Black Lives Matter organizer Imarn Ayton admitted that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘have proven themselves to be liars’.
The comments follow the Duke of Sussex’s recent media appearances in which he denied accusing the royal family of racism in his interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
Speaking to ITV earlier this week, Prince Harry said the royal family were guilty of ‘unconscious bias’ about the claim an unnamed royal expressed ‘concern’ about their son Archie’s skin color.
When ITV’s Tom Bradby said: ‘You accused members of your family of racism,’ Harry snapped back: ‘No, I didn’t. The British press said that. Did Meghan ever mention that they’re racist?’
While discussing the topic on TalkTV, Ms. Ayton conceded that the couple have shown themselves to be liars but have still contended with bullying and racism.
Ms. Ayton, a key organizer of the demonstrations in London in 2020 following the death of George Floyd, said: ‘I will happily and humbly accept the defeat when it comes to them being called liars. They have proven themselves to be liars.’
She added: ‘It does not negate the fact that Harry was bullied and harassed by the media.’
‘It does not negate the fact that his wife had to contend with racism.
‘It does not negate the fact he has the right to defend himself when he feels aggrieved.’
On the evidence topic, she said, ‘we already know they have backpedaled’ and not disclosed ‘certain bits of information pertaining to the racism claims’.
But she said: ‘The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.’
While the Duke has not referred to the Oprah interview in his memoir, he was asked by Bradby in the interview to plug the book: ‘Wouldn’t you describe that as essentially racist?’
Harry replies: ‘I wouldn’t not having lived within that family.’ But he adds: ‘The difference between racism and unconscious bias… the two things are different.
‘But once it’s been acknowledged, or pointed out to you as an individual, or as an institution, that you have unconscious bias, you, therefore, have an opportunity to learn and grow from that so that you are part of the solution rather than part of the problem.’
And he accused Buckingham Palace of failing to follow up on promises it made in the wake of the Oprah controversy, including appointing a ‘diversity tsar.’
The Duke of Sussex said there is a place for the monarchy in the modern world if they addressed unconscious bias.
Asked on Good Morning America this morning if he thinks there is a place for the British monarchy in the 21st century, he said: ‘I genuinely believe that there is. Not the way that it is now.’
Asked if they need to modernize and, if so, in what way, Harry said: ‘I think the same process that I went through with regarding my own unconscious bias would be hugely beneficial to them.
‘Not racism, but unconscious bias, if not confronted, if not learned and grown from, that can then move into racism.
‘But there was an enormous missed opportunity with my wife.’
