ACCUSATIONS of racism against the British royal family by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shown that racial discrimination is “still pervasive in British society”, commentators have said.
In a wide-ranging interview aired in the UK on Monday evening (8), the duchess spoke about her experiences with racism, struggles with her mental health and the reasons for stepping down as senior royals last year.
And in a shocking revelation, the duchess (who describes herself as biracial) alleged that an unnamed member of the royal family had questioned “how dark” their then unborn son Archie’s skin might be. The duke, who also took part in the interview, later clarified that the comment did not come from either the Queen or Prince Philip.
The duchess described some unidentified members of the royal household as brutal, mendacious and guilty of racist remarks.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex withdrew from their royal duties last January. (Pictured with Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in March, 2020)
She also said the isolation and the barrage of negative press during her time as a royal had pushed her to the brink of suicide, adding that her calls for help were ignored. “I just didn’t want to be alive anymore,” she admitted during the interview with host Oprah Winfrey. “That was a very clear, real and frightening constant thought. And I remember how he (Harry) just cradled me.”
The couple withdrew from their royal duties last January.
'A missed opportunity'
The Runnymede Trust’s Rohini Kahrs said the interview and the response to it was a reminder that racism and race insensitivity were “still pervasive in British society”. “Coming from a woman with a lived experience of racism, and as the mother of the Queen’s great-grandson, there will be many in Britain who feel grateful to Meghan for speaking up and reflecting their own struggles,” Kahrs told Eastern Eye.
She added: “The UK has come a long way, and we can take the issues raised from (the interview) and the wider conversation and channel it into a healing process where these issues are looked at and addressed.”
Sunder Katwala, director of the thinktank British Future, said the wedding of the duke and duchess had initially been seen as a “symbol of positive change”. The couple’s unhappy experience is, at the least, a missed opportunity for the royal family, he said.
“Nobody who was not directly involved can adjudicate any of the specific allegations made,” Katwala told Eastern Eye on Tuesday (9). “But it would only make things worse if the monarchy now becomes the latest battleground of a ‘culture war’ over race and identity, especially one that divides opinion between generations, and which sees black and white Britons hold contrasting perceptions about the media’s treatment of Meghan Markle.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pictured on their wedding day in 2018
Priyamvada Gopal, professor of postcolonial studies at the University of Cambridge, agreed many thought the role of the duchess in the royal family was a step toward “modernising the monarchy”. “Meghan was going to bring diversity,” Prof Gopal said. “But I think now we are reminded that these are not institutions that take easily to diversification, to racial diversity. Perhaps the monarchy has a race problem, a whiteness problem – and we’ve seen that manifested here.”
Talking about the concern over the skin colour of the couple’s son, Kahrs said the claims were “deeply upsetting”. “His skin colour should not be a factor for anything,” she said. “In many ways, Archie could be the symbol of modern Britain.”
However, the journalist and commentator Yasmin Alibhai-Brown admitted she was not surprised by the revelations. She recalled the reaction when it was revealed that Diana, Princess of Wales (Harry’s late mother) had had relationships with men of ethnic heritage, including British-Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.
“Remember how the press and the firm (royal family) reacted – all that speculation about how the half-siblings of the future king could be mixed race and how trying that would be for the Queen and her clan,” she told Eastern Eye.
The duchess alleged a member of the royal family had questioned “how dark” their son Archie’s skin might be
Alibhai-Brown, who said she watched the interview on Monday, thought the couple came across as “real, troubled, honest and, a little nervous, scared even”. “They know well the revenge that will come to burn their skins, and fresh campaigns to silence them,” she said.
Prof Gopal said the beliefs of the monarchy were “deeply tied” up with white supremacy, and noted the historic links between the royals and colonialism. “I don’t think the monarchy has examined its ties to white supremacy,” the academic said. “When you look at the balcony (of Buckingham Palace), and you look at who the monarch is seen with, by and large, this is a heavily white milieu.
“It has not even been able to make accommodation for one member of the family who is not from a white background. And it had questions to ask about a future member of the family who might have a slightly different skin shade. So, the question begs itself, how white are you? Do you have a whiteness problem?”
'Suicidal thoughts'
Some have also focused upon the duchess’s mental health struggles while living in the palace. Alibhai-Brown noted her comments on the lack of support she received, even after reaching out for help.
