Lady Hussey ‘not to blame’ over racism accusation
PRINCE HARRY has defended Lady Hussey after the late Queen’s former lady-in-waiting was accused of racism.
Lady Hussey served Elizabeth II for more than 60 years and had stayed on in an honorary role, but resigned last November after she was accused of “interrogating” a Palace guest.
Ngozi Fulani, the director of the charity Sistah Space, claimed the 83-yearold asked her persistent questions about her birthplace.
Speaking to Tom Bradby to promote his autobiography Spare, Prince Harry said all that he and Meghan Markle had “ever asked for in the last – certainly the last – few years is some accountability”.
“I’m very happy for Ngozi Fulani to be invited into the Palace with Lady Susan Hussey to reconcile,” he said.
“And I also know that what she meant, she never meant any harm at all. But the response from the press, and from people online because of the stories that they wrote, was horrendous. It was absolutely horrendous, the response.”
Lady Hussey met Ms Fulani, a campaigner on black domestic violence, on Dec 16 to apologise for subjecting her to the “interrogation”.
In a joint statement, the activist and Buckingham Palace said the women had enjoyed a “moving” and “wonderfully warm” meeting that ended in peaceful reconciliation and a palace pledge to extend diversity training.
Prince Harry went on to deny the Royal household was “essentially racist”, but claimed Ms Fulani’s experiences were “a very good example of the environment within the institution”.
“After our Oprah interview, they said that they were going to bring in a diversity tsar,” he said. “That hasn’t happened. I’ve always been open to wanting to help them understand their part in it... When you are the monarchy you have a responsibility... people hold you to a higher standard.”