Prince William defends UK monarchy against racism accusation
Written by laserteam on March 11, 2021
LONDON (AP) — Prince William insisted Thursday that his family is not racist as he became the first British royal to speak out about accusations of bigotry made by Prince Harry and Meghan, his brother and sister-in-law.
William made the comments in response to questions shouted at him by reporters during a visit to an East London school. While members of the royal family often ignore such queries, William used the opportunity to address the explosive allegations that have rocked the monarchy.
“We’re very much not a racist family,” William, 38, said as his wife, Kate, walked by his side.
Buckingham Palace is struggling to quiet criticism after Harry and Meghan alleged that the duchess was the victim of racism and callous treatment during her time as a working member of the royal family. The palace tried to respond to the charges, made during an interview with U.S. TV host Oprah Winfrey, with a 61-word statement that critics called “too little, too late.”
William, second in line to the throne after his father, Prince Charles, made the comments during a visit to School21 to mark students’ return to classrooms following a national lockdown.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the palace said. “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”
When asked about his relationship with William, Harry said: “Time heals all things, hopefully.”