She pointed out the recent efforts by some of the younger members of the royal family to raise awareness about mental wellbeing, including the Heads Together campaign fronted by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. “If they can’t and won’t help their own, we know all of that is just PR posturing,” Alibhai-Brown said.
The duchess also touched upon the barrage of hate that she had experienced from some outlets of the British media and on social media platforms. She said race and social media have made dealing with the “toxic environment” of the British press different for her than other royals.
“Unfortunately, if members of [Prince Harry’s] family say, “Well this is what’s happened to all of us,’ if they can compare the experience that I went through… Kate was called ‘Waity Katie’ waiting to marry William,” she said. “While I imagine that was really hard – and I do, I can’t picture what that felt like – this is not the same. And if a member of his family will comfortably say, ‘We’ve all had to deal with things that are rude’, rude and racist are not the same.”
According to a CNN report in 2019, palace staff were alleged to have installed software to filter out racist slurs on social media responses to the duchess. The same year, research by advocacy group Hope Not Hate (HNH) also revealed the scale of racist abuse which the 39-year-old royal faced on social media.
A spokesperson for the group told Eastern Eye that the duchess had raised “real questions” about her treatment in the media. “She has sparked a timely debate about race and the press,” they said.
“Her experiences speak to the need to understand how racism can operate in our society – especially as it affects women of colour – and how much more there is to do to make meaningful change.”
The Queen and the royal family issued a statement on Tuesday evening in response to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after they accused a family member of making a racist remark about their son and courtiers of ignoring her pleas for help with her mental health issues.
The statement read: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.
“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”
The Queen and the royal family issued a statement on Tuesday evening in response to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
Prime minister Boris Johnson declined to comment on the accusations of racism after the interview, saying: “When it comes to matters to do with the royal family, the right thing for prime ministers to say is nothing.”
Other public figures who commented about the interview include US president Joe Biden, whose spokesperson said he praised anyone for having the courage to speak out about mental health.
Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton also defended the duchess, referring to the UK press coverage on her as “cruel”.
“The fact that she did not get more support and the reaction was, ‘let’s just paper it over and pretend that it didn’t happen and keep your head down,’” Clinton said. “Well, this young woman was not about to keep her head down – this is 2021.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for the duchess’s claims to be taken seriously. He said: “Nobody should be prejudiced (against) because of the colour of their skin or because of their mental health issues.”
On social media, Labour MP Nadia Whittome suggested the duchess was being treated differently because of her race. “It says a lot about the priorities of the royal family and tabloid press when Prince Andrew has an easier ride than a young black woman,” she said.
NORFOLK’S newest councillor has found himself in hot water just days into the role, following the emergence of social media posts in which he said Islam should be banned and Muslims deported.
James ‘Jimmi’ Lee, who was elected to represent Acle for Reform at a Broadland Council byelection last Thursday (15), is at the centre of a row over the messages on his X account.
Officials at the authority said they were aware of concerns about the posts and that Lee would receive training to ensure that from now on he would abide by its code of conduct.
Lee and Reform UK declined to comment, but his posts have been deleted since the Eastern Daily Press (EDP) approached the councillor and the party.
Opponents on the council described the messages as “racist and Islamophobic” and said they raised questions over Reform’s vetting of its candidates. In April 2024, Lee responded to a comment on X describing Islam as a “divisive, fundamentalist hate cult”. He said this was a “lovely and accurate post”.
In another post later that month, he replied to a set of images featuring politicians of black and Asian heritage, including Rishi Sunak and Sadiq Khan.
Lee’s response said “we are being infiltrated to the very core of our heritage” and described them as “the enemy in waiting”.
Another post Lee shared in the same month showed an image of a Muslim man being kicked and proclaimed “the only way to save Europe” was “mass deportation”. Lee replied: “Said it for years.”
In June 2024, he replied to a post asking whether Islam should be “made illegal in the UK” and said: “Yes.”
The by-election was called following the resignation of Conservative Lana Hempsall.
Lee was elected with 322, a comfortable margin ahead of the Conservative’s Vincent Tapp, with 208, the Greens’ Peter Carter, with 200, Labour’s Emma Covington, with 186, and Lib Dem’s Philip Matthew with 54 votes.
A spokesman for the council said: “After his election on Thursday, Mr Lee will now go through the introduction and training process of becoming a Councillor.
“Part of that process will include training in his responsibilities as a councillor and as with all councillors he will be expected to abide by Broadland District Council code of conduct.”
