Prince Harry made his remarks while launching a new campaign to end structural racism to mark the beginning of Black History Month. The Duke of Sussex argued the UK could be a better country by gaining a deeper understanding of the difficulties experienced by people “of a different coloured skin”.
Opening up on his own “awakening” to the lack of opportunities people from the BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities face, Harry told the Evening Standard in a conversation over Zoom: “Because I wasn’t aware of so many of the issues and so many of the problems within the UK and also globally as well.
“I thought I did but I didn’t.”
Meeting Meghan, who also took part in the Zoom call, was pivotal to Harry’s understanding of the issues encountered by people of colour, the Duke confessed.
He continued: “You know, when you go in to a shop with your children and you only see white dolls, do you even think: ‘That’s weird, there is not a black doll there?’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marked the beginning of Black History Month (Image: GETTY)
Prince Harry revealed Meghan Markle helped him understand the struggles and issues faced by people of colour (Image: GETTY)
“And I use that as just one example of where we as white people don’t always have the awareness of what it must be like for someone else of a different coloured skin, of a black skin, to be in the same situation as we are where the world that we know has been created by white people for white people.”
Explaining he isn’t blaming people for their lack of knowledge when it comes to problems faced by BAME, Prince Harry said: “It is not about pointing the finger, it is not about blame.
“I will be the first person to say, again, this is about learning.
“And about how we can make it better.
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Prince Harry said London ‘doesn’t feel as diverse as it actually is’ when you speak to people in the street (Image: GETTY)
“I think it is a really exciting time in British culture and British history, and in world culture.
“This is a real moment that we should be grasping and actually celebrating.
“Because no one else has managed to do this before us.”
During their latest chat, Meghan and Harry unveiled their list of Black History Month NextGen Trailblazers.
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with their one-year-old son (Image: GETTY)
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have stepped down as senior royals (Image: GETTY)
This list recognises people who have challenged prejudice and worked to make a positive contribution to the British society.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex picked those who inspired them the most out of the list of nominations made by BAME high-profile figures such as Vogue editor Edward Enninful and Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams.
Prince Harry described Black History Month, an annual series of events taking place in October in the UK to acknowledge and celebrate the black community, as “a wonderful celebration”.
Meghan and Harry repeated their plea to end structural racism in the UK and around the world to level the playing field and allow people from all background to access the same opportunities in an article they wrote for the Standard.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry now live in California (Image: EXPRESS)
They said: “For as long as structural racism exists, there will be generations of young people of colour who do not start their lives with the same equality of opportunity as their white peers.
“And for as long as that continues, untapped potential will never get to be realised.”
Prince Harry added that even London, famous around the world for its multiculturalism, “doesn’t feel as diverse as it actually is” when talking to people in the street.
He continued: “Therefore, now is the best time for us to be able to use our platform and you use your platform as well so we can actually start a conversation and introduce people to the black community that are making a massive difference within their own communities and across the UK as a whole as well.”
Prince Harry spoke about the row sparked after a Black Lives Matter dance routine was performed at Britain’s Got Talent (Image: GETTY)
The Duke also used as an example to prove how much needed a conversation on race equality is the row exploded after Britain’s Got Talent judge Ashley Banjo’s troupe Diversity performed a Black Lives Matter themed dance routine.
He said: “We spoke to Ashley Banjo a few weeks ago, straight after the Britain’s Got Talent situation.
“And that in itself, I am sure even me talking about it will be controversial, but the reality of it is he and his team of guys put on the most amazing display.
“We had such a good chat with Ashley. He was really strong, he felt great about it, but at the same time he was concerned because of the reaction.
“It was a real surprise that there was what? 1,100 complaints after the show and then three days of hype it became 20 or 25,000. I am very glad Ofcom made the decision that they did but that in itself kind of proves how much this conversation needs to continue.”
