Palace Racism

[fender62]

Ngozi Fulani was asked where she was originally from mmm, whats the problem there
it's not what or was considered a british christian name, i assume the palace get people from around the globe visiting, so why the big hoo haa.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11486513/Prince-William-condemns-unacceptable-comments-godmother-Lady-Susan-Hussey.html

[drmorgans]

The lady-in-waiting wouldn't accept that the woman she spoke to was born in Britain. She wanted to know where she was "really" from, as being black and having a different hair-do meant she couldn't possibly be British.

[THECORBYLOON]

Did you not read the transcript of the conversation?

[THECORBYLOON]

That was for FENDER.

[THECORBYLOON]

Do you think that any non-white person without a, "british christian name" (whatever that might be) is not British?

[puzzled54]

Actually I have an unusual name that I always spell out to people when I first meet them, and some people can be quite ‘inquisitive’ about it, verging on rudeness

[roopower]

The lady was elderly and probably not 'up' on everything that is going on. I used to visit an elderly lady and I won't tell you what she called people of a different hue. She couldn't understand what she was doing wrong when I pointed it out to her. She was very confused by it all.

[roopower]

Not quite the same thing but I might start taking offence when people assume I come from Somerset and not Suffolk!

[wolf63]

I think that the lady was asking where her family originated from. I think that is a genuine question, maybe not the time nor the place but it is hardly a major issue.

[Barmaid]

The big hoo haa is because when she was told where she was from it was not accepted. Whilst she might have Caribbean heritage, she is British and from Hackney.

At a formal dinner in Kenya as a young and stupid person, I asked the lady sitting next to me (who was a person of colour in national dress) if she was local. She very nicely slapped me down (she was from London but with Kenyan heritage). I learned a lot that day.

[jno]

she wasn't a "visitor", she'd been invited.

If the Queen consort is okay with inviting her, it's none of the staff's business where she came from.

[wolf63]

roopower - I was accused of being English once. I have no idea why - my accent would have given me away. Maybe he was just an eejit fae south of the border.
;-)

[naomi24]

I don’t see how that’s racist. The woman is black so her ancestry is clearly elsewhere. Her African attire might have had some influence on the staff member’s assumption that the lady was from Africa - but that’s ignorance not racism. Racism brings with it vitriol and I don’t see that here. Instead of making a fuss how easy it would have been to assume the questioner was a big thick and simply say that her ancestors were African but she was born here. It’s another fuss over nothing.

[jno]

wolf, I get accused of being from all sorts of places by people who can't quite place my refined and cultured accent. I couldn't care less. But if they started saying "No, but where are you really from?" and pulling my hair away to read my badge I believe I'd be quite cross.

[naomi24]

*bit not big

[wolf63]

jno - your origin and location intrigue me. :-)

The old dearie could have been a bit more subtle or realised that the woman didn't appreciate the line of questioning.

No doubt someone will be reprimanded and the other traumatised by the whole incident.

[Ellipsis]

This seems quite aggressive from somebody who was not simply "old" (83) but godmother to Prince William, a member of the Royal Household, at a Buckingham Palace event ...

> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63810468

Here is the full conversation, as recounted by Ms Fulani

Lady SH: Where are you from?

Me: Sistah Space.

SH: No, where do you come from?

Me: We're based in Hackney.

SH: No, what part of Africa are you from?

Me: I don't know, they didn't leave any records.

SH: Well, you must know where you're from, I spent time in France. Where are you from?

Me: Here, the UK.

SH: No, but what nationality are you?

Me: I am born here and am British.

SH: No, but where do you really come from, where do your people come from?

Me: 'My people', lady, what is this?

SH: Oh I can see I am going to have a challenge getting you to say where you're from. When did you first come here?

Me: Lady! I am a British national, my parents came here in the 50s when...

SH: Oh, I knew we'd get there in the end, you're Caribbean!

Me: No, lady, I am of African Caribbean descent and British nationality.

SH: Oh so you're from...

[jno]

Ellipsis, just to add that the conversation was witnessed by two other people. The lady in waiting has resigned; the interviewee has said she regrets this and would rather she'd just been told what was wrong. (She felt particularly that sticking your hand in other people's hair uninvited is very rude; so do I.)

It's all rather embarrassing in light of Harry and Meghan's allegations of racism at the palace, which seem to have been confirmed.

[Yeoma]

Prince Phillip still walks among us...

[bobbinwales]

That diversion from gulliver shows he;s obsessed