FOREIGN SECRETARY David Lammy has described the India-Pakistan ceasefire as “fragile” as he travelled to Islamabad last Friday (16) for a quick visit following the recent conflict in the region.
Lammy met Pakistan’s senior cabinet ministers, including prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, foreign minister Ishaq Dar and interior minister, Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi.
“It’s important the ceasefire holds, and I describe it as fragile, which is why I’m here,” Lammy told journalists on a call last Friday.
It was the first visit by a UK foreign secretary to Pakistan in the past four years.
Lammy also met consular staff who helped families as tensions escalated between India and Pakistan following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam last month.
India launched strikes against what it said were “terrorist camps” in Pakistan on May 7. Four days of intense tit-for-tat drone, missile and artillery exchanges with Islamabad followed. More than 70 people, including dozens of civilians, died on both sides.
New Delhi and Islamabad later agreed to a ceasefire after world leaders, including from the US and UK, said they spoke to the leadership of both south Asian countries.
“Both countries are long-standing friends of the UK,” Lammy said, adding, “I’ve been in close contact with my counterparts to caution against further escalation and push for a ceasefire.
“I’ve been in regular contact with counterparts in the United States, in Saudi Arabia, in UAE, in the European Union, to discuss how best the UK can work with India and Pakistan to avoid further conflict.
“But reaching a ceasefire is the important thing. And at the heart of sustaining the ceasefire is Pakistan and India having good relations themselves.”
He added, “I want to put on record how impressive I found the statesmanship, both of Pakistan and India, in de-escalating tensions and agreeing to a ceasefire.”
With Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi
The foreign secretary condemned the terrorist attack in Indian Kashmir when tourists were targeted and shot dead.
He said, “I’ve been absolutely clear that the terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir was horrific, and our thoughts are with those affected, their loved ones, and of course, the people of India.
“The UK government has always been clear in condemning terrorism of all forms, in no uncertain terms.
“And I called (India’s foreign) minister S Jaishankar to offer my condolences.
“In Pakistan, I have been discussing the issue of terrorism and how we deal with terrorism here in Pakistan. Of course, Pakistan, too, has been subject to horrendous terrorism in the recent past.
“The immediacy has been to get to a ceasefire and to see the de-escalation, and to build a horizon where there is confidence, where there is dialogue.
“But, absolutely, we have to bear down on the terrorist threat that exists and the militancy that goes alongside it.”
According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), in his meetings with senior counterparts, including the prime minister, Lammy highlighted the “immeasurable contribution” people of Pakistani descent have made to British life.
“We are friends with both countries. We have deep relations with both sides,” Lammy said.
In response to a question about India providing evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam attack, the foreign secretary said, “I wouldn’t expect India to share their matters of national security with me, necessarily.
“What we’re here to do is to ensure and support friends, to maintain an enduring ceasefire. That’s the thrust of my conversations here in Pakistan, while recognising that terrorism does have to be dealt with, and there are concerns that there are groups here engaged in causing harm.”
According to the foreign secretary, he discussed a visit with Pakistan’s foreign minister. However, “it’s unfortunate that I’ve come in the shadow of conflict, although I’m pleased that we now have this fragile ceasefire in place”.
Lammy also met Dar and Raza Naqvi during his visit , and discussed “important links in the friendship between our countries, issues of trade, cooperation, culture, exchange, the support we give Pakistan on the climate crisis and development”.
Previously, rising tensions in the subcontinent (including the most recent one) led to protests and demonstrations in the UK, with migrants of both Indian and Pakistani origin having settled in many cities and towns across the country.
Leicester witnessed scenes of violence a few years ago, but Lammy said this time communities acted responsibly.
He told Eastern Eye, “This has been an unsettling period for communities up and down the country – we’ve got well over three million people who have their origins from India and Pakistan.
Meeting consular staff at the British High Commission in Islamabad last Friday (16)
“We had oral questions in the House on Tuesday (13), and MPs took the opportunity to raise these issues. I know local authorities have also been engaged in communities broadly across the country.
“Of course, there has been anxiety and concern, but we do have communities that live side by side. Even though the images we’ve seen coming out of India and Pakistan have been deeply troubling, communities have acted responsibly and have actually been more focused on loved ones back in those countries than in disharmony within our own.”
He described how consular staff provided crucial support and advice to British citizens in Pakistan during the peak of recent tensions. “Between them, they’ve taken over 2,000 calls from people who were understandably very worried, particularly last weekend,” Lammy said.
