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Whoopi Goldberg has joined the chorus of people calling on the royal family to apologize for their colonial past, insisting that the crown cannot ‘ignore the fact that Britain ran roughshod over India for years’ – just one month after she was suspended from her ABC talk show The View for saying that the ‘Holocaust wasn’t racist’.
The 66-year-old Sister Act actress, who is based in New York City, was discussing the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s tour of the Caribbean during The View on Thursday when she hit out at the monarchy.
Whoopi, who has previously described her ‘close’ relationship with Prince Harry on the show, said that the modern royal family needs to apologize for its imperialist past and the British empire’s links to slavery, saying the crown ‘ran ram shod’ over India for years and needs to take responsibility for its colonial past.
The actress, who has long been a vocal supporter of Meghan Markle, has previously questioned whether the Queen was ‘in touch’ with royal issues after the Sussexes’ explosive Oprah interview. She also said watching the Duchess confess she ‘was not okay’ in the ITV documentary Harry and Meghan: An African Journey was ‘tough.’
Her comments come after Prince William, 39, delivered a heartfelt speech where he described Britain’s historic role in the slave trade as ‘abhorrent’ and a ‘stain on our history’ in a keynote speech alongside his wife at a state dinner on Wednesday night in Jamaica.
New York City-based actress Whoopi Goldberg, 66, has joined the chorus of people calling on the royal family to apologize for its colonial past
Whoopi, who has been vocal about royal issues in the past, said that the modern royal family needs to apologize for its imperialist past and for slavery, saying the crown ‘ran roughshod’ over India for years and needs to take responsibility for its colonial past (pictured in the Bahamas on Thursday)
An animated Whoopi said: ‘Let us not forget when we talk about what needs to happen, all the folks that need to apologize.’
Bouncing off the panel discussion she said there was ‘a list’ of countries the royal family should be apologizing too.
Co-host Sunny Hostin added: ‘The Brits are calling this the charm offensive, and they need to call it that. The Brits rarely, especially the royals, rarely talk about their history of enslavement. They rarely talk about how they got their wealth off the backs of Black people.’
She did note that Prince Charles acknowledged Britain’s imperialist past when he travelled to Barbados in November.
Charles travelled to the country to attend a ceremony marking the end of the royal rule over the Caribbean island.
‘Listen, this is not new. I suspect Charles when he was in Barbados, had some idea because he went on and apologized. Yes, he was releasing the hold that Britain has,’ she added.
The actress said the fact Prince Charles acknowledged the UK’s colonial past during his visit to witness the Independence of Barbados in November shows that ‘someone is listening’
While calling for an apology, the Ghost actress noted that the royal family has shown signs it is catching up with the times.
‘So perhaps someone is listening, and it’s the new group of folks. I don’t know if it’s Charles, but one of them,’ she said.
The African-American actress has been very vocal of her praise of biracial Meghan’s place in the royal family. Following her engagement to Prince Harry in 2017, Whoopi spoke on The View of how it would change things for future generations.
She said: ‘Markle would be the very first biracial American royal in the UK.
‘The hue of the royal family is about to shift, which is kind of interesting. It’s kind of wonderful.
‘All you kids out there, all you little girls who say, ‘That could never happen to me,’ I’m telling you, stuff’s happening all the time.’
When Arche was born in May 2019, Whoopi spoke to The View as ‘someone who is close to Harry.’
The Duke of Cambridge, pictured with the Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness and his wife the Duchess of Cambridge, has faced the issue of Britain’s historic role in the slave trade head on, describing it as ‘abhorrent’ and a ‘stain on our history’ in a keynote speech alongside his wife Kate at a state dinner hosted by the Governor General of Jamaica at King’s House
The Duchess of Cambridge smiles at her husband before he gave his landmark speech on slavery
‘He’s got a new baby, he’s got an old lady that he likes, you know, life is good,’ she joked.
Pressed by the rest of the panel, she went on: ‘The Queen actually likes her, I believe
‘I just think this is their first, and there might be others, and one of those babies is going to pop out looking like me.’
