Lady Susan Hussey was victim of ‘remorseless, cruel, blame culture’, says close friend – as Rishi Sunak says racism must be ‘confronted’ after she resigned amid Palace race row

• Royal biographer William Shawcross, 76, rushed to defend his pal Lady Hussey
• He branded her ‘painful’ departure from royal household a ‘personal tragedy’
• PM Rishi Sunak said he has been victim of racism and that ‘the job is never done’

Lady Susan Hussey was the victim of a ‘remorseless, cruel, blame culture’ after being ‘forced to resign’ for repeatedly asking a black campaigner where she was ‘really from’, her close friend has said. 

Royal biographer William Shawcross, 76, said Lady Hussey, 83, stepped down from her role as Lady of the Household over ‘fear of the mob’ amid the ongoing race row, which has engulfed Buckingham Palace while overshadowing Kate and Wills’ tour of the US. 

The author branded her ‘painful’ departure from the royal household, where she has served for more than 60 years, as a ‘personal tragedy.’ 

It comes as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has waded into the row to say that racism must be ‘confronted’, adding that he has experienced it in his own life and ‘the job is never done.’ 

On Wednesday, after Ngozi Fulani published details of her conversation with Lady Susan Hussey (pictured with the late Queen) on social media, which was backed up by witnesses, Buckingham Palace announced that she was resigning her honorary post as a ‘Lady of the Household’ and expressed her profound apologies for the offence caused 

Ngozi Fulani (pictured), founder of domestic abuse charity Sistah Space, said she was left feeling ‘violated’ after Lady Hussey – Prince William’s godmother – ‘interrogated’ her about where she was from at a Palace reception on Tuesday, despite her making clear she was British

Ngozi Fulani, founder of domestic abuse charity Sistah Space, said she was left feeling ‘violated’ after Lady Hussey – Prince William’s godmother – ‘interrogated’ her about where she was from at a Palace reception on Tuesday, despite her making clear she was British.

She also accused Lady Susan of moving her hair in order to look at her name badge and asked her: ‘What part of Africa are you from?’ when she replied that she came from Hackney.

On Wednesday, after Ms Fulani published details of their conversation on social media, which was backed up by witnesses, Buckingham Palace announced that she was resigning her honorary post as a ‘Lady of the Household’ and expressed her profound apologies for the offence caused.

Now rushing to her defence, author Mr Shawcross said Lady Hussey had ‘devoted her entire life to the monarchy and the Royal family’ through a ‘sense of duty and love of this country’.

‘It’s a tragedy for our society also that after 60 years of devoted, unblemished public service an 83-year-old woman has to ‘step aside’ distraught, because of one Tweet about an unhappy conversation at a charity reception,’ he said.

‘This is really fear of the mob.’

Rushing to her defence, author William Shawcross (pictured) said Lady Hussey had ‘devoted her entire life to the monarchy and the Royal family’ through a ‘sense of duty and love of this country’

Miss Fulani says she was left feeling ‘violated’ after Prince William’s godmother, who served as the late Queen’s right-hand woman for 62 years, ‘interrogated’ her about where she was from at a Palace reception on Tuesday, despite her making clear she was British

Lady Hussey was the late Queen’s right-hand woman and worked for the royal household for 62 years 

It comes after the PM on Thursday declined to comment directly on the row but said that it was right to ‘confront’ racism.

Speaking to broadcasters in Downing Street, he said: ‘As I’ve talked about in the past, I have experienced racism in my life.

‘But what I am pleased to say is some of the things that I experienced when I was a kid and a young person I don’t think would happen today because our country has made incredible progress in tackling racism.

‘But the job is never done. And that’s why whenever we see it we must confront it.

‘It’s right that we continually learn the lessons and move to a better future.’

Mr Sunak, who became leader of the Conservative Party in October following Liz Truss’s resignation, is the UK’s first Hindu Prime Minister and the first of Asian heritage.

He told broadcasters it would not be ‘right’ for him to comment on the matter, but said: ‘As we’ve all seen, they’ve acknowledged what’s happened and made an apology for it.’

Lady Susan, the Prince of Wales’s 83-year-old godmother, resigned from the household and apologised after she repeatedly challenged Ms Fulani when she said she was British at the Queen Consort’s reception highlighting violence against women and girls.

Ms Fulani told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: ‘Although I didn’t experience physical violence, what I feel I experienced was a form of abuse.’

Pressed on whether the Palace had contacted her via her organisation, Ms Fulani said: ‘No. I don’t know where this has come from, but I’m telling you categorically – we have not heard from the Palace.’

Describing how Lady Susan also touched her hair during the incident, she said: ‘I was stood next to two other women – black women – and she (Lady Susan) just made a beeline for me, and she took my locks and moved it out of the way so that she could see my name badge.

‘That’s a no-no. I wouldn’t put my hands in someone’s hair, and culturally it’s not appropriate.’

Ms Fulani said the comments were down to racism, not Lady Susan’s age.

‘I’ve heard so many suggestions it’s about her age and stuff like that. And I think that’s a kind of a disrespect about ageism,’ she said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

‘Are we saying that because of your age you can’t be racist or you can’t be inappropriate?

‘If you invite people to an event, as I said, against domestic abuse, and there are people there from different demographics, I don’t see the relevance of whether I’m British or not British. You’re trying to make me unwelcome in my own space.’

Lady Susan Hussey has offered to personally meet with the British charity campaigner who accused her of racial ‘abuse’

Ms Fulani said she wanted the focus to remain on domestic abuse survivors rather than the race row.

Asked how she felt about Lady Susan’s resignation, she said: ‘I want the focus to remain where it should be, which is on the women and girls who are affected by domestic abuse.

‘Having said that, she’s influenced by Buckingham Palace, and it’s their decision and her decision to make, one that I had no part in.’

William, who is on a trip to Boston in the US with the Princess of Wales, backed the decision of his godmother to resign as a Lady of the Household.

A Kensington Palace spokesman issued a strong statement, saying: ‘Racism has no place in our society.

‘The comments were unacceptable, and it is right that the individual has stepped aside with immediate effect.’

The Palace moved swiftly to respond to Ms Fulani’s tweets on Wednesday morning, saying it took the incident at Tuesday’s reception ‘extremely seriously’ and had investigated immediately.

It added, not naming Lady Susan, that the individual concerned had resigned and apologised and that the comments were ‘unacceptable and deeply regrettable’.

The King, who acceded to the throne less than three months ago, and Camilla have been made aware of the situation, the Palace said.

But former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt told the PA news agency: ‘Charles and William’s problem is that the focus is already shifting from the actions of one woman to broader questions about whether Buckingham Palace is institutionally racist.’

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