Olympic boxer Amir Khan says UK is NOT a racist country

British boxer Amir Khan believes Meghan Markle will always be welcome in the UK and said: ‘I don’t think England is a racist country’.

The former Olympic gold medallist today said ‘people in Britain are very loving’ after he met Prince William and Kate when they visited Bradford today.

Khan spoke about the Duchess of Sussex fleeing the country after she and Prince Harry announced they were stepping back from their royal duties – and said he believed they may have made ‘rash decisions’.

Speaking inside the MyLahore Asian restuarant today, he said he hoped the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Sussexes could ‘sit together and resolve the situation’ for the good of the royal family.

The I’m a Celebrity star, who appeared on the ITV show in 2017, said: ‘I don’t think England is a racist country, we’ve been living here and we are well respected. 

Speaking inside the MyLahore Asian restaurant today he said he hoped the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Sussexes could ‘sit together and resolve the situation’ for the good of the royal family

‘I have been in that position myself, a long long time ago where you do feel unwanted, but I’m sure they will get to the bottom of it and hopefully things get better.

‘Every family has its difficulties for sure but it’s about sitting together and resolving them. I do feel for the family and we wish them all the very best.’ 

Khan added today: ‘Obviously I’m British, I’ve lived in England all my life, I’m always welcome in this country and always taken care of and I feel like Meghan will always be welcome because the people in Britain are very loving.

‘I’ve been in many places around the world, I’ve travelled around the world, from America to Pakistan to England and always come back to England because that’s my home.

Prince William and Kate Middleton help make Kulfi milkshakes at the MyLahore restaurant today

William shared jokes with the kitchen staff and learned about some of the community work undertaken by the restaurant

‘If you start making rash decisions, you start making mistakes and I think they just have to sit together and resolve the situation.

‘I just feel at the end of the day it is family and especially the royal family that everyone looks up to as well, they need to sort things out amicably and sit down and resolve the situation because it’s only going to get worse if you don’t.’

Asked whether he experienced any forms of racism, he said: ‘I don’t experience that at all, I feel love from everyone. I won the Olympic medal, I won world titles for the country and I am well looked after, I’m probably wanted here and I am loved by the British public.

‘I’ve had opportunities to move away from England and live elsewhere but I’ve always wanted to come back home because I am most loved here.

Kate is handed white roses in Centenary Square in Bradford as crowds went wild for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today

Kate shakes hands with local children who cheered the Duchess and shouted her name as the royals were shaken by Prince Harry’s decision to walk away from life as a senior royal

‘All I hope for them is that they sort it out together and I wish them the very best.’

His comments come amid a row over claims Meghan has faced ‘racial undertones’ in press coverage, after Harry issued a statement in 2016 lashing out at the ‘wave of abuse and harassment’ she had faced from the media. 

Earlier today Jeremy Corbyn said he agreed with the concerns raised by Harry, with his spokeswoman saying he understood how coverage could have a ‘negative impact on people’.

However, they declined to give any examples of racism against the Duchess of Sussex in reporting or commentary.

And Tory MPs echoed Home Secretary Priti Patel, who earlier this week dismissed the idea that racism was a factor. 

William joked with a section of the crowds that they were the ‘noisy corner’ as the people of Bradford came out in force to support the Cambridges

Philip Davies said the allegation was ‘codswallop’ – pointing to the positive press the couple received when they were married.  

Father of two Khan met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the flagship MyLahore restaurant in Bradford as the royals visited locals and community schemes in the city.

The couple were cheered wildly with Kate hugging their ‘noisy’ supporters today on their first joint engagement since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit as senior royals.

William and Kate visibly enjoyed their warm reception in Bradford as the storm over Harry’s decision to leave Britain for Canada rumbled on and rumours of their rift with the Sussexes. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were last pictured in public together after visiting Canada House in London on January 7

Founded in 2002, the British Asian restaurant chain at the centre of the community, runs apprenticeships for local college students as well as giving free meals to the homeless and needy.

William and Kate were welcomed by CEO Asghar Ali who shared how the restaurant’s inspiration started in from Lahore, known as the Food Capital of Pakistan.

The royals visited Lahore during their tour to Pakistan last October with William remarking: ‘We had the most wonderful time, it was amazing, everyone was so welcome.’

Speaking to Khan, the Duke said: ‘It wasn’t until we were in the country that we could really appreciate how culture, food and the community are everything, it was an amazing experience, we had a great time there.’

A smiling Meghan Markle was spotted yesterday leaving the Vancouver Island home where she and Prince Harry stayed over the holidays with Archie

Khan told Kate how his wife, Faryal Makhdoom, was desperate to meet the Duchess but is currently eight months pregnant.

He said: ‘She really wanted to meet you but she just couldn’t leave the house as she’s heavily pregnant at the moment.’

The royal couple collectively exclaimed ‘congratulations’ as Kate added: ‘That’s such wonderful news.’

After taking turns to make mango and kulfi milkshakes the couple discussed sports and mental health with the boxer who runs his own charitable foundation that helps disadvantaged children get into boxing.

He told William: ‘I’ve seen what you’ve been doing with mental health, it’s amazing. Please, if there’s anything I can do for you, with your charities, in the UK or in Pakistan, please let me know, I would love to help.’

The Duke, who is spearheading the Heads Up campaign with football clubs across Britain, said: ‘That would be great, we are really trying to break the stigma around mental health and football and especially around the suicide rates in young men, and I’d love to know whether you experience the same in boxing, there’s certainly something that could be done with clubs at the centre of their community.’

The Duke and Duchess stayed at the restaurant for about an hour, watching young chefs from Bradford College cooking in the kitchens.

Trainee chef Jack Johnson, 17, in the third year of his apprenticeship beamed after meeting William and Kate, saying: ‘Today was wild. Everyone was dead nervous before they came in but they were just really normal, totally sound.’

The royals then met clients accessing an outreach programme in the city called The Curry Circle.

The initiative was set up six years ago to provide a free hot, two course meal to those in need and has been heralded as a ‘fantastic example of community spirit’.

The programme is sponsored by the MyLahore restaurant chain and gives free meals to dozens of locals every week.

Bana Gora, CEO of the Muslim Women’s Council, said: ‘Having the Duke and Duchess here was a great bonus for the area and will shine a light on projects like ours and fantastic businesses like this.

‘They were both so warm and engaging, everyone loved meeting them.’

Saadia Mushtaq from the MWC noticed Kate wearing a pair of Zeen earrings she wore on the royals’ recent tour of Pakistan.

She said: ‘I noticed her earrings straight away and Kate was really impressed. She told me she loved the designer and she loved Pakistan. She was so lovely and William was so interested in the project, they were both a real class act together.’