However, while Whoopi was quick to call out the royals, she herself faced furious controversy just last month, when she alleged that race was not a factor in the Holocaust.
The talk show host was ultimately suspended from The View for two weeks following her controversial on-air comments, which saw her referring to Jews and Nazis as ‘two groups of white people’ and claiming that because they were both white, the Holocaust was about ‘inhumanity’ and not race’.
She apologized hours later and again on Tuesday’s morning episode, but the original remark sparked immediate international backlash with everyone from the Israeli Consular General in New York to the Auschwitz Memorial and Anti-Defamation League (ADL) taking offense.
Her latest comments come after Prince William spoke of the ‘appalling atrocity’ of slavery in Jamaica at a state dinner on Wednesday, and expressed his ‘profound sorrow’ that it had ever happened.
Last month, Whoopi was suspended from The View after she alleged that race was not a factor in the Holocaust
The TV host posted an apology on Twitter hours after her comments aired, saying the Holocaust was about ‘both’ race and inhumanity
His speech came during a tricky tour for the royals, where the Cambridges were greeted like rock stars by the public but politicians, including prime minister Andrew Holness, used meetings to make clear in public they will push for the island to be a republic with a referendum this year.
There was also a protest outside the British High Commission by republicans also demanding slavery reparations from Britain and the royals.
In a landmark speech William also referred to his father’s previous condemnation of slavery – but stopped short of apologizing for the Royal Family’s part in the trade.
He said: ‘I strongly agree with my father, The Prince of Wales, who said in Barbados last year that the appalling atrocity of slavery forever stains our history. I want to express my profound sorrow. Slavery was abhorrent. And it should never have happened. ‘
He continued: ‘While the pain runs deep, Jamaica continues to forge its future with determination, courage and fortitude.
‘The strength and shared sense of purpose of the Jamaican people, represented in your flag and motto, celebrate an invincible spirit.
‘It is this same spirit that spurred on the Windrush generation, who came to the United Kingdom to help rebuild after the Second World War.
‘We are forever grateful for the immense contribution that this generation and their descendants have made to British life, which continues to enrich and improve our society.
Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, leave the RAF Voyager aircraft at Norman Manley International Airport as they continue their tour of the Caribbean
‘I’m delighted that a national monument acknowledging and celebrating the Windrush generation by Jamaican artist, Basil Watson, will be unveiled later this year in Waterloo Station in London.’
It comes as Jamaica’s Prime Minister warned the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge that his nation is ‘moving on’ and intends to ditch the monarchy during a tense meeting this afternoon following anti-monarchy protests on the Caribbean island as its politicians push for a 2022 independence vote and slave trade reparations.
During the emotional speech, William also said he and his wife were ‘very pleased’ to be on our first official visit to Jamaica, adding: ‘All my family have enjoyed their visits here so much. They have waxed lyrical about the warmth and sense of fun of the Jamaican people and the beauty of this island.
‘Already in our short time here, Catherine and I are delighted to have felt what Bob Marley described so many years ago – the spirit of ‘One love’ that Jamaica has given to the world and which makes this country so special.
There have been several calls for the royal family to apologize for its colonial past during the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s royal tour of the Caribbean. Pictured in Kingston on Monday
Prince William during a visit with the Governor General of Jamaica at Kings House in Kingston on Tuesday
‘I’m particularly pleased tonight to convey the very best wishes from my grandmother, The Queen of Jamaica, on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee.
‘It is no secret that The Queen has a deep affection for Jamaica, forged on her very first visit here with my grandfather, The Duke of Edinburgh, in 1953.
‘And likewise I have been touched to hear today from Jamaicans, young and old, about their affection for The Queen.
‘Her dedication, commitment, and sense of duty to the Commonwealth family is deeply admired. She may be my actual grandmother, but everyone counts her as their grandmother too. And I’m ok with that!
‘And of course, as The Queen marks seventy years on the throne, this is also a very special year for Jamaica, as you celebrate your sixtieth anniversary of independence. Now that’s double the excuse for a party!’
Prince William was given a polite round of applause following his seven minute address to a complete and respectful silence ballroom at the Governor General’s home.
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