Retired footballer John Barnes has thoughts on the Sussexes & royal racism

British Takeaway Awards at the Old Billingsgate in City Of London, London

During the Oprah interview, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed that there were conversations about “how dark” their children would be before Meghan gave birth to Archie. Harry said, at one point during the interview, that a royal figure spoke to him when he was first dating Meghan, and spoke negatively about Harry’s future with Meghan because of how their future children would look, and how “dark” they would be. According to John Barnes – a retired Black British footballer – that conversation wasn’t bad or offensive at all, because the racist royal was simply being realistic. I have no idea why Barnes’ comments are getting so much play, but here we are.

The Royal Family member who asked how dark Harry and Meghan’s baby would be was just being realistic about the state of British society, John Barnes has said. The former England and Liverpool player claims most black people thought “So what?” when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex recalled the query in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Barnes, a father-of-seven who is married to a white woman, said most black people would expect that conversation to happen. In an interview about his new book, The Uncomfortable Truth About Racism, he told The Times: “If you listen to what Meghan says, it’s not about them worrying if the baby is dark or not, it’s them worrying about how the public are going to view that. Because they know if the baby is too dark, the public will not view the baby as positively. They’re being realistic. Let’s not pretend the public won’t care whether it’s a blond-haired blue-eyed baby or jet black, because they will.”

Barnes went on to say he wasn’t a big fan of Meghan and Harry, before suggesting that opinion could unfairly lead to people being called racist. Speaking to the Sunday Times Magazine, he also claimed that Meghan, 40, is not liked by lots of black people that he knows: “I’m not a big fan of theirs. A lot of black people I know aren’t. The problem now is that if you don’t like her, people will call you a racist when it’s got nothing to do with that. That’s why it’s important to separate the idea of racism and her character as a human being.”

[From The Daily Mirror & Daily Express]

It’s not my place to analyze why and how a Black man from a certain generation, living in a deeply racist country, would come to this point. I will say this… “acknowledging that racism exists” is not the same thing as “being horrified that members of the British royal family were trying to torpedo the Sussexes’ relationship on racist grounds.” Those two things are very different. For example, if Prince William had gone to his brother and said “you know there are going to be a lot of racist a–holes who take issue with your relationship with Meghan,” THAT would be a realistic understanding of modern racism in Britain. That is not what happened. What happened was that, hypothetically speaking, William went to Harry and said something like “your relationship with this girl has no future, come on, what would your children look like? We can’t have that in the royal family.” The fact that certain people don’t understand the difference.

Royal baby

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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111 Responses to “Retired footballer John Barnes has thoughts on the Sussexes & royal racism”

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  1. Emma says:

    This is getting play because the virulently racist people in the English media ecosystem are thrilled to have a Black man to use as a shield for their defense of racism. Regardless of how he meant it or if he was misquoted or whatever, his words will now be twisted and used as a weapon.

    • SarahCS says:

      Exactly, this is a figure who is well-known to the target audience saying exactly what they want to hear. Of course it’s being shouted from the rooftops.

      Does he have any kind of MBE, etc?

      • Nic919 says:

        Yes he has an MBE. This guy is no different than William’s “black friend” who was discovered after 40 years of William being alive to confirm that William isn’t racist.

        I have British friends who say he has been inconsistent on racism in football / soccer as well. If it affects him it is racism but he is not prepared to admit to systemic racism in the sport.

      • Agreatreckoning says:

        He was made/given? a MBE in June 1998.

        LOL. He has a book coming out so bringing up H & M will bring more attention to it?

    • swirlmamad says:

      Yep. He’s the male British version of Candace Owens. And I think I can safely say this tap dancing dummy does *not* speak for the majority of black people. At least the ones who aren’t trying to stay in the good graces of the status quo.

      • Pao says:

        He actually has lots written about systemic racism (check his Instagram), which is why i don’t understand that her treatment went completely over his head because the treatment of Meghan is one of the most contemporary examples of systematic racism. And the thing he says about not confusing racism for her character or whatever? He’s doing just that. He doesn’t like her therefore her treatment couldn’t be racist.

      • swirlmamad says:

        @Pao then that’s even more insane if he’s addressed systemic racism yet he doesn’t see how clearly that has affected Meghan and Harry’s situation. I didn’t know anything about him before but from what I’m reading here he seems to be an extremely problematic person. And how he can judge the character of someone he doesn’t know from Adam personally, is beyond me. Ugh it’s too early to let these people affect my blood pressure.

