PRINCESS MICHAEL OF Kent, who is married to Queen Elizabeth’s first cousin, has said sorry for wearing a piece of jewellery that has been criticised as “racist”.
The royal was attending a Christmas banquet at Buckingham Palace earlier this week when she was spotted wearing a blackamoor brooch.
Dating from around the 17th and 18th centuries, blackamoor figures usually depict African men.
Wearing the brooch sparked controversy on social media, particularly as Princess Michael would have met Prince Harry’s mixed-race fiancée Meghan Markle at the lunch.
A spokesperson for the princess told the BBC she was “very sorry and distressed that it caused offence”.
He added: “The brooch was a gift and has been worn many times before.” It is understood she will not wear the brooch again in future.
Princess Michael of Kent has caused controversy in the past, when she said in a TV interview she once pretended to be “half-caste” and declared her love for “adorable” Africans.
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