Britain’s Labour Party has called for the royal family to investigate allegations of racism among its members after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle claimed that an unnamed royal approached them with concerns about their son’s skin color.
The ex-royal couple made the startling claim in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that aired Sunday, sparking calls from some of Britain’s lawmakers for an investigation into the royal family and its treatment of Markle.
“Allegations, accusations have been made – they obviously need to be looked at,” Labour Party health spokesman Jonathan Ashworth said, according to the Independent. Ashworth added that the manner of investigation is “a matter for the Palace and they will need to come forward with a process.”
MP Kate Green, the Labour Party’s shadow secretary of education, called Markle’s allegations “really distressing, shocking,” according to The Guardian. Green echoed the calls for an investigation, saing, “And if there are allegations of racism then I would expect them to be treated by the palace with the utmost seriousness, and fully investigated.”
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said that Markle’s allegations are a referendum on racism in British society as a whole. “The issues that Meghan has raised of racism and mental health are really serious issues. It is a reminder that too many people experience racism in 21st-century Britain. We have to take that very, very seriously,” he said.
“Nobody, but nobody, should be prejudiced [against] because of the colour of their skin or because of their mental health issues. This is bigger than the royal family. For too many years we have been too dismissive and too willing to put these issues to one side,” he added.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has refused to weigh in on the Winfrey interview when asked about the allegations in a Monday press conference. “Perhaps the best thing I can say is that I have always had the highest admiration for the Queen and the unifying role that she plays in our country and across the Commonwealth. And as for all other matters to do with the royal family, I’ve spent a long time now not commenting on royal family matters and I don’t intend to depart from that today,” Johnson said.
Amid the calls for an investigation, the royal family has gained some defenders. Zac Goldsmith, a Conservative member of the House of Lords, tweeted on Monday that “Harry is blowing up his family,” adding, “What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.”
Not ‘Buckingham Palace’ – Harry’s family. Harry is blowing up his family.
“What Meghan wants, Meghan gets”. https://t.co/2ui5anDvpg— Zac Goldsmith (@ZacGoldsmith) March 8, 2021
Harry and Markle made a number of damaging claims against the British monarchy and royal family in the Sunday interview.
Markle claimed a member of the royal family expressed “concerns” over their son Archie’s skin tone and “how dark the baby’s going to be potentially and what that would mean or look like.” Harry backed up his wife’s claim against an unnamed member of his family, but declined to say who made the comment. “That conversation I’m never going to share,” Harry said. Both ex-royals accused the royal family of declining to protect Meghan from racist attacks from the British press.
Markle also claimed that she had suicidal thoughts while she was pregnant with Archie, but monarchy officials barred her from seeking mental health treatment.