      • Sid says:

        Pao , people on twitter are reposting a number of comments of his where he comes to the defense of racist white people. Any any racism “work” he is doing is likely for show.

      • Lola says:

        It’s unfortunately very, very common for men of color to enthusiastically participate in misogynoir.

      • GraceB says:

        I don’t know whether these are comments he’s made or quotes from his book but I think it’s being twisted. Nowhere is he saying that Meghan wasn’t the victim of racism.

        He’s just pointing out that wondering what colour a baby in your family is going to be, is no different to wondering what colour hair or eyes they will have. He’s pointing out that racists would be a problem if the baby had dark skin, and he’s saying that you can dislike someone without being a racist. It seems like a pretty poor defence for racist people, but I guess if that’s all they’ve got.

      • ABritGuest says:

        Grace B The press have tried to say that the royals were merely wondering about the baby’s colour but Meghan said they had concerns & conversations about how dark the baby could be and what that could look like for the firm. John Barnes seems to believe Meghan that concerns were expressed but his view & that of black people he knows was so what. He said the royal family were just being realistic by having concerns about the colour of Harry’s baby because the public wouldn’t view a darker baby as a positive thing.

        Re comparison with Michelle Obama & idea Meghan should have stuck it out- as people have said Michelle’s role was 8 years max& she had family & generally the Democratic party’s backing when people came for her. Meghan would have this royal ‘scrutiny’ for a lifetime but didn’t have the royal family’s or its’ base’ support & even politicians who were typically royalists were coming for her so had few allies. She also had prospect of someone who seems to hate her being in charge of her future including funding. So not really that comparable.

      • Cait says:

        So he is basically Allen West, Paris Denard , Ben Carson Michael Steele and Allen Keys. We have had a plethora of black male conservatives over the years actually black males were the standard in racist right-wing spaces for carrying water and shielding racists in the media and politics. Candance Owens and Omarosa before her were considered a rarity in being black women providing that service that’s why they were jettisoned to the forefront of conservative media

    • Jasper says:

      Precisely. It’s the “I can’t be racist! Look I have a black friend!” argument.

    • NotSoSocialButterfly says:

      Seems to me it’s a case of internalized racism, much like the internalized misogyny that makes women align themselves with the hard right against their own best self-interest.

    • Sondra Jackson says:

      Racist do the same thing in the US. There are lost Souls in every tribe, so I will say Bless his little blind heart and wish him well

    • GrnieWnie says:

      yeah and the same thing happens in the US. I will say that in Canada and the UK, moreso than the US (which does better in some areas), black history is simply not taught. So even black people who go through the education system are just…ignorant. They’ve internalized racism and they don’t even know it. See also: Daniel Caesar.

    • PrincessK says:

      John Barnes likes to think that he is an expert on racism. He is not. Although I think that he may have been quoted slightly out of context to suit of course the needs of the Daily Fail, and I don’t think he really understands the intrigues of the House of Windsor.

      Barnes does sound very full of himself these days. I think he needs to read a bit more and think a bit deeply with less of the knee jerk comments thank you very much.

  2. Woke says:

    I will never fully understand why some black people don’t like Meghan. I mean I can see why but I don’t get it. Also if you don’t like her fine but taking the side of the royal family ? That would never be me.

    • lanne says:

      hoteps gonna hotep.

      • Persephone says:

        Came here to say exactly this.

      • Jais says:

        Ok thank you. I just had to look up hotep.

      • Christine says:

        Hee, the number of times I have had to Google a word I’ve read on this site is hilarious! This is a good one, I have to commit it to memory.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        @ Ianne, thank you very much for the history lesson.

        Now I see this athlete, though retired now, player as he really is. I am also going through my memory of when I have seen this play out in front of me as well, but not too often.

        It’s as shame that people would rather follow the group instead of standing on their own to show support. We all need support sometimes. No matter how many people are around us.