He explained that they worked with airlines once Pakistan lifted its airspace restrictions, and helped people get emergency travel documents. “They also told me about how they helped people find access to pharmacies where they were running out of critical medicines because the airspace was closed,” Lammy said.
The FCDO said the foreign secretary has also been in “frequent contact with the government of India, having engaged with his counterpart last Thursday (15), and will look to travel to New Delhi soon to build on the strength of the UK-India relationship”.
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Anti-government protesters display Bangladesh’s national flag at Sheikh Hasina’s palace in Dhaka. (Photo: Getty Images)
TWO documentaries on the July 2024 pro-democracy protests in Bangladesh were screened at the House of Commons on 20 May. The event was hosted by Apsana Begum MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Bangladesh, at Portcullis House.
The screening featured the international premiere of Deepak Kumar Goswami Speaking, a 21-minute film narrated by a member of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority. It covers the student-led protests and subsequent state crackdown, also examining global financial systems linked to authoritarian regimes.
“This story is not just about one country. It’s about the global systems that allow authoritarian regimes to suppress dissent, launder wealth, and manipulate international opinion — and what happens when those systems begin to unravel,” said director Deepak Kumar Goswami.
An excerpt from July Women was also shown, presenting first-hand testimonies from two women involved in the protests.
The panel discussion, chaired by Apsana Begum MP, included photographer Shahidul Alam, writer Farrukh Dhondy, protest participant Nowshin Noor, and anthropologist Professor Nayanika Mookherjee.
The event follows a UN OHCHR report that found credible evidence of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture during the 2024 protests under the former Awami League government.
“These films are more than documentation. By giving these voices a platform, we reaffirm the need for a worldwide commitment to human rights, democracy, and justice globally. The world must stand with the people of Bangladesh as they navigate the path to accountability and true democratic reform,” said Apsana Begum MP.
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Rachel Reeves will also outline steps taken by the UK government to reduce interest rates and provide economic stability.(Photo: Getty Images)
CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves arrived in Banff, Canada, on Monday for a two-day G7 summit with finance ministers from leading democracies. Reeves is expected to focus on the UK’s recent trade deals and economic performance.
She said, “This Government is laser-focused on delivering for the British people. That’s why in the past two weeks we have struck three major deals with the US, EU and India that will kickstart economic growth and put more money in people’s pockets as part of our Plan for Change.”
The UK recently signed agreements with the US, EU and India. The deal with the EU is expected to add nearly £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040.
The India trade agreement is projected to increase GDP by £4.8 billion and wages by £2.2 bn annually in the long run. A separate agreement with the US includes tariff cuts and protections for British businesses.
Reeves is expected to meet US treasury secretary Scott Bessent and Canadian finance minister François-Philippe Champagne during the summit. She will also hold discussions on Ukraine with Ukrainian finance minister Sergii Marchenko.
The chancellor will reiterate UK support for Ukraine and highlight the latest UK sanctions on Russia’s oil exports.
She will also outline steps taken by the UK government to reduce interest rates and provide economic stability.
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The rise in lion numbers is being viewed as a major success for India’s conservation programme
The population of Asiatic lions in Gujarat has increased significantly, rising from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025, according to the latest census results announced by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday.
The figures were gathered during the 16th Asiatic lion census, which was carried out over four days from 10 to 13 May across 11 districts in the state. This marks a notable rise of over 32 per cent in the number of lions over the past five years.
The large-scale survey covered an estimated 35,000 square kilometres and involved around 3,000 personnel, including regional, zonal, and sub-zonal officers, enumerators, assistant enumerators and inspectors. The team conducted a preliminary count on 10 and 11 May, followed by the final phase on 12 and 13 May.
The census was conducted across 58 talukas, including the districts of Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Morbi, Surendranagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Amreli, Porbandar and Botad.
Asiatic lions, a distinct sub-species of lions, are exclusively found in Gujarat, primarily in and around the Gir National Park. The region is globally recognised as the only natural habitat of the Asiatic lion, and conservation efforts in the state have been instrumental in helping the species recover from the brink of extinction.
The rise in lion numbers is being viewed as a major success for India’s conservation programme, with authorities crediting effective wildlife management and local community involvement for the growing population.
The 2020 census had also shown an increase, with the population then having risen from 523 in 2015 to 674. With the current count at 891, Gujarat continues to be the stronghold for the world’s only wild population of Asiatic lions.