No, where do you come from?

[Onelife]

It appears Hussey isn’t fussy about who she offends…

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63810468

One can only imagine the conversations she had about where Meghan comes from?

[oldbluefox]

Could she not have simply answered she was British, born in Brixton but her parents came from wherever? She seems to have been deliberately elusive in her answers.
It seems you just have to be so careful nowadays for fear someone is going to be offended.
I sense it was a conversation which got out of hand. Lady Hussey should have recognised the situation at an early stage, wished her charity well and moved on instead of engaging.

[towny44]

I agree Foxy, it takes two people to create an argument, out of what might have been an innocuous question. Neither Lady Hussey or the charity worker come out of this with a clear conscience.

[Onelife]

Could she not have simply answered she was British, born in Brixton but her parents came from wherever? She seems to have been deliberately elusive in her answers.
It seems you just have to be so careful nowadays for fear someone is going to be offended.
I sense it was a conversation which got out of hand. Lady Hussey should have recognised the situation at an early stage, wished her charity well and moved on instead of engaging.

As far as I’m aware this wasn’t a taped conversation so there may well have been personal interpretation as to what was being asked… that being said, Hussey has apologised and stepped down from her position which does give some credence to what was said.

It could have been a whole lot worse had she asked Ngozi Fulani what TRIBE she belonged to

[CaroleF]

I certainly don't approve of any sort of racism. That said, Lady Hussey apologises and immediately resigned her position. I do feel sorry for her that her service to the Royal Family, particularly the Queen, I suppose I should say the late Queen, should end in such a way. She was the person who sat with the Queen in the car to go to Prince Philip's funeral. She was a companion to the Queen for many, many years and I think it's sad that it should end like this. I am sure that she will be horrified at what's happened, at how she offended the woman concerned and I would think so upset firstly that she so upset the woman she spoke to and also that being one of Prince William's Godmothers, very sad that she's hit the headlines just as he has arrived in the States.

Carole

[Mervyn and Trish]

I suspect this was not intentional racism but a careless naive comment that went up a blind alley with no way out. I'm sure she will have been mortified at the distress caused. However I also suspect the latter has been exaggerated by the politically correct. It's so easy these days for a discomfort to be blown into my life is ruined.

[barney]

Like Merv, I suspect that this lady was inadvertently racist, probably because she does have subliminal racist tendencies.
It’s not unusual within that generation.
My own father was quite openly racist.
He couldn’t see it when pointed out, which says everything about the indoctrination at the time.
I have a good friend called Carl, who happens to be black.
When we first met, I obviously asked him where he was from.
He replied, Hertfordshire.
I’m from London, I replied.
So, what part of Hertfordshire? Etc Etc.
I would never occurred to me to ask about his heritage.
As it happens, as we got to know each other well, he did explain that his parents came from the Caribbean in the fifties.
He was born in the U.K., holds a British passport and is English.

[david63]

Like all of these "incidents" none of us were there so we have no idea what was actually said nor how it was expressed - and it may well have been a well intentioned question that was misread - possibly by someone who has chosen to be offended.

[Onelife]

Barney wrote… “Like Merv, I suspect that this lady was inadvertently racist, probably because she does have subliminal racist tendencies”

I think your sentence is probably right as to the reason why Lady Hussey got herself into this situation, but I don’t think it is isolated as I think there are several who share the same views within the Royal family.

The whole institution is run on the understanding that you are there to serve so one shouldn’t be surprised when one of the old school matriarchs allows her British empire attitudes to come to the surface.

At least her gaff will deflect future garbage that is thrown at the only Royal we know not to be racist.

[Bensham33]

As far as I'm concerned Lady Hussey has done nothing wrong. The one who should be apologising is the charity women who has chosen to be offended.

[Onelife]

As far as I'm concerned Lady Hussey has done nothing wrong. The one who should be apologising is the charity women who has chosen to be offended.

Clearly Lady Hussey doesn’t share your view as she wouldn’t have apologised or stepped down.

[towny44]

As far as I'm concerned Lady Hussey has done nothing wrong. The one who should be apologising is the charity women who has chosen to be offended.

Clearly Lady Hussey doesn’t share your view as she wouldn’t have apologised or stepped down.

Perhaps she was pushed into stepping down and apologising.

[oldbluefox]

At her age she probably felt she could no longer be bothered making polite talk with people who are clearly keen to push their ethnic views. Now she can retire into the background and enjoy some retirement.

[Bensham33]

She was forced to resign for a number of reasons. The Lady did the honourable thing to save the Royal family any embarrassment, not that there was any.

[Manoverboard]

Lady Hussey has clearly had enough, her time has passed and especially so given that Camilla has announced that the ' Lady in Waiting ' roles are to be scrapped.

Time to move on and enjoy her retirement without all the trivia of modern life.

[Onelife]

As far as I'm concerned Lady Hussey has done nothing wrong. The one who should be apologising is the charity women who has chosen to be offended.

Clearly Lady Hussey doesn’t share your view as she wouldn’t have apologised or stepped down.

Perhaps she was pushed into stepping down and apologising.

The firm doing what it does best e.g., getting the family out of embarrassing situations.

[CaroleF]

Reading this morning that the woman who is claiming racism has in the past tweeted support of Meghan and Harry and made nasty comments about Charles and Camilla. She made a comment about Harry and Meghan not being allowed on the balcony at the Platinum Jubilee, 'Harry married and had children with a black woman. An all exclusively white balcony. The only black people, banned. 'RACISM!' and an other tweet in March 2021, 'Our charity supports black women DV (Domestic Violence) survivors. I can't stay silent about this. I admire Meghan for speaking out. According to clear definition, it seems Meghan is a survivor of DV from her in laws.'

One wonders why, if she that's what she thought, she attended the event at the palace at all. I'm not quite as old as Lady Hussey but there have been times when one of my daughters told me 'You can't say that' to some remark I've made. TheIre were times that I wasn't sure which was the correct word, 'Coloured' or 'Black.' One of my son-in-laws was born in Uganda and I have a mixed race grandaughter. I asked him which was the correct word - he said 'Carole, I don't mind either.' I wonder what would have happened if the Queen was still alive, how she would have diffused the situation.

Carole

[Onelife]

Reading this morning that the woman who is claiming racism has in the past tweeted support of Meghan and Harry and made nasty comments about Charles and Camilla. She made a comment about Harry and Meghan not being allowed on the balcony at the Platinum Jubilee, 'Harry married and had children with a black woman. An all exclusively white balcony. The only black people, banned. 'RACISM!' and an other tweet in March 2021, 'Our charity supports black women DV (Domestic Violence) survivors. I can't stay silent about this. I admire Meghan for speaking out. According to clear definition, it seems Meghan is a survivor of DV from her in laws.'

One wonders why, if she that's what she thought, she attended the event at the palace at all. I'm not quite as old as Lady Hussey but there have been times when one of my daughters told me 'You can't say that' to some remark I've made. TheIre were times that I wasn't sure which was the correct word, 'Coloured' or 'Black.' One of my son-in-laws was born in Uganda and I have a mixed race grandaughter. I asked him which was the correct word - he said 'Carole, I don't mind either.' I wonder what would have happened if the Queen was still alive, how she would have diffused the situation.

Carole

The more I learn about Ngozi Fulani the more I like her…she clearly has good judgment in supporting Harry and Meghan rather than deceitful Charles and Camilla.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I've heard quite a lot of reaction taking Lady Hussey's side and criticising this woman for blowing this up out of all proportion, including from people of colour. I wasn't there of course but LH immediately apologised and stood down when she realised she'd caused offence. It's a shame Ms Fulani can't graciously accept the apology and move on. I presume she has never made a mistake or accidentally offended anyone?

[david63]

The more I learn about Ngozi Fulani the more I like her…she clearly has good judgment ...

On that I must disagree.

If she had good judgment she would have kept her mouth shut rather than attention seeking.

[barney]

Reading this morning that the woman who is claiming racism has in the past tweeted support of Meghan and Harry and made nasty comments about Charles and Camilla. She made a comment about Harry and Meghan not being allowed on the balcony at the Platinum Jubilee, 'Harry married and had children with a black woman. An all exclusively white balcony. The only black people, banned. 'RACISM!' and an other tweet in March 2021, 'Our charity supports black women DV (Domestic Violence) survivors. I can't stay silent about this. I admire Meghan for speaking out. According to clear definition, it seems Meghan is a survivor of DV from her in laws.'

