Archie Mountbatten-Windsor is seen with his mother Meghan Markle and grandmother Doria Ragland
Archie Mountbatten-Windsor has been pictured on a video call with his mother Meghan Markle and grandmother Doria Ragland, in a photo shared by an academic who claims she’s writing a book on ‘racism and the British Monarchy’.
Professor Duchess Harris, who specialises in American studies and feminism, shared a screengrab of the call to Twitter today, showing a three-year-old Archie sitting on his mother’s lap in a rare appearance.
The caption read: ‘I would love to invite you to be a part of my next book project: Racism and the British Monarchy: A Meghan Markle Reader. Co-Edited by Duchess Harris and Julie Schwietert Collazo.’
It comes as Lady Susan Hussey, a senior member of the royal household, resigned today for allegedly, repeatedly asking black British charity campaigner Ngozi Fulani where she was ‘really’ from, plunging Buckingham Palace into a fresh racism row.
The controversy erupted as Prince William and his wife Kate, both 40, made their first visit in eight years to the United States, where his estranged brother Prince Harry, 38, and wife Meghan, 41, live.
Archie Mountbatten-Windsor has been pictured on a video call with his mother Meghan Markle and grandmother Doria Ragland , in a photo shared by an academic who claims she’s writing a book on ‘racism and the British Monarchy’
Professor Duchess Harris, who specialises in American studies and feminism, shared a screengrab of the call to Twitter today. The caption (above) read: ‘I would love to invite you to be a part of my next book project: Racism and the British Monarchy: A Meghan Markle Reader. Co-Edited by Duchess Harris and Julie Schwietert Collazo.’
With her natural hair cascading down one of her shoulders, Meghan appeared at ease as she chatted to several people during the video call, while her son patiently sat on her lap.
Dressed in a green top, the Duchess of Sussex was joined by her mother Doria, who looked low-key in a red T-shirt and trousers in the screengrab, which has since been deleted.
The call is thought to have included American political strategist Donna Brazile and Jotaka Eaddy, the CEO of Full Circle Strategies, a social impact consulting firm. The call is understood to have taken place several weeks ago.
Archie has rarely been seen since he was born in May 2019, with just a handful of photographs of the young royal released by Meghan and Harry.
The publication of the video call screengrab comes after Prince William today backed his godmother’s decision to step down from the royal household after being accused of racism at a Buckingham Palace reception set up by Queen Consort Camilla.
With her natural hair cascading down one of her shoulders, Meghan appeared at ease as she chatted to several people during the video call, while her son patiently sat on her lap
Archie has rarely been seen since he was born in May 2019, with just a handful of photographs of the young royal released by Meghan and Harry (pictured, alongside Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor)
Lady Susan Hussey quit after she allegedly refused to believe a black domestic abuse campaigner was British and asked her: ‘What part of Africa are you from?’
A spokesman for the Prince of Wales said it was ‘really disappointing’ to hear about the experiences of a guest at Buckingham Palace, adding: ‘Racism has no place in our society, these comments were unacceptable and it’s right that the individual concerned has stepped down’.
The resignation is humiliating for Camilla and a disaster for Lady Hussey’s godson Prince William, who lands in the US today with the Princess of Wales for a three-day tour now at risk of being overshadowed by the race row.
Ngozi Fulani, director of the east London charity Sistah Space, said she was so shocked by the incident at Buckingham Palace yesterday that she ‘couldn’t report it to the Queen Consort’ who had thrown the reception.
She told the Mirror: ‘It was prolonged racism. It was like an interrogation. This wasn’t just a few seconds, it was concerted over several minutes. It felt, as three black women, that we were trespassers, that we were not welcome or accepted as British’.
Camilla, the Queen Consort, centre, attends a reception to raise awareness of violence against women and girls yesterday where one of her ladies of the household made ‘unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments’ to Ngozi Fulani (circled in red)
Ngozi Fulani (pictured centre at Buckingham Palace yesterday), director of the east London charity Sistah Space, claims royal aide, believed to be Lady Susan Hussey, asked her: ‘What part of Africa are you from?’
