‘But where do you REALLY come from…’ The race row that forced a friend of the Queen to resign as Lady in Waiting a year ago today

She was the ultimate insider, one of the late Queen’s intimate friends and so close to King Charles that he made Prince William her godmother.

So when Lady Susan Hussey became embroiled in a racist row that forced her to resign a year ago today, it sent shockwaves through the royal family.

Lady Susan, 84, announced she was stepping back from her royal duties on December 1, 2022, after charity activist Ngozi Fulani accused her of racially abusing her during a reception at Buckingham Palace.

The furor came when the aristocrat, one of Queen Camilla’s closest aides, repeatedly asked Ms Fulani, the British-born director of the east London charity Sistah Space, where she was “really from”.

The Royal Family, still reeling from allegations of racism by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex last year, were further shocked when Ms Fulani took to X (Twitter) to describe her treatment by Lady Susan, such permanent fixture at Buckingham Palace that she called ‘Number One Head Girl’.

“Mixed feelings about yesterday’s visit to Buckingham Palace,” Ms. Fulani posted on X, after the Nov. 30 reception.

’10 minutes after arriving a member of staff, Lady SH, came up to me, moved my hair to see my name badge. The conversation below took place. The rest of the event is a blur.”

In Mrs Fulani’s version of events, it started with the royal aide asking her where she was from. She replied, “Sistah Space.”

Lady Susan continued, “No, where are you from?” to which Ms Fulani replied: ‘we are based in Hackney’.

According to Mrs. Fulani, Lady Susan then asked, “No, which part of Africa are you from?” Ms Fulani responded to this question with: “I don’t know, they didn’t leave any records.”

Lady Susan, widow of famous BBC chairman Marmaduke Hussey, then replied: ‘Well, you should know where you come from,’

Mrs Fulani told her “here, Britain” but suggested Lady Susan should continue asking: “No, but where do you really come from, where do your people come from?”

Mrs. Fulani protested, “My people’ lady, what is this?”, to which Lady Susan replied, “Oh, I see I’m going to have a challenge to make you say where you come from. Where did you first come from? here?”‘

Ms Fulani replied that she is a British national and that her parents came here in the 1950s.

After sharing this interaction on X, another writer said, “I hope she’s reported.”

Fulani replied: “There was no one I could report it to. I was unable to report it to the Queen Consort, and it was such a shock to me and the other two women that we were stunned into a momentary silence. I just stood at the edge of the room, smiled and spoke briefly to whoever was speaking to me until I could leave.”

We never heard Lady Susan’s account of the exchange.

However, her response came quickly: after sixty years of service to Queen Elizabeth, she resigned from Queen Camilla’s household with ‘immediate effect’.

The row took place in the wake of an investigation into diversity at Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace.

And the veteran maid of honor’s quick departure was a clear sign of a new, more awake era, with Prince William quickly issuing a statement saying it was “really disappointing” to hear what had happened and that “racism has no place in our society’. society’.

Ms Fulani defended speaking out about the event, telling The Independent it was “bigger than one individual. It’s institutional racism’.

“I was in shock after it happened and anyone who knows me knows I don’t tolerate this kind of nonsense,” she said.

However, Lady Susan quickly made amends and sat down with Ms Fulani just two weeks later to offer her ‘sincere apologies’ for her comments.

Following the December 16 meeting, Buckingham Palace and Fulani issued a joint statement saying the meeting was “filled with warmth and understanding.”

The statement continued: ‘Lady Susan has pledged to deepen her awareness of the sensitivities involved and is grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the issues in this area.’

“Both Mrs Fulani and Lady Susan now ask that they be left alone to rebuild their lives after an extremely painful period for both of them.

“They hope their example shows that a path to resolution can be found through kindness, cooperation and the condemnation of discrimination wherever it takes root.”

Few could have foreseen that Lady Susan’s long and distinguished royal career would end in such ignominious fashion, and her blunder surprised many who know her well.

A friend suggested that the assistant’s hearing was the cause. ‘Like many people her age, Lady Susan is quite hard of hearing. It is likely that her deafness contributed to the difficulties she had that day.’

At the time, it was believed that senior royals were hoping Lady Susan would return to her post and it appears she is now back in the good books of The Firm.

In February, just three months after the racism scandal, Lady Susan replaced Princess Anne at a memorial service for her mother’s friend Dame Frances Campbell-Preston.

“Lady Susan was formally asked to represent the Princess Royal at the service,” a family friend told The Daily Mail. ‘She was only too happy to do that. Her official position was recorded in the order of service. It’s great to see her back in the royal fold.”

And at Royal Ascot in June she enjoyed a friendly chat with the King in the Royal Box on Ladies Day – following her attendance at the coronation at Westminster Abbey in May.

It’s no surprise that Lady Susan and King Charles are old friends, as she has been a fixture in the royal family since 1960, when she was hired to help answer letters to the royal household.

An expert on the inner workings of royal life and its conventions, she is considered one of the key figures who guided Princess Diana when she became engaged to Charles – and has been portrayed in series by the late actress Haydn Gwynne. five from De Kroon.