I don’t pay much attention to the people I consider “minor royals.” Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Michael of Kent are minor royals to me. Prince Michael is the grandson of King George V, which makes him… the Queen’s cousin? I think that’s right. Like, his father and the Queen’s father (King George VI) were brothers. Anyway, Prince Michael married this woman, Marie Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz, who has many European-royal and European-aristocrat family ties. She goes by Princess Michael. She’s also an a–hole.
This couple are often invited to the larger family celebrations, and they were invited to the Queen’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace earlier this week. These photos are from the drive-up to the palace. Note Princess Michael’s brooch.
Lainey at LaineyGossip was one of the first to point out how f–king racist that brooch is. It’s a style of jewelry referred to as “blackamoor.” That style wasn’t just on jewelry – it made its way into artwork, home interior design, the crests of European aristocrats and more. The blackamoor style fetishizes people of color in servant or chattel-slavery roles. There’s an extremely f–ked up history to it – it glamorizes the idea that the wealthier you are, the more servants/slaves you have and isn’t that fabulous? Barf. Also keep in minds that Princess Michael wore that brooch for a lunch that included – for the very first time in the history of this royal family – a black woman who will be marrying a prince. I hope Meghan Markle told Princess Michael to shove it.
Princess Michael has a history of being a racist C-U-Next-Tuesday, by the way. Go here for some background. In 2004, she went to a restaurant in New York and she happened upon some African-Americans. She told them to “go back to the colonies.” When she was called out on that, she gave an unhinged interview where she referred to South Africans as “adorable” people, and claimed she even pretended to be “half-caste.” OMFG.
Update: Princess Michael of Kent released a statement saying she is “very sorry and distressed” that she wore this racist brooch to the palace luncheon, and she says it was a “gift she’s worn many times before, without controversy.” TMZ also notes: “A source connected to Kensington Palace tells us Princess Michael was not trying to insult Meghan or any people of color. The source says she’s learned her lesson, and is going to retire the brooch for good.” Racist a–hole is so sorry for being a terrible racist, promises never to do that one racist thing again. Whatever. Not forgiven.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Getty.
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