      • Isabella says:

        Now, I understand a certain character on Dear White People

        “Despite the fact that hotep perspectives are often laughable, their politics are very harmful to Black women and LGBTQ identified people. They help perpetuate rape culture with their insistence on policing female sexuality and blindly siding with predatory Black men. Dick Gregory’s insistence that the sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby were orchestrated attempts to punish him for trying to buy NBC in the 90s, is a great example of this. Hoteps contribute to the transphobia and homophobia that create an environment ripe for Black trans women to be disproportionately affected by violence and they encourage the baneful masculinity that results in intimate partner violence.”
        https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/05/198583/hotep-meaning-dear-white-people-slang

    • NCDancer says:

      A lot of my black British friends were mad that Meghan didn’t stick it out. I had one friend who literally said she should’ve been like Michelle Obama and stuck it out and forced them to change. Two thoughts on that: 1) Michelle wasn’t that big a change agent; 2) Take the abuse for the greater good? Risk your sanity for the greater good? Nope. Miss me with that nonsense

      • Amy Bee says:

        @NCDancer: 3) Michelle Obama could have stuck it out because she knew she only had 8 years in the role not a lifetime.

      • Woke says:

        Michelle Obama had the backing of the administration of the most powerful country in the world her family was there and was supportive. Two things Meghan didn’t have. The family didn’t have her back , the institution didn’t have her back.And she said it herself she would have stayed if she had that.

      • bettyrose says:

        @Woke – Those are good points, and I think it’s especially big that Michelle Obama’s children had some of the best protection in the world, and Meghan was getting the message her children wouldn’t.

      • Bex says:

        Michelle also didn’t have the top job, so there was NOTHING for her to “stick out”, short of her divorcing her husband (since she was FIRST LADY because she was married to a man who was elected president).

      • Petra says:

        Michelle Obama was supporting her husband Barack Obama to be the President of the United States of America and he became the president. To asked for Meghan Markle to sacrifice herself for her husband’s grandmother, father and brother for some living allowance is the biggest bullshit ever. If she had sacrificed herself it would had zero greater good for her, Prince Harry and their children (Archie & Lily aka Lilibeth) or POC in the then, now or future.
        I guess some of our kinfolks in the UK are willing to be satisfy with table handouts just to get along and kiss BRF bottoms. Breaking of barriers in institutions that will benefit all POC makes sense. The BRF or any other so-called royal family is not a barrier I as a POC requires POC’s to sacrifices themselves for. We’ve been sacrificed. I’m guess slavery and colonialism was not enough, I’m sick and tired of our own internalized racism.

    • SunRae says:

      I think there’s a sense that she shouldn’t have made ‘waves’. It’s a huge psychological element of internalised racism.. the idea that black people can behave their way to ethical treatment. Because the reality is horrifying, there’s a need to believe that Meghan failed somehow, through her behaviour, to be worthy of these people. I genuinely don’t know how they think it applies here because no one from the British media seems to have bothered getting to know her. From the get-go she was a caricature… and that is what they have based their judgements upon… her ‘character’, of which they know nothing about.

      And now that she hasn’t morphed into a controlling, publicity seeking narc… they seem stuck in this no man’s land where they loathe her for not living up to their worst expectations while holding her ransom because of them. None of it is about her, afterall. It’s a nation-wide inferiority complex and she’s at the receiving end… I hope Meghan knows enough about human nature and has enough mental and spiritual resources to know it is not and has never really been about her.

      • NCDancer says:

        @sunrae That’s exactly right. I think of the line in Nina Simone’s Mississippi G-ddamn: “You told me to wash and clean my ears
        And talk real fine just like a lady
        And you’d stop calling me Sister Sadie.” If we just behave the exactly right way, white folks will stop being racist and decide we are worthy of human decency and respect. But as Nina went on to say: “Oh but this whole country is full of lies
        You’re all gonna die and die like flies”

  3. rawiya says:

    This coming out at the same time as the Met’s decision not to investigate Andrew: thankfully, I’m skilled enough to rage about two things at once! But I bet all the UK papers will be talking about this and not Andrew. They’re not even trying new PR/media tactics now. Zzzzz.

  4. Merricat says:

    Are they competing for Most Racist Nation or what?

  5. Lizzie says:

    All I get is he doesn’t like Meghan and it’s not because of her race. Still no idea why he doesn’t like her. I would say it’s his business but he did make a public statement.

    • Over it says:

      Maybe he has a problem with the fact that this beautiful black woman is more famous and popular than his wannabe white ass will ever be

      • Pao says:

        It probably has to do with the fact that she is mixed, not black, and is white passing. He probably doesn’t see her as “one of them”, which happens a lot to mixed race people. He therefore doesn’t care about how she was treated, though what Meghan went through was pure anti- blackness

      • Charm says:

        Dear Pao:
        Meghan is not “white passing.” If youre unaware of the meaning of the phrase you prolly should look it up.

