By Matt Powell For Mailonline
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Black Lives Matter organiser Imarn Ayton admitted that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘have proven themselves to be liars’.
The comments follow the Duke of Sussex‘s recent media appearances in which he denied accusing the royal family of racism in his interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
Speaking to ITV earlier this week, Prince Harry said the royal family were guilty of ‘unconscious bias’ in reference to the claim an unnamed royal expressed ‘concern’ about Archie’s skin colour.
When ITV’s Tom Bradby said: ‘You accused members of your family of racism’, Harry snapped back: ‘No I didn’t. The British press said that. Did Meghan ever mention that they’re racist?’
While discussing the topic on TalkTV, Ms Ayton conceded the couple have shown themselves to be liars but said they have still contended with bullying and racism.
Black Lives Matter organiser Imarn Ayton admitted that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘have proven themselves to be liars’ but said they have still suffered from bullying and racism
The Duke of Sussex conceded that the Royal Family were not racist but said they were guilty of ‘unconscious bias’ while discussing the controversial claim in an incendiary interview to plug his new memoir
Prince Harry has been facing allegations that he failed to ‘correct the narrative’ around racism in the Royal Family after sensationally accusing an unnamed royal of asking about the skin colour of his and Meghan’s then-unborn son Archie during his bombshell Oprah interview
Imarn Ayton leading the Brixton Blackout walk from Clapham Common to Windrush Square Brixton
Ms Ayton, a key organiser of the demonstrations in London in 2020 following the death of George Floyd, said: ‘I will happily and humbly accept the defeat when it comes to them being called liars. They have proven themselves to be liars.’
She added: ‘It does not negate the fact that Harry was bullied and harassed by the media.’
‘It does not negate the fact that his wife had to contend with racism.
‘It does not negate the fact he has the right to defend himself when he feels aggrieved.’
On the topic of evidence she said ‘we already know they have backpedaled’ and not disclosed ‘certain bits of information pertaining to the racism claims’.
But she said: ‘The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.’
Pictured, Meghan, Archie and Harry at a Polo match in Wokingham in 2019
Ms Ayton distanced herself from Black Lives Matter protests in Britain because she says it was ‘hijacked’ by a group of far-Left activists
While the Duke has not referred to the Oprah interview in his memoir, he was asked by Bradby in the interview to plug the book: ‘Wouldn’t you describe that as essentially racist?’
The duke replies: ‘I wouldn’t, not having lived within that family.’ But he adds: ‘The difference between racism and unconscious bias… the two things are different.
‘But once it’s been acknowledged, or pointed out to you as an individual, or as an institution, that you have unconscious bias, you therefore have an opportunity to learn and grow from that so that you are part of the solution rather than part of the problem.’
And he accused Buckingham Palace of failing to follow up on promises it made in the wake of the Oprah controversy, including appointing a ‘diversity tsar’.
The Duke of Sussex said there is a place for the monarchy in the modern world if they addressed unconscious bias.
Asked on Good Morning America this morning if he thinks there is a place for the British monarchy in the 21st century, he said: ‘I genuinely believe that there is. Not the way that it is now.’
Asked if they need to modernise and if so in what way, Harry said: ‘I think the same process that I went through with regarding my own unconscious bias would be hugely beneficial to them.
‘Not racism, but unconscious bias, if not confronted, if not learned and grown from, that can then move into racism.
‘But there was an enormous missed opportunity with my wife.’
Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group