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Writer's pictureVishnu KD

Queen supports Black Lives Matter, according to a senior royal spokesperson


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According to one of the monarch's representatives, the Queen and the royal family are supporters of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.


In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in the United States, Sir Ken Olisa, the first black Lord-Lieutenant for London, told Channel 4 that he had discussed racism with members of the royal household.


“I have discussed this whole problem of race with the royal household, particularly in the last 12 months after the George Floyd incident,” he stated in an interview with the broadcaster.


“It's a major issue of discussion. What more can we do to bring society together and break down these barriers? They [the royals] are deeply committed to uniting the country around shared values.”


“The answer is easily yes,” Sir Ken answered when asked if the palace supports BLM.


During the program, called Black to Front, which will air on Friday at 7 p.m. and was created by an all-black presenting and reporting crew, Sir Ken also revealed that the Queen had asked his advice on whether or not to visit the site of the tragedy following the Grenfell catastrophe.


The Duke and Duchess of Sussex accused the royal family of racism in an interview with Oprah Winfrey earlier this year. Meghan said that an anonymous royal – not the Queen or the Duke of Edinburgh – expressed concern to Harry about Archie's skin tone before he was born.


The pair also stated that racism may have played a role in the Queen's decision to deny security protection and the title of prince to Archie, the Queen's first mixed-race great-grandchild.


The Queen then made a statement saying that the issues presented would be dealt with discreetly as a family, but that "some recollections may vary," while the Duke of Cambridge defended the monarchy shortly after the interview aired, adding, "We're very much not a racist family."


Buckingham Palace has also conceded that it "must do more" and is "not where it wants to be" in terms of diversity, after releasing numbers showing that the proportion of ethnic minority staff at the palace is 8.5 percent, with a goal of 10% by 2022.

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