Queen supports BLM, says Lord-lieutenant

Royal family is ‘passionate’ about creating racial equality, says Lordlieutenant of London

The Queen is a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, the Lordlieutenant of Greater London has suggested, as he said the Royal family “cares passionately” about binding British society as one. When asked during a television discussion on race whether the palace supported BLM, Sir Kenneth Olisa said: “The answer is easily yes.” Sir Kenneth added: “I have discussed with the royal household this whole issue of race, particularly … since the George Floyd incident.”

‘I have discussed with the royal household this whole issue of race, particularly since the George Floyd incident’

‘We didn’t know whether she would be booed at Grenfell … when she got out of the car all these people applauded’

THE Queen is a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, her most senior escort in London has suggested, as he said the Royal family “cares passionately” about binding British society as one.

Sir Kenneth Olisa, the Queen’s first black Lord-lieutenant of London, said the answer to the question of whether the palace supported BLM was “easily yes”.

In a segment about race on Channel 4 News, Sir Kenneth said he had discussed the “hot conversation topic” with the royal household as they tackled the question of how to remove barriers in society.

He also shared details of the debate over whether the Queen should visit Grenfell Tower in 2017 amid fears she might not be warmly received.

“I remember thinking as it all happened, it was quite scary, we didn’t know whether she would be booed or have things thrown at her,” he said. “And when she got out of the car all these people applauded.”

Sir Kenneth was speaking on Channel 4’s special programme Black to Front, due to air tonight at 7pm and featuring an all-black presenting and reporting team.

During a discussion of the BLM movement, he said: “I have discussed with the royal household this whole issue of race, particularly in the last 12 months since the George Floyd incident.

“They [the Royal family] care passionately about making this one nation bound by the same values.”

When asked if the palace supported BLM, Sir Kenneth said: “The answer is easily yes.”

The discussion follows accusations of racism at the palace, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex telling Oprah Winfrey, the US chat show host, about questions raised by a member of the Royal family about their son Archie’s appearance.

The Duchess claimed there had been “several conversations” with the Duke about Archie’s skin tone and “what that would mean or look like”. Asked to name the so-called “royal racist”, she said: “I think that would be very damaging to them.”

The Queen reacted to the interview by insisting that the couple’s allegations would be “taken very seriously”. “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” she said in a statement. “Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”

According to the couple’s biographers, the Sussexes were left dismayed that “full ownership” of the race allegations was not taken, with a source saying: “Months later and little accountability has been taken.”

The interview claims led to the Duke of Cambridge being asked publicly about the Royal family and race, replying that they are “very much not a racist family”.

In March, in response to accusations of racism in the royal household, Sir Kenneth wrote in a newspaper: “I have had the privilege of meeting all of the members of the Royal family on many occasions – and I can confirm that they are charming and inclusive.”

‹ The Duchess of Cornwall yesterday praised female journalists of Afghanistan, saying those “who fight for truth and justice in the face of retribution deserve our thanks and admiration”. “Let’s do all we can to support, promote and, crucially, listen to the brave female journalists of Afghanistan, whose work puts them in danger every single day.”

She also shared her support for the Prince of Wales’s Dumfries House project, recently the centre of “cash-forhonours” allegations after Michael Fawcett, the chief executive of the Prince’s Foundation, tried to help secure a knighthood for a Saudi billionaire donor.

Speaking at Dumfries House, the foundation’s base, she hailed her “husband’s vision”.