Ngozi Fulani returned to Buckingham Palace to receive a face-to-face apology from her interrogator, Lady Susan Hussey. In a statement, the palace said Ms. Hussey, who served for more than six decades as a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, pledged to deepen her awareness of the sensitivities involved.
British born Ms. Fulani accepted the apology, with the palace stating that it appreciated that no malice was intended, adding that there was “warmth and understanding” during the meeting.
With Buckingham Palace stating that Hussey declared her sincere apologies for the comments... and the distress they caused, in response, a statement said that Ms Fulani had accepted the apology and recognised the comments had not been malicious. A founder and CEO of Sistah Space, the charity which supports women and families affected by domestic abuse, Ngozi was a guest at a Buckingham Palace reception when she described Lady Susan moving her hair to see her name badge and challenging her to explain where she was "really from".
Ms. Hussey, a godmother oh Prince William, had already issued an apology for the incident at a reception dedicated to raising awareness about violence against women and girls. The row prompted Prince William's spokesperson to say that "racism has no place in our society".
In a joint statement issued with Ms Fulani, Buckingham Palace described the reconciliation between the two women as "filled with warmth and understanding".