Ms Fulani shared this transcript of the alleged incident but said the rest of the event was a ‘blur’
The Palace said it took the incident extremely seriously’ and had investigated immediately. Staff have been ‘reminded of the diversity and inclusivity policies which they are required to uphold at all times’, a spokesman said.
Referring to the aide as Lady SH, Ngozi Fulani said being asked by a member of the royal household where she ‘really came from’ at Camilla’s key engagement on violence against women on Tuesday will ‘never leave me’.
Lady Hussey was outed in a series of tweets that will be acutely embarrassing for the Royal Family, who were accused of racism by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after Megxit.
A royal source confirmed to the Mirror that Lady Susan Hussey had departed from her honorary role in the Queen Consort’s household. She was the Queen’s most senior Lady in Waiting and nicknamed Her Majesty’s ‘Number One Head Girl’ by royal staff.
As a new race row engulfed the royals, Buckingham Palace said it took the incident, at the Queen Consort’s reception on violence against women on Tuesday, ‘extremely seriously’ and had investigated immediately.
A spokesman said: ‘We take this incident extremely seriously and have investigated immediately to establish the full details. In this instance, unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments have been made. We have reached out to Ngozi Fulani on this matter, and are inviting her to discuss all elements of her experience in person if she wishes.
‘In the meantime, the individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect. All members of the Household are being reminded of the diversity and inclusivity policies which they are required to uphold at all times.’
The row emerged hours before the Prince and Princess of Wales took off for Boston this morning for a three-day trip to the US culminating with a possible meeting with President Joe Biden and the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony on Friday.
Meghan and Prince Harry, who released their latest Invictus Games trailer today, made headlines around the world when they accused a senior member of the royal family of being racist towards Archie and his skin colour during their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Camilla gave a speech at yesterday’s event for 300 people where she vowed to speak out about the ‘global pandemic of violence against women’ in a watershed speech at Buckingham Palace.
She was watched by two other Queens – Rania of Jordan and Mathilde of Belgium – Crown Princess Mary of Denmark and the Countess of Wessex. Other ambassadors included Spice Girl Melanie Brown and Love Island star Zara McDermott who have campaigned on issues including domestic abuse and revenge porn.
Also in the room was Ms Fulani, who said on Twitter today that she had been ‘insulted’ by a palace aide who she accused of asking ‘where she was really from’ when she said she was from Hackney.
The royal aide then allegedly said: ‘No but where do you really come from? Where do your people come from? When did you first come here?’
Ms Fulani claims she then said: ‘Lady! I am a British national, my parents came here in the 50s’, to which the woman replied: ‘I knew we’d get there in the end. You’re Caribbean’. Ms Fulani replied: ‘No lady, I am of African heritage, Caribbean descent and British nationality’.
The Sistah Space founder said this morning: ‘Mixed feelings about yesterday’s visit to Buckingham Palace. 10 mins after arriving, a member of staff approached me, moved my hair to see my name badge. The rest of the event is a blur’.
She said: ‘It was such a shock to me and the other two women that we were stunned to temporary silence. I just stood at the edge of the room, smiled and engaged briefly with who spoke to me until I could leave.
‘Standing there in a room packed with people while this violation was taking place was so strange, especially as the event was about violence against women’.
She added: ‘My children and grandchildren were proud though, in my parent’s time, black people were only allowed in to those spaces to serve. Kind of glad my folks were not around to witness this violation.
‘I let my guard down. Never again. It was such a struggle to stay in a space that you were violated in.
‘I think it is essential to acknowledge that trauma has occurred and being invited and then insulted has caused much damage’.
She thanked Mandu Reid, leader of the Women’s Equality Party, and Safe Lives chief executive Suzanne Jacob for their support on the day.
Ms Reid, the first person of colour to lead a national political party in British history, tweeted that she had also heard the exchange.
‘I was right there. I witnessed this first hand,’ she said. ‘We were at an event that was supposed to celebrate our work. For people like … people like us will never really belong here’.
