In a brief statement, the palace criticized “unacceptable and highly regrettable comments.” The maid of honor apologized and resigned. As a “bridesmaid”, she was a close companion of Queen Elizabeth II and was on her way to the funeral of her husband, Prince Philip, in 2021.

The fact that Lady Susan, who was quickly identified by the media as the culprit, is already 83 years old, Fulani did not accept as an excuse. Rhetorically, he asked: “Are we acknowledging that you can’t be racist or inappropriate because of your age?” Another receptionist, lawyer Nazir Afzal, told the Mirror that Hussey also asked about her origins on the occasion.

Dealing with racism in Britain

For many, the scandal has highlighted how racism is treated in Britain. Labor MP Jonathan Ashworth told Sky News there was a lot of everyday racism in society. “Unfortunately, we still have to educate people,” Secretary of State Paul Scully said.

While Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declined to comment on the scandal at the palace, referring to the fight against racism, he said: “The task is never done. That’s why we have to find out wherever we see it.”

But the victim specifically targeted the palace. “It is about more than one person. It is institutional racism,” Fulani told the Independent newspaper. It is true that everyone is controlled before visiting the palace. “But what protects us black people from that treatment? This incident is unfortunate and shows that nothing has changed,” said the activist.

Broadcaster Sky News commented that the lady’s remarks were “at best a naive misjudgment and at worst a sign of deep-seated racism and lack of understanding of the problem within the palace.”

Associations of colonialism in March

This is not the first time the royal family has been ridiculed. In March, photos of William and Kate’s trip to the Caribbean caused consternation. The couple held hands through a wire fence, while William, in a white dress uniform, took part in a parade in a jeep. This reminded many of colonialism.

The allegations by Duchess Meghan, who spoke in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 about the time before her son Archie was born, also caused a stir. There have been concerns about “how dark her skin will be when she is born,” said Prince Harry’s wife. Brother-in-law William felt compelled to comment. “We are not a racist family,” he said a few days after the broadcast. There have been no details or new complaints since then.

But that could change soon. Netflix wants to start a documentary series on Meghan and Harry in a few days, and the prince’s autobiography is scheduled to appear on January 10, 2023. Observers do not rule out that the subject of racism will later come up again.