Debate breaks out on GMB as journalist says Royal should discuss ‘unconscious bias’ in race for Omid Scobie – but historian says blame game ‘doesn’t help’
Good Morning Britain erupted into debate today as a journalist and historian clashed over Omid Scobie’s accusations about the race riots.
Broadcaster Ateh Jewel said the monarchy should have an “open and meaningful discussion” about race, while historian Tessa Dunlop said ‘there’s no point’ in playing the blame game.
The debate comes after Omid Scobie reignited the royal race row with his book Endgame, after a Dutch-language edition named the two royals as allegedly discussing the skin color of Harry and Meghan’s son Archie before he was born.
‘I’m for the monarchy, I really believe there is a place and as the first family of the country they need to lead the conversation. As a black woman and mother of mixed heritage children, I truly believe they have a responsibility to talk about this.
“I don’t believe in cancel culture, but I do believe in accountability and leading the conversation,” Ateh said.
Broadcaster and journalist Ateh Jewel (right) said that “it is the monarchy’s responsibility to have an open, meaningful discussion,” while historian Tessa Dunlop (left) says that “it doesn’t help” to play the blame game.
“Racism today and unconscious bias is so nuanced, you don’t have to throw around the N-word and have a burning cross in your yard to have racism.
“It’s so much more hidden and it’s something I’ve had to deal with all my life, and my children too, and I think it’s the responsibility of the monarchy to have an open, meaningful discussion about this.”
While Tessa thought the answer was to immerse the royal family in more diverse communities that “do not represent an entitled white class.”
“There was clearly some awkwardness around relations with Meghan, probably unconscious bias. “We should help and push for our royal family to be more compelling and for the staff to be more diverse,” she said.
“In terms of raising their children, for example, what schools will they attend, will they have daily meaningful interactions with people who do not represent a white class?
‘Not only are they part of Britain, head of state here in Britain and the Commonwealth where the majority is non-white, so it is absolutely necessary, but we should not pass them on well: it was her, it was him it was, that is of no use. feeling.’
The debate comes after King Charles and the Princess of Wales were named in the Dutch version of the book as the royal family reportedly raising “concerns” about Prince Archie’s skin color.
While Tessa thought the answer was to immerse the royal family in more diverse communities that ‘do not represent a white class’
Good Morning Britain hosted the impassioned debate today, which asked whether the royals were responding to the race riot allegations
GMB viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, with their own views that seemed mixed
GMB viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, with their own views that seemed mixed.
One person said: ‘It was a fair question… every family speculates about a new baby: will the baby have a big head like the dad, big ears like the mum, dark skin and so on, nothing new.’
Another wrote: ‘No. It’s not a racist question anyway, more curiosity. It was completely normal.’
Someone else wrote: ‘Whenever this comes up people always forget the key words Harry and Meghan said! That word is: CONCERN.
In a tense BBC interview with Victoria Derbyshire, Scobie stated: ‘It’s not for me to apologize because I still want to know what happened.’
‘The Royals were concerned about how dark Archie would be. That is not normal’. Regardless of whether this was H&M’s story or someone else’s, raising CONCERNS in itself is just that.”
While a fourth wrote: ‘There is nothing normal about wondering what skin color an unborn baby will have.
‘Asking about eye color, or what the baby will look like, are common questions, not the pigmentation of their skin.
“Was the skin color of George, Charlotte and Louis a discussion before they were born?”
Omid Scobie denied naming the two royals in the Dutch version of Endgame and also claimed it wasn’t a ‘stunt’ to push more copies of his book.
The Prince and Princess of Wales displayed a ‘business-as-usual’ attitude as they attended the 2023 Royal Variety Performance
King Charles also brushed aside the racism row when he visited Dubai for the Cop28 summit. Here he is speaking to representatives at the Commonwealth and Nature reception yesterday
The alleged racist comments were about ‘concerns’ about Prince Archie’s skin colour. Pictured: Harry and Meghan in Sydney in 2018
Scobie, 42, said he was “hurt” by the suggestion and dismissed it as a conspiracy theory by people who want to believe he is “in cahoots” with Meghan Markle. He stated: ‘It couldn’t be further from the truth. ‘.
He also refused to apologize for the racism scandal that has broken out, claiming: ‘I’m just as frustrated as everyone else. The book I wrote, the book I edited, the book I signed, there were no names in it.’
Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Two’s Newsnight, Mr Scobie was asked to point out that the farrago over the Dutch translation was not a PR stunt. He raised his hands, shook his head and replied, “About my life, about the life of my family.” Mrs Derbyshire said: ‘You don’t have to go that far, it’s fine.’