Top lawyer says Lady Susan Hussey also questioned his ‘heritage’ at the palace

Nazir Afzal used to be the chief crown prosecutor for the North West (Picture: Getty)

A top lawyer claims he was questioned about his ethnicity by the same woman who insisted a black activist reveal her ‘heritage’.

Nazir Afzal, former chief crown prosecutor for the North West, attended the same charity event at Buckingham Palace as Ngozi Fulani on Tuesday night.

He said Lady Susan Hussey, who was a close friend of the late Queen and is Prince William’s godmother, also asked him where he was from.

He tweeted: ‘She only asked me my heritage once and seemed to accept my answer – Manchester currently! Racism is never far away though.’

The Palace is currently involved in a dramatic race row over Lady Susan repeatedly asking Ms Fulani about her nationality and allegedly refusing to accept the answer that she is British.

The activist, whose charity offers specialist support for domestic violence victims with African and Caribbean heritage, posted about the exchange yesterday.

She tweeted a transcription of the ‘violating’ conversation which included: ‘Where are you from?’

Lady Susan Hussey was a close friend of the late Queen and is Prince William’s godmother (Picture: Getty)

‘Me: “Here, UK”. “No, but what nationality are you?” Me: “I am born here and am British.” “No, but where do you really come from, where do your people come from?” Me: “’My people’, lady, what is this?”

‘Oh, I can see I am going to have a challenge getting you to say where you’re from.’

Prince William, in the US for the Earthshot Prize awards, said it was ‘really disappointing’, adding: ‘Racism has no place in our society, these comments were unacceptable. It’s right that the individual has stepped down.’

Buckingham Palace released a statement saying ‘deeply regrettable comments’ were made, adding ‘the individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused’.

‘We have reached out to Ngozi Fulani on this matter and are inviting her to discuss all elements of her experience in person if she wishes,’ it said.

But, this morning, Ms Fulani said she had not heard from the Palace at all.

She told Good Morning Britain Lady Hussey had ‘made a beeline’ for her before asking ‘about seven or eight times’ where she came from.

She said: ‘Then you realise, this is not about age. She seems to be quite capable of conducting herself. This is what it is, this is what you call racism. I’m there for two hours feeling like I need to leave, I want to leave, but not knowing what to do.

‘People keep saying the palace has reached out to me. They haven’t reached out to me. I’m telling you categorically, we have not heard.

‘We’re about positive results. We’re happy to have that conversation. This is about violence against women and girls. I didn’t experience physical violence, I feel I experienced a form of abuse.

‘I have clarity. That is racism.’

She added: ‘It was like an interrogation. That’s the only way I can explain it.’

Metro.co.uk has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.

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‘Racism is never far away,’ he said.