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Buckingham Palace aide quits over comments to black charity boss
Buckingham Palace aide quits over comments to black charity boss
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- A suspected royal aide has apologized and quit after asking Ngozi Fulani where she was from.
- Palace says comments were “unacceptable and deeply regrettable”. Eyewitness Mandu Reid described the questions as “offensive, racist and unwelcoming”.
- Buckingham Palace is investigating incident at Queen Consort’s ceremony.
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A member of the Buckingham Palace staff has apologized and quit after repeatedly asking the head of a black charity where she was “truly from.”
During the Queen Consort’s ceremony at the palace, Ngozi Fulani, the leader of a domestic abuse charity, was asked where in Africa she was from.
She said she was “totally stunned”.
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The palace said the comments were “unacceptable and deeply regrettable” and it took the incident “extremely seriously”.
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An eyewitness Mandu Reid, told the media the questions were “offensive, racist and unwelcoming”.
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Ms. Reid says she had a “sense of incredulity” about the exchange with a member of the Royal Household, in which Ms. Fulani was “interrogated” about where she was from – even though she had explained she was born and lived in the UK.
Buckingham Palace, Ms. Reid, Ms. Fulani, or the suspected royal aide have not given their names.
In its statement, Buckingham Palace said: “We take this incident extremely seriously and have investigated immediately to establish the full details.
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“In this instance, unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments have been made. We have reached out to Ngozi Fulani on this matter, and are inviting her to discuss all elements of her experience in person if she wishes.
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“In the meantime, the individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect. All members of the household are being reminded of the diversity and inclusivity policies which they are required to uphold at all times.”
The Sistah Space organization, which has offices in London and aids women of African and Caribbean descent in the UK who have experienced domestic and sexual abuse, was founded by Ms. Fulani.
She had been invited to a prestigious reception at the Palace on Tuesday where the Queen Consort, Camilla, had spoken about a “global pandemic of violence against women” in front of 300 guests.
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But following the incident, Ms. Fulani shared a Twitter discussion in which a royal adviser pressed her to identify her place of origin.
She recounted how she said: “We’re based in Hackney,” and the aide replied: “No, what part of Africa are you from?”
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She said: “I don’t know, they didn’t leave any records”, and the Palace member responded: “Well you must know where you’re from, I spent time in France. Where are you from?”
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“Here, UK”
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“No, but what nationality are you?”
“I am born here and am British.”
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“No, but where do you really come from, where do your people come from?”
Ms. Fulani said on Twitter: “It was such a shock to me and the other two women that we were stunned [into] temporary silence.”
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Ms. Reid, the Women’s Equality Party’s leader, took part in the discussion as well.
She said that members of the Royal Household were circulating at the reception and making “chit chat” – but she said it became a “really unpleasant interaction”, when despite Ms. Fulani’s replies there was an insistent questioning about her background.
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