Princess Anne has been accused of being the unnamed royal which Harry and Meghan accused of racism in their interview with Oprah.
Lady Colin Campbell, a Jamaican-born British socialite who has written eight books about the Royal Family, claimed it was the Queen’s daughter who made the comment about how dark Archie’s skin would be. In a 38-minute podcast, Lady C cited insiders when she said Anne was behind the comments, Metro UK reports.
According to the report, Campbel claimed that Princess Anne had concerns about the sustainability of Meghan and if she would have ‘respect’ for the royals. But the socialite claimed that Princess Anne was not concerned about Meghan or Archie’s skin colour, but rather ‘the disastrous effects of allowing somebody of that ilk, character-wise, into the family’.
She claimed the Princess was worried about how it ‘would not only cause trouble for all of them but also for any child born of the union’, the report added.
The Sussexes refused to name in the Oprah interview who they said had ‘concerns and conversations about how dark [Archie’s] skin might be when he was born’ because it would be too damaging for the person.
But Lady C said: ‘Harry decided that on the slimmest of hints about culture – that it referred to colour. She [Anne] had concerns about the disastrous effects of allowing somebody of that ilk, character-wise, into the family, which would not only cause trouble for all of them but also for any child born of the union.
‘Princess Anne was rightly concerned that if the marriage proceeded and there were children there would be huge problems, not because of Meghan’s colour, but because of Meghan’s inability and determination to remain unable to appreciate the cultural differences.
‘Meghan and Harry have used that genuine concern of a loving aunt, knowing that because she is down to earth, experienced, modest, intelligent and sensible, and that you cannot make a sow’s ear into a silk purse.’ The author went on to claim Princess Anne was the ‘champion in terms of “don’t marry that girl”’
Princess Anne has previously been dubbed the ‘rebel princess’ for her headstrong personality and alleged affairs. The Queen’s second child has herself admitted she is ‘not everyone’s idea of a fairytale princess’. She has also been crowned the hardest-working member of the Royal Family, clocking up 148 official engagements last year alone. Royal commentator Penny Junor, who was in the year above Anne at Benenden School in Kent, previously said:
‘I think she is of that generation, women were much more inclined to think “What is sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander”, women can do just what men can do. ‘I would guess she is a feminist although I’m not aware of her calling herself one.’
The Queen responded to the Sussexes’ allegations saying they would be taken ‘seriously’ but would be dealt with privately.
After the Oprah interview, TV presenter Gayle King said Harry had spoken to his brother and his dad but the talks ‘were not productive’. She went on to say that Meghan claims she has ‘documents to back up everything she said on Oprah’s interview’.
The drama has rocked the Royal Family with a massive fallout. Prince William previously told the press: ‘We are very much not a racist family’