UK: Buckingham Palace aide resigns over ‘racist questioning’ of black British guest

A Buckingham Palace household member has apologised and resigned over “unacceptable comments” made to a black British guest Ngozi Fulani, at a reception hosted by the Queen Consort.

Ngozi Fulani, the founder of a charity, Sistah Space, which supports victims of domestic abuse, says she was repeatedly asked at the Buckingham Palace event by a royal aide where she was “really from”. She said she was asked where she was from in Africa.

The palace said it was taking the incident “extremely seriously”.

An eyewitness to the conversation, Ms. Mandu Reid, who is leader of the Women’s Equality Party, backed Fulani’s account, and told the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, that the questions put to Ms Fulani were “offensive, racist and unwelcoming”.

Ms. Reid says she had a “sense of incredulity” about the exchange with the member of the Royal Household member over Ms Fulani’s “interrogation”.

Along with 300 guests, Ngozi Fulani had been invited to a high-profile reception at the Palace on Tuesday, where the Queen Consort, Camilla, had warned of a “global pandemic of violence against women”. However, after the event, Ms. Fulani described her conversation on Twitter, where she was challenged by a royal aide to explain where she was from.

Ms. Reid said they were “stunned into silence” afterwards, and said that Ms Fulani should receive an apology and that those working for the palace should receive training.

Both Ms. Reid and Sistah Space have decided not to name the royal aide believed to be involved.

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