Greek means they are not racist? You do know Greeks are European and Caucasian right? This is honestly one of your most stupid comments and there have been many

Harry is not racist either but he is not very bright and done a few silly things. People seem to band the racist word around a bit too much which then damages the equality cause actually.

Also if we trawl back through all our ancestors probably some will have been romans invading the UK and goodness knows what else - probably someone dodgy amongst all our ancestors including mine who were down the coal mines aged 10 in England.

*All of this could have been stopped if the Royal family had supported the couple and called out the media instead of being cowards. They dipped their toes in the water with the ' straight outta Compton' headlines and it spiralled from there.

They were quite happy to leave that couple and their child to the wolves, it will be interesting to see how they cope now they're the ones getting backlash from the public and media.*

All of this and they prove that they only protect their own especially the men, f**k the Royal women. Prince Andrew still no investigation from the RF about his dealings with a known pedophile yet they chose to investigate Meghan over “bullying” claims from three years ago right before news broke of a tell-all interview with Oprah. Any decent PR team worth anything would have said that that was a bad idea before actually seeing the interview and the interview wasn’t even that shocking. What I also don’t get if she was such a bully, wouldn’t there be more people coming out to say that like it has happened for other celebs and wouldn’t the RF know this beforehand? I highly doubt she wasn’t investigated throughly by them and something like this would have came up. I highly doubt she would have been able to work with several charities, be an UN ambassador, and be on a hit TV sitcom for years if she was a bully.

Also, why would she have expected the U.K. to be racist? I don’t think it enters most Americans’ minds that the U.K. could have a race problem. I didn’t know that there was such a snobbery towards Americans until I moved here. Many Americans I know thought that considering how old the U.K. is compared to the US that they would have done better or figured it out. The difference I notice in the U.K. compared to the US is that the racism is subtle and covert, not as overt as it is in the States.

@ittakes2

I think you are being too harsh. Obviously someone said something to Harry but one person saying something does not mean a whole family is responsible for what that individual said. And I find all this ‘white people can’t comment on racism thing’ upsetting too. Because that very idea of saying someone can’t comment because they are white is a racist comment in itself. I am mixed race and I think we all need to come from a place of everyone is equal rather than this whole let’s criticise white people approach. We won’t get anywhere if we try and make people afraid to open their mouths.

Perfectly put!

@SpaceRaiders

Of course the RF aren’t racist.

They only murdered, brutalized, dehumanized and colonized Black people in Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Jamaica, Kenya, Sudan, Botswana, Egypt, Somalia, Uganda, Nigeria, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Grenada.

And what about all the other rural families/empires in bygone years.... all people living and breathing today still accountable for the actions of they’re ancestors?

royal

@xenia Please open a history book. The history of racism in the U.K. is so far reaching that it’s honestly pathetic that I should have to even explain it to you. Google ‘Britain Slave Trade’ and ‘Rivers of Blood Speech’ and the statistics about how many BAME have experienced racism in the U.K. You must just be wilfully ignorant at this point. And you claim to be a lawyer, the calibre of education in the U.K. is astonishing.

Just going to leave this here for those saying no evidence:

www.sbs.com.au/nitv/nitv-news/article/2017/05/05/all-things-he-said-legacy-prince-philip-and-his-all-too-often-racist-comments

www.google.com/amp/s/www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/culture-news/amp20095720/royal-ex-boyfriend-aatish-taseer-racist-allegations-princess-michael-kent/

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/18/prince-andrew-used-n-word-former-no-10-aide-claims

The Palace managed to find the energy to put out a statement denying the last claim, but not in support of Meghan and the abuse she suffered in the media and on social media. Even though they had to bring in new guidelines for their online sites after increased abuse of Meghan in 2019. Harry was left to do his own statements in defence of Meghan.

It is not enough as a white family member to say I am not racist, if you are prepared to witness people making racist comments about members of your family that are black, mixed race, Asian, or another ethnic minority that experiences prejudice and racism without speaking out you are part of the problem.

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.