JUST SAY SORRY

Palace Accused of Not Making Proper Apology for Aide’s Racist Remarks

Ngozi Fulani claims she did not receive a personal apology from the palace after she went public with claims she was racially discriminated against by a senior courtier.

Ngozi Fulani, the charity CEO who was repeatedly asked where she was “really from” by a senior lady-in-waiting at a Buckingham Palace reception, said she did not receive a personal apology from the palace after the incident and that abuse has been directed at her since she went public with the claims. She said the palace did not act to try and help stop the abuse but could have done so.

Fulani added that the pressure had forced her to step down as chief executive of the charity Sistah Space, which supports women and girls of African heritage facing violence. She said dealing with the fallout from the incident had cost the charity a “fortune.”

Her claims, made Wednesday on Britain’s top morning show, Good Morning Britain, were met with unusually firm pushback from Buckingham Palace, which said both public and personal apologies were made to Fulani by the palace and by the lady-in-waiting herself, Susan Hussey, in a face-to-face meeting.

Hussey resigned from her official role in the wake of the affair but has since been quietly rehabilitated by the palace and recently attended a memorial service officially on behalf of Princess Anne.

Speaking on International Women’s Day, Fulani criticized the official statement of apology issued after the incident, saying: “Who are they apologizing to? When you make this apology to everybody, I don’t know who you’re apologizing to. If you’re sorry, tell me you’re sorry. If you’re not, it speaks for itself.

“I’m just making the point so that everybody understands. I don’t see that it is so hard to say, ‘I’m sorry.’

“You sent me the invitation so you know how to find me. You know how to say sorry.”

Fulani had accompanied a friend to a Buckingham Palace reception, hosted by Queen Camilla, to highlight violence against women and girls last November.

She later shared details of a shocking exchange with Hussey, who is Prince William’s godmother and was a close friend of the queen.

“Where are you from?” she asked Fulani.

When Fulani said she was from Sistah Space, the staff member replied: “No, where do you come from?”

Fulani says she answered that the organization is based in Hackney in northeast London. “No,” Hussey allegedly replied, “What part of Africa are you from?” Fulani said she explained that she was born in the U.K. and is British, but Hussey reportedly continued to press: “No, but where do you really come from, where do your people come from?”

Fulani says she again explained that she is a British national and that her parents came to the U.K. in the 1950s.

“Oh, I knew we’d get there in the end, you’re Caribbean!” Hussey allegedly replied.

“No, lady, I am of African heritage, Caribbean descent, and British nationality,” Fulani said she answered.

Fulani says she was left feeling “violated” by the exchange, her account of which she then published on social media.

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Fulani met with Hussey at Buckingham Palace in mid-December, and King Charles’ office subsequently said: “At this meeting, filled with warmth and understanding, Lady Susan offered her sincere apologies for the comments that were made and the distress they caused to Ms Fulani."

The palace appeared dismayed Wednesday by Fulani’s “fresh assertions” and said the palace had “made clear the comments made by Lady Susan were deeply regrettable,” adding, “Lady Susan immediately expressed her sincere apologies, and stepped aside from her honorary role. These apologies were reiterated in person at a meeting in December, filled with warmth and understanding.”

The palace noted pointedly that after the December meeting both sides had “agreed that no further media comment would be made.”

The palace added: “For the avoidance of any doubt, we are sorry for the incident that took place and apologise for the distress and difficulty it caused to Ms Fulani.”

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Tom SykesEuropean Editor at Large

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