Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined young leaders in a video call to discuss racism (Video)
Written by MAX FM on July 7, 2020
Prince Harry today faced criticism after he appeared to take a swipe at the British Empire by saying the history of the Commonwealth ‘must be acknowledged’, even if it’s ‘uncomfortable’.
The Duke of Sussex, 35, made the comment as he joined wife Meghan Markle, 38, for a video call with young leaders from the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust last week that was made public today.
As part of the discussion on ‘justice and equal rights’, Harry said the Commonwealth needs to follow others who have ‘acknowledged the past’ and are ‘trying to right their wrongs’, and also admitted to having his own ‘unconscious bias’.
Meanwhile Meghan said it is also a time of ‘reckoning’ when individuals should be putting their hands up to ‘own’ their past wrongdoings.
Speaking from his Los Angeles home, Harry, whose grandmother the Queen is head of the Commonwealth, said: ‘When you look across the Commonwealth, there is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past. So many people have done such an incredible job of acknowledging the past and trying to right those wrongs, but I think we all acknowledge there is so much more still to do.’
The statement appears to be a swipe at the British Empire, which was ruled over by his ancestors and led to the creation of the Commonwealth and goes against the protocol of royals not wading into politics.
The intervention was criticised by Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, who says Prince Harry’s comments were ‘disappointing’ and would not ‘please’ the Queen.
Harry told the group of young people, which included young leaders from Australia, the Bahamas and the UK: “When you look across the Commonwealth, there is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past.
“So many people have done such an incredible job of acknowledging the past and trying to right those wrongs, but I think we all acknowledge there is so much more still to do.”
He added: “The optimism and the hope that we get is from listening and speaking to people like you, because there is no turning back now, everything is coming to ahead.
“Solutions exist and change is happening far quicker than it ever has done before.”
The Duke also admitted he has his own unconscious bias.
He said: ‘We can’t deny or ignore the fact that all of us have been educated to see the world differently.
“However, once you start to realise that there is that bias there, then you need to acknowledge it, you need to do the work to become more aware… so that you can help stand up for something that is so wrong and should not be acceptable in our society today.”
Harry had to leave his role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador after he and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals. But the couple retained their posts as president and vice-president of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.
See video:
