By Aaron Miller-
Former British television presenter, Trisha Goddard, criticised a Sky presenter for asking a stupid question when he cornered Prince William whilst walking with his wife during a visit to a school in the UK
Ms Goddard-a U.S based former British television presenter- rightly said the question asked to Prince William was a stupid question, as she pointed out that the circumstances of the question were bad and awkward for the Dutch and Duchess of Cambridge, who were out on a school mission.
Prince William was with a black teacher when he was approached by a Sky News journalist, who directly asked whether the royal family was racist.
The Dutch Of Cambridge turned around and said the royal family was not racist. Trisha criticised the question asked, asking: ”what was he meant to say, that the royal family are racist”?
Making mockery of the question and the subsequent news headlines made about the response, Trisha told CNN that there is a need for better education in the press and in British society ad a whole, about racism and race issues.
Her contribution to the news surrounding Prince William’s inevitable response, amounted to a direct attack on both the journalist who asked the question, and the press who publicised Prince William’s response, as reflecting his views on the racist allegations levied against the palace.
It was impossible for the press to ignore the response of a prince, more so in light of the situation facing the Monarchy, but the question and the analysis of the response only made matters worse, not better.
Full Version
The yearn to hear the full version of what happened from the palace remains high among journalists in the UK and abroad, to give a full picture to why Harry was told his family will loose their security and their first child will have no title.
Trisha said” there needs to be an education of racism and education of the press on matters of racism”, as she logically criticised the Sky presenter who asked a question which would later make headline news.
At the heart of Trisha’s message to a wide international audience, she appeared to be suggesting that the royal family may be racist, but without saying it. She couldn’t say it, because the evidence is not complete without the version of the Palace, which may not be forthcoming anytime soon.
The media is keen to get a proper response from the royal family, but the manner of the question asked to Prince William was amateurish, and an embarrassment to to the journalist and organisation who asked the question.
It was thoughtless and wholly insensitive to Prince William, his wife, and the teacher in whose company the couple were.
Flawed Approach
Trisha was exposing the flawed approach in which William’s response had been obtained. She was right to criticise it as bad journalism because of the awkwardness of the question, the bad timing, and insensitivity of the question.
That said, it also does not conclude that the royal family is racist simply because words were said touching on colour. As bad as the details of the revelations look, context is still important, and we don’t have it in that instance.
The yearn to hear the full version of the palace remains high among journalists in the UK and abroad, to give a full picture to why the question of how dark the colour of Harry may be was asked and why he was told his family will loose their security and their first child will have no title.
There are unnamed media analysts who want to know whether there is any possibility Meghan had displayed worrying characteristics up until that point, to worry senior royals.
Some people have suggested that there might have been a breakdown in relationships with Meghan before that point, which may have been allowed to let animosity or suspicion about the motives of the Duchess Of Sussex creep into the royal family to consider shutting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle out.
We know from the revelations that Kate Middleton made Meghan Markle cry and she apologised, but we don’t know what upset Kate to upset Meghan. What was the issue at that precise time, and when in time did that occur before Prince Harry was told his child will not be given a title?
Both Harry and Meghan said the royal family welcomed Meghan, but things turned sour along the way. Meghan’s shock about the limitations placed on her freedom at the palace is one not everyone will be sympathetic too.
After all, many would say she should have know what she was getting into marrying into the royal family, and should not have expected to be able to freely do what she likes or go where she wants at any given time. It’s part and parcel of what being a royal is, but it took her by surprise.
The real problem wasn’t the fact she had only been out twice in four months, but the fact she was enduring any degree of false stories in the press without those stories being challenged at at all. That on top of knowing that her son will have no title or protection is enough to send anyone mad.
Meghan’s complaint of racism resonated with the American public and the American media, not quite in sync with the mixed reaction from the UK press, not all happy with the length to which Harry and Meghan went in exposing the inner workings of the Palace.