      • Pao says:

        @charm: right, incredibly light skin then. My point still stands

      • BnlurkN4ever says:

        @Pao, he should look at her and be concerned for HIS mixed race children, but as a self-hating black man that I believe he is, he probably resents her because mixed race Meghan didn’t marry a black man like himself. SOME heterosexual black men resents any black/biracial black woman marrying white men and/or being seen to be more prominent position than them. It’s just one of the internal problems that our community is dealing with. Also, Meghan is the new guarantee of getting yourself noticed by shi##ing on her for morally bankrupt human beings.

      • PrincessK says:

        Someone who met Meghan for the first time, came to me and said: ‘She is a real black woman’.

      • Petra says:

        You nailed it @BnlurkN4ever.

  6. Becks1 says:

    Meghan specifically said there were “concerns”. We know it wasn’t out of a desire to protect their children from racism, because no one from the palace defended Archie when he was compared to a chimp at 3 days old.

    As for the whole bit about not liking Meghan – I mean, he doesn’t have to like her, but considering he’s never met her, it’s unlikely her character has anything to do with it.

    • Over it says:

      Exactly Becks, but like I said he doesn’t like her because she is that famous black woman and try as he might. No one knows who he is outside of Britain I guess. He is probably jealous that she got to stand on the balcony and he didn’t. Why doesn’t he say things like I don’t like william and Kate? Meghan has done more for the uk than the ones in that family who were born there. How can you just dislike people with no real reason? If she was lazy or a criminal, or incandescent all the time, then sure. However again I can’t see what she ever did wrong to draw so much hate. And if he knows black people, then they are just like him , thinking being married to a white person, gives them the right to act like they are better than other blacks.

    • Merricat says:

      Agreed, Becks.

    • February-Pisces says:

      Archies own grandfather and uncle discussed the colour of his skin like it was a problem that needed to be fixed urgently. I heard from a font ( don’t know how true it is) that Willie said even worse things that were truly unforgivable, which I won’t repeat. Meghan said the skin colour conversation came ‘in tandem’ with them not making him a prince when Charles becomes king. I think they tried to find a legit way to keep him off the line of succession. I’m mean the didn’t add lili’s name until like 2 months later.

    • GraceB says:

      I agree with what you’re saying @Becks1. I think what he’s indirectly saying is that he questions that version of events. As a previous commenter above also said, there’s a surprising number of POC in the UK who also don’t like Meghan, and have said similar things. I think people question whether it was twisted out of context. I’m not saying that it was, and we’ve clearly seen the racism at play.

      The only thing I’d disagree with is that not liking her is unlikely to be due to her character, since he’s never met her. I mean we all have those feelings about celebs, even though we haven’t met them. Most people on here have a real hatred towards the Cambridges but haven’t ever met them. I think when you’re a fan of a celeb, lots of people can’t see why someone else might dislike them, but in reality none of us can be liked by everyone.

  7. Over it says:

    Well I will just call a spade a spade, John is just another Uncle Tom who thinks because his wife is white, he has risen against being black. Sad news for him is all the whites will only ever see him as the black there to do the white man dirty work because by being allowed to be married to one of their own, he has to pay his dues.
    Clearly his ass has been colonized so yeah why would he like Meghan when he sees her as someone who has ruined his perfect all white monarchy with her brown skin and that of her children. He can just go f himself

  8. Jais says:

    Meghan and Harry both didn’t fully go into exactly what was said. At most, we know that it wasn’t just a conversation but there were discussions and “concerns” about his skin color. I can only imagine what form those “concerns” took.
    Also, I think William just found a future BFF. They both love the same newspaper and dislike the same woman!

  9. Amy Bee says:

    The British press like to go to John Barnes because he makes white people feel better about being racist. He came to the defence of Liam Neeson when he told that terrible story about wanting to kill any black man for raping his cousin. So Barnes is not a good person to talk about racism. Most Black brits get upset when he appears on TV or in the press to talk about racism because he either both sides the issue or ends up defending the racism.

    • lanne says:

      A black man refusing to stand up for a black woman. Imagine that. Well, he has to keep his suhucking and jiving shoes polished after all. If he acts up, massa might send him out to the fields, and he’s a house worker.

