In the royal family’s latest attempt to show to the world that they aren’t racist, a senior representative told Britain’s Channel 4 that Queen Elizabeth II and the other royals are supportive of the Black Lives Matter movement.
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CNN reports that Ken Olisa, the first Black Lord-Lieutenant for London, was asked about the royals feel about BLM during an interview that aired Friday on Channel 4. The royal family has been in hot water about race ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle told Oprah about instances of racism and colorism they witnessed while behind the walls of Buckingham Palace.
During the interview, Olisa said the royals are open to talking about racism, which ... are they? Outside of Prince William and Duchess Kate condemning the racism Black players on England’s national soccer team faced after losing to Italy during the Euro 2020 final, there’s not many other examples of the royal family being as willing to talk about race as Olisa describes. But I digress.
From CNN:
“I have discussed with the royal household this whole issue of race, particularly in the last 12 months since the George Floyd incident,” he said.
“It’s a hot conversation topic. The question is what more can we do to bind society to remove these barriers. They [the royals] care passionately about making this one nation bound by the same values.”
Olisa was also asked whether the royal family support BLM. “The answer is easily yes,” he said.
If this interview is giving you “We can’t be racist because we have a Black friend” vibes, you’re not the only one. NBC News reports that a Momodou Taal, who hosts a podcast that focuses on race and identity, said the interview with Olisa was “clearly” a response to Meghan and Harry’s accusations.
More from NBC News:
“It’s no surprise that the family has charges of racism against them. It’s the vestige of a brutal British empire that hasn’t truly ever acknowledged its role in perpetuating racism around the world,” Taal said. “As much damage control as they’re tried to do since, for me and many people, we still view the family in the lens that was leveled at them by Harry and Meghan.”
Taal said that ever since Floyd’s death, there’s been an attempt to “modernize” the image of the family.
“They (the family) don’t represent modern Britain,” he said, “They represent what Britain was at the height of colonization, and that image will forever be attached to them.”
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