Princess Michael apologises for wearing ‘racist’ blackamoor brooch to Queen’s lunch and says she is ‘devastated’

PRINCESS Michael of Kent has apologised after sparking fury for wearing a “racist” blackamoor brooch to the Queen’s annual Christmas lunch.

The royal, who is married to the Queen’s cousin Prince Michael, proudly sported the brooch on her coat as she was driven into Buckingham Palace on Wednesday.

Princess Michael of Kent has sparked fury for wearing a 'racist' blackamoor brooch


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Princess Michael of Kent has sparked fury for wearing a ‘racist’ blackamoor broochCredit: Getty – Contributor
But a spokesperson told The Sun Online that the brooch was in fact a gift that Princess Michael of Kent had worn many times before.

The spokesperson said: “Princess Michael is very sorry and distressed that it has caused offence.”

Blackamoor is a style of artwork dating back from the 18th Century which is usually found in sculpture, jewellery and textiles in which black men and women are often depicted as slaves.

The royal lunch would have been the first time Princess Michael met Prince Harry’s fiancee Meghan Markle.

The royal wore the brooch to the Queens annual Christmas lunch
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The royal wore the brooch to the Queens annual Christmas lunchCredit: Paul Edwards – The Sun

It would've been her first time meeting Meghan Markle
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It would’ve been her first time meeting Meghan MarkleCredit: Twitter/Alexi Lubomirski
The American actress’s mum Doria Ragland is black and has often spoken of racism she experienced as a child and as an adult.

Outraged social media users slammed her for her choice in jewellery.

One said: “Has no-one noticed the blackamoor pin that Princess Michael of Kent is wearing? Really? Meghan Markle official meets the family and is greeted by THIS?”

Another hit out at her “racist jewellery” while a third added: “I hope the Queen is going to ban this racist, horrible woman from any further gatherings. This woman is an embarrassment to the Royal Family.”

Blackamoor – the 18th Century artwork linked to racial conquest


Blackamoor jewellery and art dates back to the 1700s and was extremely popular at the time.

But it is now considered to be racially insensitive and even the name has been slammed as a term of abuse for anyone with dark skin.

The figures – usually men but sometimes women – are often shown fixed in positions of servitude, such as footmen and waiters, and personify fantasies of racial conquest.

However, some argue that many European ornaments often depict black people as exotic noblemen and women.

It’s not the first time the royal – dubbed Princess Pushy – has been embroiled in a race storm.

In 2004, she was accused of insulting black party guests at a New York restaurant by allegedly telling them to “go back to the colonies” in a row over noise.

She strongly denied the claims and said she would be “ready to go  back to the colonies” during the desipute with the table.

Meghan has has spoken out about racism after being subjected to years of prejudice by people unaware of her heritage.

She claimed that some who believed she was white made distasteful “black jokes” in front of her and revealed her hurt when someone called her mum “the N word” when she was pulling out of a parking space.

She said: “My skin rushed with heat as I looked to my mom. Her eyes welling with hateful tears, I could only breathe out a whisper of words, so hushed they were barely audible: ‘It’s OK, Mommy’.”