      • Blackgirlrevolt says:

        Malcolm X once said the Black woman was the most neglected person in America and I have to disagree. The Black woman is the most neglected person, period. Once again we have a Black man denigrating a Black woman and her character (no less) in order to cover his imposter syndrome. Not sure if he belongs, even with his white wife, so it must be the fault of the Black women.. (looking at you too Terry Crews and others) Black women are taught from an early age to protect Black males, but where is the reverse? When will Black males start protecting Black women? This just exhausting because we can never win.

      • swirlmamad says:

        Exactly. WE black women are the ones who are supposed to do, be, and provide for everyone else, and what do we get in return? A slap in the face from people like this Barnes idiot. Malcolm was 100% right.

      • Gigi LaMoore says:

        Luckily, my mother and father never spoke about protecting the black male. I am only loyal to those who are loyal to me. This guy…he’s just gross. No need to open his mouth at all.

    • swirlmamad says:

      So tiresome and predictable how the right-wing media loves to trot these idiots out to suit their narrative, and they allow themselves to be used in this way. Pathetic.

  10. Watson says:

    The first thing I thought when I read the article was: who is this guy and why does anyone care what he thinks?

    Beyonce, Oprah and Serena Williams support her, so who cares what this guy thinks?

    This isn’t going to deflect from the new Andrew news either.

  11. Jais says:

    Also it’s just being realistic that the public won’t like the baby if it’s too dark??? The public won’t view it positively? Ummmmm. This is batsh*t crazy that this is being held up as some kind of defense of the royal family.

    • swirlmamad says:

      As the mother of 2 biracial children — no, I absolutely did NOT “realistically” assume that my in-laws would have “concerns” about my kids’ skin color, and rest assured I would have been absolutely livid and ready to cut a bitch had that been a conversation that had ever come up. This moron needs to STFU.

    • ABritGuest says:

      Exactly it was funny to me that in seeking to absolve the royal family by saying they were ‘realistic’ in being concerned- he said that the British public are racist who would view a darker skinned baby in the royal family as a negative thing. It’s hilarious that royalists actually think this is something to support him for.

      For those supporting Barnes’ comments It also makes it worse that the royal family were silent on racist abuse towards archie. Let’s not even get into idea they were reportedly looking to change rules to deny Archie a title (interesting when you consider the queen allegedly offered to change rules to give Anne’s children titles they weren’t entitled to).

      John Barnes is a Liverpool football legend but his commentary on race issues is usually given prominence in the media as he makes racists comfortable. He claims footballers that experience racist abuse isn’t an issue because they have money, he has defended football coaches who spewed racist abuse, defended people using racist caricatures. He’s also said in his book that wealthy black people should mentor less well off black people so that it will change the way white people perceive black people for the better. I think there’s some self hatred there. But also talking smack about Meghan is easy way to get into the press & he’s got a book to promote.

      I’ve come across some black people who don’t like Meghan for marrying into the royal family in the first place or for not keeping her head down & being ‘grateful’ as they think she’s ruined the bag for a future POC/American princess wannabe. Of course John can dislike Meghan but again saying people will feel they can’t dislike her because of her character not race is again to absolve people of racism.

      He’s not met her & most things reported on her have been lies (like her funding terrorism with the cookbook or making Kate cry) or based on misogynoir (like she’s bewitched Harry) so is assessment of her character informed on facts& not compromised by relentless anti Meghan press propaganda or a person’s own bias?

      • Myra says:

        “Exactly it was funny to me that in seeking to absolve the royal family by saying they were ‘realistic’ in being concerned- he said that the British public are racist who would view a darker skinned baby in the royal family as a negative thing.”

        This stood out to me, as well. He is basically saying that the Royals believe that British people are racist. This doesn’t portray the royals in a positive light, at all.

        It reminds me of the conversation Prince Harry said he had with a British Editor. The Editor said that newspapers are not bigoted, but the British public is. All the establishments are blaming the public for the racism in society and the public is okay with this?

  12. Scorpion says:

    Just listen to the language he is using. The man is a self hater and a colourist as well. This isnt the 1st time, he has made disgusting comments. He defended a ref who called the only Black person in a group of coaching staff the N word. John Barnes is a certifiable grade A imbecile.

    • NewKay_ says:

      Agree @scorpion this is the oldest story in the book. From the days of slavery there have been Black people whose internalized racism and self hate lead them to defend racist. Racist white people love them and hide behind them. ‘ See this Black person thinks the same way I do so it isn’t racist.’

