Royal Family considering appointment of a diversity chief - what would their duties be?

The Royal Family is considering appointing a diversity chief in order to modernise the monarchy, according to a royal source (Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)The Royal Family is considering appointing a diversity chief in order to modernise the monarchy, according to a royal source (Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
The Royal Family is considering appointing a diversity chief in order to modernise the monarchy, according to a royal source (Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

The Royal Family is considering appointing a diversity chief in order to modernise the monarchy, according to a royal source.

Buckingham Palace is considering the move as “more needs to be done” in order to address the issue of diversity, a royal source has said.

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This comes after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, where the couple revealed there had been discussions about their son Archie’s skin tone before his birth.

During the interview, Meghan said there were “several conversations” within the family, which were relayed back to her by Harry, "about how dark his skin might be when he was born".

Winfrey asked if her son being "too brown" would be a problem, to which Meghan said: "If that is the assumption you are making, that is a pretty safe one".

However, the couple both refused to say who said that, with Meghan saying "I think that would be very damaging to them” and Harry adding: "That conversation, I am never going to share."

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"At the time it was awkward, I was a bit shocked," Harry said.

‘We are not afraid to look at new ways of approaching it’

Although the work being undertaken around diversity pre-dates Meghan and Harry’s interview, it is understood that their comments will be taken on board as part of the process.

The proposals have the “full support” of the royal family and aim to seek independent views in order to help assess and improve representation across the royal household, the source said.

Addressing the issue of diversity, the royal source said: “This is an issue which has been taken very seriously across the royal households.

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“We have the policies, the procedures and programmes in place but we haven’t seen the progress we would like and accept more needs to be done, we can always improve.

“Therefore we are not afraid to look at new ways of approaching it. The work to do this has been under way for some time now and comes with the full support of the family.”

In regards to the potential appointment of a diversity chief, the source added: “It is something that has to be considered but it is too early for any firm plans to be announced.

“We are listening and learning, to get this right.”

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