UK royal family considers appointing diversity czar

Buckingham Palace is considering appointing a new official to lead diversity efforts, according to multiple reports. 

“This is an issue which has been taken very seriously across the royal households. We have the policies, the procedures and programmes in place but we haven’t seen the progress we would like and accept more needs to be done, we can always improve,” an unidentified royal source told multiple outlets. 

“The work to do this has been under way for some time now and comes with the full support of the family,” the source continued.

An unidentified source noted that it is “too early” to confirm the appointment of a diversity chief, according to multiple reports.

“We are listening and learning, to get this right,” the source said. 

Royal aides are expected to undergo a “listen and learn” exercise in the coming weeks, according to the Guardian. It will involve businesses and individuals speaking to aides about how the monarchy can boost representation, which is set to include people from racial minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals and disabled individuals.

Buckingham Palace is also set to review diversity policies across all of the royal households, including the palace, Clarence House and Kensington Palace, according to the BBC.

The efforts were first reported by the Mail on Sunday.

During a bombshell, two-hour interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, alleged that, prior to the birth of her son with her husband Prince Harry, there were conversations within the royal family about “how dark his skin might be.”

Harry later said that the comments were not made by Queen Elizabeth II or Prince Philip.

But Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, also described during the interview what she called a break with protocol in the royal family after their son, Archie, did not receive a royal title or security detail following his birth in 2019. She suggested that his race may have played a role in the move.

The palace’s diversity efforts began before Harry and Meghan’s interview, according to multiple reports.

Buckingham Palace following the interview said in a statement that the royal family was “saddened” by the challenged that the couple had faced, specifically noting those over race.

“The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” the statement said.