  13. BlueSky says:

    As a black woman I can tell you this doesn’t surprise me. He reminds me of Terry Crews. There are unfortunately so many black men like him who chase white acceptance and want to be at the table even if he just gets scraps. He feels it’s his job (like so
    many others) to reassure racist they aren’t racist. He is fine with being used as a shield “See this black man doesn’t think it’s a problem so why do you?” He’s the type who will likely tell these young players to shut up and be grateful they are allowed to play. So many black and brown people have no problem carrying water for white supremacy. black people are not a monolith. He’s the house negro who will tell master if he thinks some of the slaves are thinking of running away. Like the saying goes “Not all skinfolk are kinfolk”

  14. Margaret says:

    There is always one. Full stop, I will never respect a man who denigrate a woman, it is such a horrible unmanly thing to do.
    This joker has not met her, and has or will have biracial children, just like candance owen.
    I don’t wish this same treatment to happen to their offsprings, so no complaints please down the road.

  15. eli says:

    Thank you for keeping the correct term “dark”. The BRF are not benignly curious about skin color or skin tone. The racists rejected the half-in offer because they, the BRF, are the ones who cannot accept dark first cousins next to white George, Charlotte and Louis on the balcony in the same upfront positions.

  16. ModeratelyWealthy says:

    Another token in human form trying to defend the system that made him a token in the first place- disgusting.

  17. Likeyoucare says:

    Didn’t he realise that he cant change his skin colour?
    And he even have 2 beautiful biracial children.
    You stupid man,
    is this how you want your children future to be
    gaslight by the white supremacist.

    • PrincessK says:

      But a lot of black man want to have biracial children in order to change skin colour through their children. In the past, slavery times, a lot black women wanted lighter skinned children so they could have a better life and eventually pass as ‘white’. Very common in South America, especially Brazil.

  18. TheOriginalMia says:

    Pathetic. Another black man carrying water for the white supremacy.

    Baldimort and the Grey Men didn’t want a black child standing next to the future heirs on the balcony. Yes, that’s racist. Yes, you are racist if the skin color of a child that hasn’t even been conceived concerns you enough to comment on it.

  19. Amelie says:

    The bit about not liking her because of her character really pisses me off. He doesn’t even know her! He doesn’t know her character! He doesn’t have to like her but that character crap really irritated me.

  20. Melly says:

    John Barnes is a self hater. As a black British born woman of Caribbean heritage he does not speak for me. Uncle Ruckus tap dancing fool!

  21. SunRae says:

    Not this unmoisturised, tap-dancing, nondescript, government issue member of the Brotherhood of the Travelling Ash saying something. Imagine failing your ancestors on such a monumental scale.

  22. bettyrose says:

    Can you imagine the different outcome if whomever, but let’s just say Charles and William, were like “Harry, there is going to be racism; we need to be prepared and come together as a family to show Britain we don’t tolerate it.” Because I don’t think that’s what happened.

  23. tamsin says:

    His view strikes me as self-loathing. And how do his comments reflect on his own bi-racial children?

  24. Theothermia says:

    As a WOC I’ve noticed that racist establishments will elevate, reward and lavish praise on you whenever you throw your own people under the bus. I could get so many gigs by playing into stereotypes, for example. I imagine that this dude has been in that environment for a long time, but he’s entitled to his opinion. It’s the press reaction that’s depressing.

  25. Shawna says:

    Go on and tell us what you think of “her character as a human being.” Yikes.

    Edited to add: Thanks for all of the comments above. As a (white) teacher in the US, I’ve always tried to explain why Black women have it the worst here, and it’s awesome that I can come to a gossip site and feel like I learned something. I read research on intersectionality and critical race theory that’s connected to what I teach, but it’s also really nice to get it here, too, in real life, as it were.

  26. Lila says:

    This man is trying to invalidate Meghan’s words by saying the royals were not being racist when they were concerned with “how dark Archie would be”. According to him, the family was merely concerned with the racist public who would not accept a dark skinned royal. But the family was so concerned that they completely ignored that racist joke when Archie was barely out of the womb.

  27. Cherriepie84 says:

    Oh look, its the black Thomas Markle!

    I hope that one or all of his biracial daughters get treated the way Meghan was/does (because of their father being black) and I when that happens I hope he regrets his words.

