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LONDON (AP) – Prince William insisted on Thursday that his family was not racist as he became the first British royal to speak out against accusations of bigotry brought by Prince Harry and Meghan, his brother and his step-daughter-in-law. sister.
William made the comments in response to questions asked by reporters during a visit to a school in east London. While members of the royal family often ignore these questions, William took the opportunity to respond to the explosive allegations that rocked the monarchy.
“We’re really not a racist family,” said William, 38, as his wife, Kate, walked alongside him.
Buckingham Palace struggles to calm criticism after Harry and Meghan alleged the Duchess suffered racism and ruthless treatment during his time as an active member of the Royal Family. The palace tried to answer the charges, made in an interview with American TV host Oprah Winfrey, with a 61-word statement that critics called “too little, too late.”
William, second to the throne after his father, Prince Charles, made the comments during a visit to School21 to mark the return of students to classrooms after a nationwide lockdown.
Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, left royal duties last year and moved to California, saying they wanted to escape intrusive British media and lead normal lives.
Meghan, who is biracial, said in the interview that she was so isolated and miserable as an active member of the royal family that she had thoughts of suicide. She also said that Harry told her that a member of the royal family had expressed “concerns” about the color of her baby’s skin before the birth of their son, Archie.
Thirty-six hours after the comments were first broadcast on Sunday, the palace issued a written statement on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, Harry’s grandmother.
“The whole family is saddened to learn how difficult the past few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the palace said. “The questions raised, in particular that of race, are worrying. Although some memories may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be treated by the family in private. “
The allegations – and the palace’s response – have sparked conversations around the world about racism, sanity and even the relationship between Britain and its former colonies.. The revelations contrasted starkly with the hopes many had when Harry and Meghan married that the former glamorous actress would help the monarchy connect with young people in an increasingly multicultural nation.
And William’s brief remarks again disappointed commentators like Nikesh Shukla, author of “Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home.” Shukla said William’s comments offered “a defensive bulletproof shield rather than a discussion of racism.”
“Having something that you said you said was racist is really uncomfortable, but it’s what you do next that matters,” he told The Associated Press. “And what I saw the royal family did… instead of questioning that racism, they said, ‘We are not a racist family,’ which is a very difficult thing to do.
Others criticized the palace for attempting to deal with the issue in private, saying the monarchy was backed by taxpayer dollars and such an important issue should be dealt with in public.
Britain is a constitutional monarchy and the royal family is legally prohibited from trying to influence public policy. But the monarchy continues to be a symbol of national unity, especially under the leadership of the Queen, who has reigned since 1952.
The interview also revealed tensions between Harry and William, who had long been considered close and supported each other after the death of their mother, Princess Diana.
When asked about his relationship with William, Harry said: “Time heals all things, hopefully.”
William said on Thursday that he had not yet spoken to his younger brother since the interview, “but I will.”
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Follow AP’s coverage of Prince Harry and Meghan’s interview at https://apnews.com/PrinceHarry
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