A close friend of the late Queen has stepped down from her royal role after she made "unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments" to a black visitor by asking her where she "really came from".
Ngozi Fulani, founder of women's domestic abuse charity Sistah Space, claims she was questioned about her ethnicity by Lady Susan Hussey. The 83-year-old was one of Her Majesty's most senior ladies in waiting and is Prince William's godmother, according to the Mirror.
Buckingham Palace said it took the incident, which unfolded at the Queen Consort's reception on violence against women on Tuesday, "extremely seriously" and an investigation has been launched. A royal source confirmed Hussey has since resigned from her honorary role in the palace household.
Posting to Twitter about the conversation, Ngozi described it as a "violation" and said the experience will "never leave" her. She claims Hussey asked her: "Where do you come from?"
The member of the household then allegedly continued to ask "what nationality are you?", "where do your people come from?" and "what part of Africa are you from?"
Ngozi claims she then remarked: "I can see I am going to have a challenge getting you to say where you're from. When did you first come here?"
Eventually, Ngozi says she replied: "I am a British national, my parents came here in the 1950s," to which Hussey responded: "Oh, I knew we'd get there in the end, you're Caribbean."
Ngozi says she then corrected the aristocrat, saying: "No, I am of African heritage, Caribbean descent and British nationality."
Hussey was considered the “head girl” of the seven ladies in waiting who dedicated decades of their lives in service to the Queen. Following the monarch's death, she was one of only three kept on by King Charles.
The incident took place during an event held as part of the UN’s “16 days of activism against gender-based violence” which included around 300 guests - campaigners, politicians and celebrity ambassadors - to draw attention to the ongoing crisis.
A palace spokesman said: "We take this incident extremely seriously and have investigated immediately to establish the full details. In this instance, unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments have been made. We have reached out to Ngozi Fulani on this matter, and are inviting her to discuss all elements of her experience in person if she wishes.
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