Buckingham Palace is considering appointing an official who would serve as a diversity czar after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s disturbing interview with Oprah Winfrey, according to several media reports.
A source said that the palace has been working for some time to improve diversity in the royal households, but little progress has been made.
Diversity is an “issue which has been taken very seriously across the royal households,” the source told CNN and British outlets.
“We have the policies, the procedures and programs in place, but we haven’t seen the progress we would like and accept more needs to be done,” the source added. “The work to do this has been underway for some time now and comes with the full support of the family.”
Naming a diversity czar to spearhead efforts is on the table, but it’s still too early to announce any “firm plans,” the source explained. “We are listening and learning, to get this right,” the source added.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex complained about racist coverage in the British press to Winfrey in an interview earlier this month. But in the most disturbing revelation, they said that a member of the royal family had talked to them about “concerns” over how dark their son’s skin would be. They didn’t name the family member, but Winfrey later clarified that it wasn’t Queen Elizabeth or Prince Phillip.
Buckingham Palace is already slated to review diversity policies in all of the royal households, including Clarence House and Kensington Palace, the BBC reported.
The Guardian reported that royal aides were to take part in a “listen and learn” process concerning inclusion in the coming weeks. It will reportedly involve individuals and business leaders sharing thoughts on how the monarchy can improve representation of people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community and individuals with disabilities.
In a statement on behalf of the queen following the Winfrey interview, Buckingham Palace said that allegations of racism made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were “concerning,” adding that they would be “taken very seriously” and “addressed by the family privately.”
After the interview, Prince William told a reporter that “we’re very much not a racist family.”
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