LONDON (AP) – Prince William insisted on Thursday his household was not racist as he turned the primary British royal to talk out towards accusations of bigotry introduced by Prince Harry and Meghan, his brother and his step-daughter-in-law. sister.

William made the feedback in response to questions requested by reporters throughout a go to to a college in east London. Whereas members of the royal household typically ignore these questions, William took the chance to reply to the explosive allegations that rocked the monarchy.

“We’re actually not a racist household,” stated William, 38, as his spouse, Kate, walked alongside him.

Buckingham Palace is struggling to calm criticism after Harry and Meghan alleged the Duchess suffered racism and callous therapy throughout her time as an energetic member of the Royal Household. The palace tried to reply to accusations made throughout an interview with American tv host Oprah Winfrey, with a 61-word assertion that critics referred to as “too little, too late.”

William, second to the throne after his father, Prince Charles, made the feedback throughout a go to to School21 to mark the return of scholars to school rooms after a nationwide lockdown.

Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, left royal duties final yr and moved to California, saying they wished to flee intrusive British media and lead regular lives.

Meghan, who’s biracial, stated within the interview that she was so remoted and depressing as an energetic member of the royal household that she had ideas of suicide. She additionally stated that Harry advised her {that a} member of the royal household had expressed “issues” concerning the coloration of his child’s pores and skin earlier than the delivery of their son, Archie.

Thirty-six hours after the feedback had been first broadcast on Sunday, the palace issued a written assertion on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II, Harry’s grandmother.

“The entire household is saddened to learn the way tough the previous few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” the palace stated. “The questions raised, particularly that of race, are worrying. Though some recollections could fluctuate, they’re taken very critically and will likely be handled by the household in personal. ”

The allegations – and the palace’s response – have sparked conversations all over the world about racism, sanity and even the connection between Britain and its former colonies. The revelations contrasted starkly with the hopes many had when Harry and Meghan married that the previous glamorous actress would assist the monarchy join with younger individuals in an more and more multicultural nation.

And William’s transient remarks additional disillusioned commentators like Nikesh Shukla, creator of “Brown Child: A Memoir of Race, Household and Residence.” Shukla stated William’s feedback supplied “a defensive bulletproof protect fairly than a dialogue of racism.”

“Having one thing that you just stated you stated was racist is admittedly uncomfortable, however it’s what you do subsequent that issues,” he advised The Related Press. “And what I noticed the royal household did … is as an alternative of questioning this racism, they stated, ‘We aren’t a racist household’, which is a really tough factor to do. to do.”

Others criticized the palace for trying to cope with the difficulty in personal, saying the monarchy was backed by taxpayer {dollars} and such an vital difficulty ought to be handled in public.

Britain is a constitutional monarchy, and the royal household is legally prohibited from making an attempt to affect public coverage. However the monarchy continues to be an emblem of nationwide unity, particularly underneath the management of the Queen, who has reigned since 1952.

The interview additionally revealed tensions between Harry and William, who had lengthy been thought-about shut and supported one another after the dying of their mom, Princess Diana.

When requested about his relationship with William, Harry stated: “Time heals all issues, hopefully.”

William stated on Thursday that he had not but spoken to his youthful brother for the reason that interview, “however I’ll.”

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Comply with AP’s protection of Prince Harry and Meghan‘s interview at https://apnews.com/PrinceHarry

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