One wonders why, if she that's what she thought, she attended the event at the palace at all. I'm not quite as old as Lady Hussey but there have been times when one of my daughters told me 'You can't say that' to some remark I've made. TheIre were times that I wasn't sure which was the correct word, 'Coloured' or 'Black.' One of my son-in-laws was born in Uganda and I have a mixed race grandaughter. I asked him which was the correct word - he said 'Carole, I don't mind either.' I wonder what would have happened if the Queen was still alive, how she would have diffused the situation.

Carole

The more I learn about Ngozi Fulani the more I like her…she clearly has good judgment in supporting Harry and Meghan rather than deceitful Charles and Camilla.

In all seriousness OL, what do you think Harry and Meghan’s motivations are?
Given that the Oprah interview has now been absolutely proven, without doubt, to have been ‘inaccurate’, why do you think that they are once again putting themselves out there?
It just doesn’t make any sense to me.
I know that she has no relationship with her own family, her mother aside but why would they want to put up barriers with Harry’s family.
They can only lose.
As an anecdote, my immediate neighbour had a family rift with her younger son about twenty years ago of something that she now admits should have easily been resolved at the time.
Both dug their heels in.
All these years on, the only contact that they have had was at her husband’s, his father’s, funeral.
She now bitterly regrets how it happened and how it turned out.
He will also, as he ages.

This Netflix show could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for Harry and his children, who may grow up not ever knowing either side of their family.
And for what ?
Money?
He had that anyway.
Fame?
He already had that too.
Peace of mind?
Well that’s not worked out so far.
My impression, from outside is that they are trying to turn themselves in to some sort of reality tv couple.
Should his father ultimately lose patience and remove the titles, then they will be left with nothing to trade on.

[Onelife]

Hi Barney, I’m not going to speculate on any supposed motives? but if in some small way they help bring down an outdated institution of adulterers, liars, paedophiles, tax evaders, users, etc, etc I won’t be shedding any tears.

Whilst I accept some of the Oprah interview revelations may have been embellished, I do not accept that there wasn’t some truth behind most of what was said, and let’s face it, unless Charles or William upsets Harry further, we will probably never know the real truth. One thing I do know is that if Charles, in conjunction with William are stupid enough to strip Harry of his titles it will open the door wide open for Harry to spill the beans on his brother’s alleged discreet dinner parties, with Kathrine’s once best mate, Rose Hanbury, not to mention the speculated institutional racist environment of the Monarchy.

Can you remember the happy brotherly, sister-in-law walk-abouts? (Which the country embraced) this was however until the firm got involved and decided there could never be a ‘fab four’ vying for the same popularity stakes... you can understand why the firm got the press to do a hatchet job on Meghan….and will do again after the Netflix interviews.

As for Meghan’s parasitic family, it has also been proven, without doubt that their versions of truth have been found to be inaccurate.

[barney]

He was born to be the spare.
His great grandfather was the same but unexpectedly found himself monarch.
He was fortunate enough to be born into extreme privilege yet since marrying, has found a new role as one of life’s victims.
When they publicly proclaimed to the world that they were leaving the U.K. to live a quieter life, most were relieved.
Since then, they have done nothing but court publicity and controversy.
I find it very sad, both for Harry and his immediate family, which he is clearly trying to besmirch for financial gain.
Very sad, in my opinion.

[Gill W]

Going back to the original subject.

If you are white and say, for example, 'Hi I'm Gill and I'm from Kent and I'm British', it is accepted. No more questions asked.

If you are not white, it's not sufficient. You have to expect a grilling 'No, where are you really from'/ Who are your PEOPLE?

It may not be intended as such, but it is racist, even if unconscious, because the undertone is 'you're not white, so you can't really be British'.

The charity worker said she was British, the royal aide should have left it there,

[towny44]

Going back to the original subject.

If you are white and say, for example, 'Hi I'm Gill and I'm from Kent and I'm British', it is accepted. No more questions asked.

If you are not white, it's not sufficient. You have to expect a grilling 'No, where are you really from'/ Who are your PEOPLE?

It may not be intended as such, but it is racist, even if unconscious, because the undertone is 'you're not white, so you can't really be British'.

The charity worker said she was British, the royal aide should have left it there,

But if you are proud of your heritage, then you should be happy to detail your roots, which then should enlighten, or if there were any racist allusions, quieten the questioner.