In 2022, Prince William and Princess Catherine embarked on what was to be their first visit to the United States in nearly a decade. It did not, however, progress as smoothly as they would have probably hoped for it to. The ill-fated trip, which the couple essentially undertook for the royally backed Earthshot Prize, happened to coincide with an incident back in Britain that reinforced allegations around Buckingham Palace’s racist tendencies.
Lady Susan Hussey, who served as Queen Elizabeth II’s lady-in-waiting, was accused of asking Black charity leader Ngozi Fulani about her African heritage and the origins of “her people.” As Fulani told the Independent, “This woman was relentless and determined I am not British.” Beleaguered by allegations of racism only a year prior to this misstep — owing to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey — the palace worked swiftly to distance itself from remarks made by the royal aide, who soon stepped down from her role.
A spokesperson for William issued a strong statement against racism, which didn’t seem to help his position much among U.S. audiences. The royal pair was subjected to boos and chants of “U.S.A., U.S.A.” at a basketball game they attended in Boston, a snub that received wide media coverage. Their troubles didn’t end there. Metro reported that several protestors held up signs against the monarchy in Somerville, Massachusetts, as William and Catherine partook in an event there.
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