  28. Keri says:

    This British Uncle Tom needs to take a good hard look at himself and think about how his words and attitude will affect his own mixed race children when they struggle with racism. What a dumbass!

  29. Cherriepie84 says:

    Gosh, I just googled this douche and now i understand it all!
    His mother is from my country and that’s the normal psyche of the average black man in this country. It is the sad, sad, sad reality that we face in Jamaica. It is ingrained and there needs to be an entire study of the mental slavery and self loathing that still holds Caribbean nationals (especially men) captive.
    It is veryyyyy depressing!

  30. ChattyCath says:

    Attitudes to Meghan changed when she became pregnant and then had two children. Before that she was just a ‘married in’ a ‘degree wife’ ‘cable TV actress’. When she had kids melding her ‘blood’ with the ‘blood Royal’ everyone went ballistic. Horrific

  31. HeatherC says:

    Did I read this right? The British Royal Family is very much not a racist family but they have to give a voice to their very racist subjects about the skin tone of an unborn family member? And he thought that was a good defense, that the royals of course aren’t racist but every other person in Britain is?

  32. Eurydice says:

    I don’t know who this guy is and I don’t know the history of his opinions, so maybe that’s why I’m taking his comments a bit differently than the rest here. To me it sounds like the “So what?” is shorthand for “So what else is new?” And when he says the RF are being “realistic” about Archie’s skin color, that sounds like he saying the RF actually are racists, that they know the British public are also racists and all that matters to them are the optics, not setting a non-racist example for the public. This doesn’t seem like an absolution of racism.

    On the other hand, I don’t know why it’s relevant whether he or other Black Britons like Megan or not – that has nothing to do with the actual racism she experienced.

    • Lila says:

      No, what he’s saying is: the royals are not racists, they were merely “concerned” that the Brits are racists and that’s why they were asking about the baby’s skin tone. To me, this “so what?” comment means “so what? They weren’t being racist, they were talking about the racist public.”

      He’s basically being the emergency black guy that assures everyone there’s no racism in the BRF.

      • Eurydice says:

        Well, I don’t get that argument. The RF position themselves as the leaders of the British people. If they are “concerned,” then that means something is wrong. And if they make no move to correct that wrong, or at least to lead by example, then they are wrong, too. Therefore, RF = Racists.

  33. Cate says:

    My feeling (as a white person) is that there are probably ways of mentioning a potential baby’s color that are acknowledging societal racism and then there are ways that are just sort of…racist. Meghan seems smart enough to be able to figure out the difference. I don’t think she would have been too upset about someone saying “you know, if the baby is dark the tabloids are going to have a field day, how can we support you through that, what resources can we best deploy to shut them up?”

  34. blunt talker says:

    The poster Bettyrose stated it best-he is trying to calm the racist British public and the racist royal family-I am sure he will get his knighthood soon-what he said came straight from the royal racist constant talking about Archie’s skin tone before he is born-If you have to worry about the skin tone being too dark-then you are saying the UK has a huge racial problem about dark skinned people-God bless Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet and keep them safe always.

  35. blunt talker says:

    PS-Mr. Barnes should remember that they compared Archie to a chimp after a day or two from his birth-Thanks to Mr. Wooten-They lied on who made the other cry Kate or Meghan-A man threatened to kill Harry for marrying Meghan went to prison for it-If the Sussex family has to dim their lights in this world then Barnes can kiss my ass where the sun doesn;t shine

  36. Tomaser says:

    Attitudes to Meghan changed when she became pregnant and then had two children. Before that she was just a ‘married in’ a ‘degree wife’ ‘cable TV actress’. When she had kids melding her ‘blood’ with the ‘blood Royal’ everyone went ballistic – yes nice

    • ChattyCath says:

      It made my blood run cold. Before she had the kids she was ‘our token black’ to the RF. when she had kids she had ‘tainted the Blood Royal’ and the hatred started. Look at the timings. That was when all MY positive feelings for the RF aided by the media stopped.

  37. Jewell says:

    His argument makes no sense. The royal family was just being realistic and had genuine concern about a negative public response to Archie’s potential skin color but then decide to deny him the right to have access to security. They knew Meghan and Harry were already receiving threats by white supremacists.

  38. House of No says:

    Always count on the media finding one black person, most likely a man, to swoop in and excuse racist behavior for attention and favor. They’re pathetic people without a backbone, which is why the latter adores them.