An aide to the British royal family, Lady Susan Hussey, who is the godmother of Prince William and was the Queen’s lady-in-waiting for over 60 years, has stepped down from her duties after a story hit the news media about a conversation she had with a visitor.
Reportedly intrusive and what were taken as racist comments about the nationality of a black woman advocate for domestic abuse survivors, was felt to be racist and like interrogation by Ngozi Fulani, a British-born activist and the Chief Executive Officer of Sistah Space, a charity that helps victims of domestic violence during her visit to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, November 30.
Lady Susan Hussey asked the black woman where she was from during an event hosted in Buckingham Palace by Queen Consort Camilla.
Ngozi Fulani told BBC Radio 4 about her experience with Lady Hussey. She said that the encounter felt like an intimidation and Lady Hussey repeatedly questioned her about her ethnicity and asked her what part of Africa she was from. She found it offensive.
The racism scandal erupted at a bad time for the Prince and Princess of Wales, Harry and Kate, who were on the first day of their US visit to the Earth Shot Awards – their first foreign tour since they started their new titles.
A Palace spokesperson said the comments were unacceptable and that it was appropriate for Lady Hussey to step down.
Fulani was invited to meet King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla to discuss her experience.
This is the latest accusation against the royal family of racism since Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, made allegations when she and Prince Harry gave their interview to Oprah in 2021. Meghan said that a royal family member had questioned her how about what she thought her newborn baby’s skin color would be.
The incident sparked discussion in the UK about how the royal family might now be modern and diverse enough in changed world where Britain has become a multicultural environment.
