Outrage at Facebook attack on George ‘He is just a toddler ...don’t talk about him in that way’
Taxpayer-funded boss aims barb at ‘privileged’ Prince
A MANAGER at an organisation that promotes the UK abroad sparked outrage after launching a Facebook attack on Prince George.
The government-funded British Council is investigating comments made by head of global estates Angela Gibbins, 52, criticising the young Prince for “living on public money”.
She was reported to have commented on a picture that someone had posted on Facebook, obscenely captioned: “I know he’s only two years old, but Prince George already looks like a ******* ******** .”
The photograph of Prince George, who has just turned three, was taken in April for a set of stamps to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday.
Gibbins allegedly wrote: “White privilege. That cheeky grin is the innate knowledge he’s royal, rich, advantaged and will never know any difficulties or hardships in life.
“Let’s find photos of 3yo Syrian refugee children and see if they look alike, eh?”
When she was criticised by other Facebook users, Ms Gibbins is said to have responded: “I’m sound in my socialist, atheist and republican opinions.
“I don’t believe the Royal Family have any place in a modern democracy, least of all when they live on public money. That’s privilege and it needs to end.”
People took to social media to voice their anger at her comments and call for her to be sacked.
Madalena Nunes wrote on Facebook: “She is a proper embarrassment to us women, and to any good British person. He is just a toddler and shouldn’t be talked about that way.”
Carrie Boultby tweeted: “Angela Gibbins calls a child names – how very ‘grown-up’.”
Gibbins, of Walthamstow, east London, lists her interests on Twitter as “socialist politics, human rights, allotments”.
Tory MP Andrew Rosindell said: “These comments in such an open forum are deeply inappropriate. The British Council is a government- funded body and receives regular support from the Royal Family.
“For a senior official to make such remarks is an outrage.
“She must make an immediate public apology.”
Gibbins earns about £80,000 a year at the British Council, which has a royal charter and whose patron is the Queen.
Earlier this month Prince George’s parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, met schoolchildren in France who were taking part in a British Council programme.
Gibbins’s bosses said her alleged comments were not representative of the organisation’s views.
A spokeswoman said: “This comment was made on a private social media account.
“It has absolutely no connection to the British Council and does not represent the views of the British Council.
“That said, we expect the highest standards of our staff and we will be investigating the matter further.”