Royal racism row: now Lady Hussey wants to explain “her side of events”

GAFFE: Lady Hussey, wife of the late BBC chairman Marmaduke Hussey, and now former aide to the monarch. (Pic: Getty)

A FORMER member of the Royal Household, who resigned after being accused of racially “interrogating” a black charity boss, has offered to meet with her accuser to explain her side of events.

Lady Susan Hussey 83, repeatedly asked Ngozi Fulani “where she was really from” at a Palace reception event despite Fulani repeatedly explaining that she was from Britain and was a British citizen. 

During the incident Lady Hussey also physically moved Fulani’s hair in order to read Fulani’s name badge, which was both deeply inappropriate and culturally insensitive.

Now, following condemnation from Buckingham Palace, and a statement from Britain’s first minority ethnic prime minister, Rishi Sunak, condemning racism in society, Hussey has said she wants to apologise to Fulani in person.

STUNNED INTO SILENCE: Ngozi Fulani was repeatedly asked where she was “really from” at Buckingham Palace event

Following the fallout, Hussey had stepped down from her honorary role as a lady of the household, having served the household for more than 60 years, while the Palace described the words said to Fulani by Hussey as “unacceptable and deeply regrettable”.

While many have welcomed the swift action and statement taken by Buckingham Palace over the incident, the controversy has threatened to overshadow William and Kate’s US visit as the Royal Family seek to bolster their image abroad.

The new scandal has heaped further embarrassment for the Royal Family still reeling with accusations of internal racism over the ongoing treatment of Meghan Markle and her mixed-race children she shares with Prince Harry.

Not everybody however, has accepted wrongdoing on the part of Lady Hussey, including long-time friend and Royal biographer, William Shawcross who suggested that Hussey was a victim of “remorseless, cruel, blame culture” describing Hussey’s departure from the Royal Household as a “personal tragedy”.

While the exchange between Lady Hussey and Ngosi Fulani has now triggered a much wider conversation it’s clear that many still view the kind of questions and racism levelled at Fulani as acceptable, viewing Hussey as the victim.

The very fact that the comments were made by Hussey in the first place however, shows just how out of touch many in society remain from the UK’s black communities, still viewing black people as a curiosity to be ‘othered’.

Furthermore, days after the initial incident, some now trying to paint the fallout as a result of an overly sensitive woke cancel culture mob, reminds us of how dismissive and unconcerned many continue to be whenever racism reveals itself.

It’s good that the Palace responded quickly to the incident which happened, but the fact is, that such comments should never have been made in the first place.

Black people not wanting to repeatedly explain where they are “from” and to not have their hair touched without consent is not something which should even need to be explained at the tail end of 2022.

Comments Form

10 Comments

  1. | Shane

    The Lady (obviously not one) had no right to speak to the woman of colour in that way. Nothing more than a totally snobby old woman. Good she has resigned.

    Reply

    • | Margaret

      What a ridiculous situation. If someone asked me where l am from (l’m Anglo Irish ) l wouldn’t take offence if Someone asked where l am really from, meaning do l feel more Irish or more English. Poor Lady Hussey. She wasn’t being racist but the silly over-sensitive thin-skinned easily-offended brigade just have to take offence where none was intended. I’m with you, Lady Hussey. You were innocently making conversation and then BANG! Poor you. God bless you. Margaret

      Reply

  2. | Joan williams

    So….the fact that
    this question.was repeatedly asked where are you from and being told i am british
    Why further questioning
    In this day and age???

    Lady Hussey should gracefully stepdown from duties and questioned as to her integration into why she needed to question this lady nationality.
    I rest my case!!!!!

    Reply

  3. | Chaka Artwell

    Voice readers, there is something very odd with the Lady Susan Hussey incident at Buckingham Palace involving Sistah Space founder Ms Ngozi Fulani.

    Ms Ngozi Fulani, a graduate of SOAS, claims publicly to be proud of her African Heritage.

    However, Ms Fulani clearly did not want to disclose her African-heritage; preferring to state her English status; upbringing and socialisation, when asked to identify her cultural-African heritage, by Lady Susan Hussey.

    Ms Fulani could have easily responded to Lady Susan Hussey’s commonly asked enquiry by simply stating,
    I am one of His Majesty’s African-Caribbean heritage Subjects, with Caribbean-heritage, and a strong affinity for all things African.

    Is that so difficult Ms Fulani?

    Now Lady Susan Hussey has been “cancelled” and labelled as a “racist,” for merely asking a commonly asked questions of His Majesty’s African-Caribbean Heritage Subjects.

    Ms Fulani’s response bring shame on all of His Majesty’s African-Caribbean heritage Subjects.

    Reply

  4. | Ayesha

    The touching of the hair was an intrusion- whatever the colour of the person no one touches hair at a first meeting unless invited and Oh I can see I am going to have a challenge getting you to say where you’re from.

    That’s really rude and aggressive.

    Reply

  5. | Angela Waterman

    I completely agree with Chaka Artwell’s comments.

    Reply

    • | Peter Crawford ( 83 years old )

      I agree 100% with Chaka Artwell’s comments.
      Thank you for this.

      Reply

  6. | Peter Crawford ( 83 years old )

    This is definitely a case of ‘Attitude’ and it wasn’t Lady Hussey.

    Reply

  7. | ian

    I agree 100% with Chaka Artwell’s comments

    Reply

  8. | DAZZA

    WHERE ARE THE TAKING TO THE STREETS OR PROTESTS. INSTEAD PEOPLE ARE SAT ON THERE SOFA’S

    THERE BE MARCHES DEMADING HER JAILING.

    Reply

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