Mayor Joanne Anderson suggested the Royal Family was racist 'by its very nature' in a discussion about how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are treated.
The city mayor was speaking on Times Radio as part of a discussion about her own life and background and was asked about the Royal Family and the reaction to a Netflix documentary on Prince Harry and Meghan's experiences.
Speaking about Meghan Markle's treatment by the Royal Family and the press, she told host Cathy Newman: "People who are Hollywood stars, as normal people we don't have a lot of sympathy. When we look at her experiences I think it's absolutely horrible, I think we have got a long way to go in Britain."
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Speaking more generally about race issues in Britain, she added: "I was in Minnesota recently, where George Floyd was murdered and they used to have policies around red lining communities so they couldn't be invested in, because they were black communities. People couldn't buy houses.
"People thought this is terrible what happens in America, it's not the same in England. It is absolutely the same in England but it's much more subtle. My grandma would have had a house just nearby where I live, the equivalent would have been worth half a million pounds today and that was compulsory purchased by the local authority for a road that never happened.
"I've got no generational wealth passed down to me because of a policy of our local council at the time that affected the black community, so it does happen, it's not different.
"I think the press in particular just needs to leave her alone. Is she touching Harry's hand, is she not? I mean this stuff just isn't important. What he's been through in his life with the press and his mother - just leave them alone."
Asked whether Britain is racist and whether the Royal Family is racist, Mayor Anderson said: "I think any institution in Britain, unless it can demonstrate by its outcomes that it is not, is highly likely institutionally racist."
Pushed on whether the Royal Family itself is racist, the city leader said: "By its very nature I think isn't it, even thought it's (of) German background and descent."
Referring to a recent incident which saw the late Queen's lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey resign over comments made to charity boss Ngozi Fulani, Mayor Anderson added: "The Royal Household, people think it's frivolous saying 'where are you from' and not thinking that's a big deal, someone not being able to get their head around that someone is black from Britain - that's a big indicator I would say."
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