Prince William and Kate Middleton were spotted in East London on Thursday (March 11), marking their first major public sighting together since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s explosive sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey. William, 38, and Kate, 39, were seen visiting School2, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were paying a visit to promote a children’s mental health program. The Duchess wore a bright pink trench coat with a matching top and black pants, a spot of color during the drab, English March weather. Prince William wore clothing more in line with his brand – a dark coat, a red sweater, and a blue button-up. Both the Duke and Duchess donned protective face masks out of respect for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
During this sighting, Prince William spoke for the first time in response to allegations of bigotry within the British royal family. Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, told Oprah that when she was pregnant with their first child, Archie, there were allegedly concerns over their child’s skin color. (Meghan is biracial, with a Black mother.) Oprah later clarified it wasn’t Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip involved in the racially-charged “conversations,” but she didn’t share who it was.
As William and Kate were walking into the school, reporters asked him if the family was racist. “We’re very much not a racist family,” said William. When asked if he had been in touch with his brother, the Duke of Cambridge said that he hadn’t been but that he soon “will be.”
Buckingham Palace issued a statement on the allegations on March 9. “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” said the release. “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much-loved family members.”
While Prince William offered a curt and succinct response to questions about the interview, his father, Prince Charles, was quiet when dealing with reporters on Tuesday. As Charles, 72, was leaving a coronavirus vaccine clinic at Jesus House church in London, a reporter asked him what he thought of the interview. Charles blew off the question and reportedly “chuckled and carried on walking.”