Give the Royal Family a break

I am looking at recent events surrounding the Royal family in a different light than most others and I believe they need to be given a break. Please remember that Prince Phillip is 99 and Queen Elizabeth is 93. They have lived for 9 decades in a world where people only look like they do. If anyone did question the color of baby Archie it’s nothing more than many black families have done. Whenever a child is of mixed race heritage there is always someone wondering what kind of complexion he or she will have.

It does not always denote racism sometimes curiosity. I cannot say with certainty what was in the heart of the person who asked this in Meghan Markle’s presence but I do know it’s a valid question. If Archie had been born with the complexion of Meghan’s mother and the Sussexes had remained in England his life would have been very difficult. His Royal cousins may have views him as the black relation and not treated him the same. For centuries I’m America biracial children have had to identify as black and many times their white relations disowned them.

For this reason I don’t understand why there is so ch a big deal being made about what one Royal allegedly said. Meghan is pregnant again and it’s probably more likely that her daughter will look like her son. Meghan’s father is white which makes her biracial and Harry and everyone on his side of the family is Caucasian. Meghan’s mom Doria Ragland is not too dark or too light and Meghan looks more white than black. Harry’s sister will probably have the same coloring although it should not matter. This was a huge first for the Royal Family and a situation they had never encountered before so naturally there would be faux paus. Why would anyone expect thetr to be peace and harmony in such an awkward situation?

I can remember when my brother married a white woman and I felt ill at ease around her because I was only used to black people in the immediate family. I grew to love her and see her as my sister but it took time. Meghan Markle should have known there would be some issues simply because people are human. She also knew how Princess Diana was treated and should have expected her color to be an additional obstacle that her deceased mother in law did not have to deal with. Yes I know there are people who simply hate those of a different race for no reason. I also understand that for many it’s simply culture clash. Both my oldest son and my husband had white male coworkers on jobs ask them unusual questions and appear to be ill at ease with them. Most of these people had never had real interactions with blacks before.

To say that in 2021 the Royal Family should have known better is not so simple. They have encountered black dignitaries, entertainers and sports figures but never had a person of color been in their immediate family. Prince Phillip has said unkind things for decades about those who don’t look like he does. He had made disparaging remarks about Asians, Australians, Africans and others. Is the Duke of Edenburgh a racist or simply uncomfortable with those of other cultures? If you’re pay attention to many American cartoons they are very stereotypical. Assumed an people have extremely slanted eyes, wear Kimonos and always say “ Ha so”. Often when characters get blown up they look likeAftican pigmies. There has always been a tendency for Europeans and Americans to mock those of different ethnicities. In Looney Tunes? Haney and Greek have thick over exadurated accents.

These things were accepted as normal for quite a while and only now ate more people speaking out. If thr Wiern and her family have become accustomed to a world where those who look like them are deemed somehow superior, how can anyone expect them to simply turn off their way of thinking just because popular culture is changing. I believe sometimes society is too quick to brand people as racist without understanding how and why they think the way they do. One person said to me that the Royal Family should know not to to express certain opinions but my question is why? If it’s been done for hundreds of years and no one ever told them things are changing then why would they think differently?

Meghan Markle should have known that the Royals and most of the world were waiting to see what type of complexion her son would have. The same thing is going to happen with the new baby who was announced to be a girl. These are the things people wonder about even though it was not a good idea to say it out loud.This is why I believe the Royal Family should be given a break. Perhaps if the media and some British citizens had left well enough alone, in time things might have worked out where Meghan was concerned and she and Prince Harry would not have felt the need to flee to North America.