Meghan and Harry’s favoured journalist Omid Scobie was quick to pick up on the claims about racism at the Palace, tweeting: ‘Yesterday’s event should have been a moment to uplift and support. The fact that Fulani—a prominent figure providing the only safe space in Britain for Black survivors of domestic violence—was made to feel this way by a senior Palace aide is unforgivable’.
Ms Fulani said she had been ‘insulted’ by a palace aide who she accused of asking ‘where she was really from’ when she said she was from Hackney
The domestic abuse charity founder tweeted about the incident this morning
Queen Elizabeth ll, accompanied by her lady-in-waiting, Lady Susan Hussey, in 2012
Ms Fulani has been a firm supporter of Meghan and Harry herself, even making the claim last year that the Duchess was a victim of ‘domestic violence’ from other members of the Royal Family.
She made the claim in March 2021, just after Piers Morgan resigned from Good Morning Britain after saying he did not believe Meghan’s claims about her requests for mental health treatment being refused by palace officials.
Ms Fulani tweeted: ‘Our charity supports black women DV survivors. I can’t stay silent about this. I admire Meghan for speaking out. According to clear definition, it seems Meghan is a survivor of DV from her in-laws.
The row may overshadow the start of William and Kate’s crucial trip to the US.
Boston’s landmarks will be lit up green by the Prince and Princess of Wales when they begin a three-day visit to the US culminating in the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony.
William and Kate begin their first official overseas trip since the death of the Queen with a welcome event outside Boston City Hall attended by Michelle Wu, the city’s mayor.
From Speaker’s Corner the couple will formally begin the countdown to Earthshot, being hosted by Boston on Friday, by lighting up City Hall and other prominent buildings green.
Superstar singer Billie Eilish will lead a stellar line-up for the awards ceremony, founded by William to recognise and scale-up environmental solutions to repair the planet.
Other acts to feature are Annie Lennox, Ellie Goulding and Beyonce proteges Chloe x Halle, performing at the MGM Music Hall in Boston.
A royal source said: ‘The prize has become the Prince’s Superbowl moment of the year, and he looks forward to continuing to use the platform each year to shine a light on some of the most impactful projects doing amazing things around the world to save our planet’s future.’
The Earthshot Prize is now in its second year, and among the 15 finalists vying for £1million awarded to each of the five category winners are a cleaner-burning stove initiative in Kenya and a bubble barrier made in the Netherlands to prevent plastics entering oceans.
There are also finalists from the UK for the first time, with two British-based entries selected.
Notpla Hard Material – a start-up run by Pierre Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez in London – makes packaging from seaweed and plants as an alternative to single use plastic, and has already produced more than one million biodegradable takeaway food boxes for the firm Just Eat.
The other UK finalist – Low Carbon Materials, based in County Durham – uses unrecyclable plastic waste to make traditional concrete blocks carbon-zero.
Broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, a supporter of the Earthshot Prize since its inception, will voice the opening of the show while Oscar-winning actress and Earthshot judging panel member Cate Blanchett will narrate a lookback at the 2021 winners.
Queen Consort Camilla hosted Queen Rania of Jordan and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark ahead of the reception at Buckingham Palace
Billie Eilish (left) is expected to perform at the Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize awards in Boston; Cate Blanchett (right) will also feature in the Earthshot event
Actor Rami Malek, who played singer Freddie Mercury in the biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, will present an award, as will actress Catherine O’Hara, best known for starring in the film Home Alone, and environmental activist and actress Shailene Woodley.
William and Kate are also keen to meet local communities during their visit to Boston, which is famed for its Irish heritage, sports and history.
During their trip, William and Kate will visit the John F Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum with Caroline Kennedy, the late president’s daughter.
The prince and princess will learn about the work local organisations are doing to mitigate the risk of rising sea levels to Boston, and when they tour the Greentown Labs, in the nearby town of Somerville, they will get an insight into the development of innovative green technologies.
At the premises of Roca, a non-profit organisation supporting disadvantaged young people, they will hear about the issues they face and Kate, who launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021, will visit the Centre on the Developing Child at Harvard University.
