EXCLUSIVE Diana’s personal protection officer KEN WHARFE who worked with Royal Family for two decades rubbishes claims they are racist
- Inspector Ken Wharfe said had never heard any form of racist views from Royals
One of the royal family’s most trusted protection officers, who witnessed their private views and behaviour for more than nearly two decades, has rubbished claims that any royals are racist.
Inspector Ken Wharfe, who was personal protection officer to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, said he had never heard or witnessed any form of racist views or expressions from anyone within the entire royal family over more than 16 years.
Mr Wharfe, who was speaking after Omid Scobie’s controversial new book ‘Endgame’ ignited a controversy around the claims, served as a Metropolitan police officer for 35 years with more than half his service dedicated to the royals.
A storm has broken out over claims in Mr Scobie’s book that two Royals questioned what the skin colour would be of Archie, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, while Meghan was pregnant – and they have been named in the Dutch translation of the book.
The pair identified in the book were named widely by media organisations around the world last night, including the Guardian and the Times, as King Charles and the Duchess of Cambridge.
Inspector Ken Wharfe said he had never heard or witnessed any form of racist views or expressions from anyone within the entire royal family over more than 16 years
Personal protection officer to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, he said he was ‘astounded’ at the accusations against the two royals and declared that the interests and engagements of their working life showed that they consistently welcomed diversity and multiculturalism in Britain and overseas
A storm has broken out over claims in Mr Scobie’s book that two Royals questioned what the skin colour would be of Archie, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex , while Meghan was pregnant. Pictured: King Charles at COP28 today
After the book went on sale in The Netherlands naming the two royals, the edition was quickly withdrawn and around 5,000 copies were pulped.
READ MORE: Omid Scobie swears ‘on my family’s life’ that naming royal ‘racists’ was not a publicity stunt
Omid Scobie has refused to apologise to the two senior royals named as having speculated about Prince Archie ‘s skin colour
But Mr Wharfe, who retired in 2002, said he was ‘astounded’ at the accusations against the two royals and declared that the interests and engagements of their working life showed that they consistently welcomed diversity and multiculturalism in Britain and overseas.
He told MailOnline: ‘I never saw any evidence of racism. It was very much to the contrary.’
And he said the alleged remarks recited by Scobie speculating over Harry and Meghan’s son’s skin colour lacked supporting proof.
‘As a former police officer, I would only be guided by evidence. And we’ve seen none of that.
‘All I can talk about is that from my experience – having worked with them in many, many countries across the world with all their charities – and I’ve never ever witnessed one issue, or even sensed anyone in the family making some racial comment or racist remark. I didn’t see any of that ever.’
The loyal officer, who was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order, an honour awarded as the Sovereign’s personal gift, said: ‘I worked with probably every single member of the royal family, notably, Diana in the eighties when she had two young children, and the King himself when he was the Prince of Wales.
‘The King has for example consistently supported Gurkhas – and diversity among members of his staff. I think even more so now than the eighties.
After the book went on sale in The Netherlands naming the two royals, the edition was quickly withdrawn and around 5,000 copies were pulped. Pictured: King Charles with Rishi Sunak in Dubai for COP28 today
Mr Whatfe said the way the two Princes were brought up at the very core of the royal family reflected the anti-racist backbone throughout the royal household. Pictured: The Prince and Princess of Wales at the Royal Variety Performance last night
The pair identified in the book (pictured) were named widely by media organisations around the world last night, including the Guardian and the Times, as King Charles and the Duchess of Cambridge
READ MORE: Kate Middleton and Prince William ignore fallout from Omid Scobie race row as they arrive hand-in-hand at the Royal Variety Performance
‘Charles’ engagements throughout the country and throughout the world, involved diverse themes and they would visit Africa and India, and every continent on the planet.’
He said the way the two Princes were brought up at the very core of the royal family reflected the anti-racist backbone throughout the royal household.
He said one particular incident when The Duke of Sussex was a toddler emphasised the Wales’s desire to bring their children aware that racism was not to be entertained.
Mr Wharfe said Diana wanted her sons to be aware of life outside the royal bubble and would take them out secretly on the London Underground and buses.
One incident when they were on a London bus gave him a strong indication of the desire for racial equality at the heart of the House of Windsor.
‘I remember coming back from Piccadilly Circus on the number 38 bus and in those days you had to buy your ticket on a platform.
‘There was a Sikh bus conductor and Harry tried to imitate an Indian accent and it entirely embarrassed Diana.
‘When we got off the bus at Green Park she slapped him across the back of the head. And told him “Don’t you ever, ever, ever do that again. It is rude and embarrassing and that is not how we live in this world”.
Mr Wharfe said Diana wanted her sons (pictured together) to be aware of life outside the royal bubble and would take them out secretly on the London Underground and buses
It comes as sources close to Meghan Markle say neither she nor members of Team Sussex handed Omid Scobie her letter to King Charles about the two so-called ‘royal racists’. Pictured: Harry and Meghan
The Royal Family is considering legal action and leading lawyers have called on the usually privacy-conscious Sussexes to sue Omid Scobie (pictured yesterday) after he revealed he had seen the names on letters exchanged between Meghan and King Charles III
‘It was the only time that I actually saw her hit somebody or one of the children.
READ MORE: Colleagues of the two ‘experienced’ Dutch translators of Omid Scobie’s book say it’s ‘unthinkable’ the women added names of the two royals into the transcript themselves
‘So really I never, ever witnessed anything (racial). if you only look at the functions that the King attended to both public and private, they always had a representative cross section of society and do even to this day.’
He said the young royals had been raised to appreciate diversity, cultures and religions which reflected the views of more senior royals.
He said Diana was ‘instrumental in bringing about a change of education for the two Princes, particularly William.’
He added: ‘‘They were educated to accept that we do live in a diverse society.
‘And we know how it has played out.
The efforts put in by senior royals for younger members to encourage them to engage and learn about diversity reflected their core values ‘which we see today’ he added.
It comes as sources close to Meghan Markle say neither she nor members of Team Sussex handed Omid Scobie her letter to King Charles about the two so-called ‘royal racists’.
An insider close to the former Suits star also insisted that despite the royal racism row she started after appearing on Oprah in March 2021, she did not want them named publicly.
Meghan and Harry have not commented publicly on Endgame or the scandal that has erupted over the Dutch translation accusing King Charles and the Princess of Wales of discussing Archie’s skin colour before he was born.
The Royal Family is considering legal action and leading lawyers have called on the usually privacy-conscious Sussexes to sue Omid Scobie after he revealed he had seen the names on letters exchanged between Meghan and King Charles III.
Royal experts have also said that the couple must publicly condemn the book, with several commentators severely doubting whether the names in Endgame can even be correct.
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