LONDON – Prince William on Thursday denied that the British royal family was racist in his first public comments after his brother Prince Harry and Harry’s wife Meghan claimed in a bombshell interview that a family member had raised concerns about her son’s skin tone.
Asked by a reporter whether the royal family was racist, Prince William said “it was not a very racist family”, in comments that were recorded and posted on social media.
He also said that he had not spoken to Harry since the interview, which aired Sunday in the United States and Monday night in Britain. “But I will,” he added.
In the interview to tell everything, Harry called the British press racist and Meghan said that real life was so emotionally isolating that it led her to think about suicide. The accusations sparked a national debate over racism rooted in the monarchy – and in the press itself.
In the interview, Harry said that his relationship with his brother was “space”.
The royal family offered an official response to the interview on Tuesday, saying “the whole royal family is sad”. The family said they were particularly concerned about the issue of racism raised by the couple, but said the matter would be dealt with privately. William’s comments were the first of a family member during a public appearance.
The comments came while he and his wife, Kate – also known as Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – visited a school in London after schools reopened in the country this week. It was their first public appearance since Harry and Meghan’s interview aired.
The visit, focusing on mental health, was scheduled to mark the beginning of a mental health resource initiative in schools.