英王室、職員に占める人種的少数派の割合を初公表

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】英王室は２４日、王室職員に占める人種的少数派の割合を初めて公表し、多様性に関する取り組みが不十分だと認めた。（写真は資料写真）
　２０１１年の国勢調査によると、人種的少数派は総人口の約１３％を占めるが、今回の発表によると、王室職員に占める割合は８．５％だった。このデータはこれまで公表されておらず、さまざまな臆測を呼んできた。
　バッキンガム宮殿筋は英ＰＡ通信に対し、データを公表したことで、王室は隠し事ができなくなり、説明責任の向上につながると語った。
　英王室は、２０２０年に多様性に関する規定を改め、包摂（インクルージョン）の重要性を訴えた。２０２２年に人種的少数派が王室職員に占める割合を１０％にするという目標を立てている。
　同宮殿筋は、「王室は望ましい状態ではない。多様性と包摂に関する取り組みを進めてこなかったわけではないが、望んだ結果が出ていない」と述べた。「一層の努力が必要だと認識している。データ公表の重要な点の一つは、隠し事ができなくなることだ」
　３月にはヘンリー王子とメーガン妃夫妻が、誕生前だった第１子の肌の色について、ある王室メンバーが懸念を示していたと暴露。これを受け、ヘンリー王子の兄のウィリアム王子は記者らに対し、英王室は決して人種差別主義ではないと断言していた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/06/24-17:47）

Britain's royal family for the first time revealed how many ethnic minority staff it employs on Thursday, and admitted it has not made sufficient progress on diversity.
The revelation comes three months after explosive claims of racism against the monarchy from Queen Elizabeth II's grandson Prince Harry and his mixed-race wife Meghan.
The couple, who stepped down from frontline royal duties in March last year, claimed an unnamed senior royal asked what colour skin their son, Archie, would have.
The palace disputed the claim, saying recollections may vary, while Harry's elder brother, Prince William, insisted: We are very much not a racist family.
Just 8.5 percent of royal employees are from ethnic minorities compared with about 13 percent of the overall UK population, according to the last published census in 2011.
The royal statistic -- the source of much speculation -- had previously only been kept internally.
A Buckingham Palace source told Britain's domestic Press Association news agency that publishing the figures left the monarchy with no place to hide and would improve accountability.
A target of 10 percent has been set for 2022.
We are not where we would like to be. It is not that we have not been progressing diversity and inclusion initiatives, it is that the results have not been what we would like, the source said.
We recognise we must do more. One of the key points about publishing statistics is that there's no place to hide.
The royal household reformed its diversity strategy in early 2020 to promote the importance of inclusion.
The Guardian newspaper earlier this month reported that the royal household negotiated exemptions from 1970s-era laws against racial and gender discrimination to bar coloured immigrants or foreigners and only consider them for subaltern roles.
Buckingham Palace has denied the claims and says it complies with modern equality legislation.
Queen Elizabeth II heads the multi-racial Commonwealth, an association of 54 countries with historical ties to Britain predominantly forged through imperialism.
- 'Financially independent' -
Meghan, a US former television actress who is also known as the Duchess of Sussex, was hailed as a breath of fresh air to stuffy tradition when she married Harry in 2018.
Their wedding, at the historic St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, featured a black evangelical preacher and a gospel choir, raising hopes of a more modern institution.
But the couple in early 2020 announced plans to move to north America, going on to make claims of racism in a high-profile television interview with Oprah Winfrey.
They also said they felt trapped in an inflexible institution and claimed the royal family offered no assistance with mental health challenges that drove Markle to the verge of suicide.
Harry complained in the interview that his father, heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, cut him off financially after his move to California in March last year.
A senior spokesperson at Charles' Clarence House said the prince allocated a substantial sum to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to help them with their move to north America.
Funding continued for several months after Megxit in March 2020 into the summer months.
Charles' latest accounts showed Harry, William and their families received £4.5 million ($6.3 million, 5.3 million euros) from their father.
The bill then dropped by around £1.2 million.
Harry and Meghan have since signed lucrative deals with streaming giants Netflix and Spotify, among other tie-ups with publishers and motivational speaking.
I betray no confidence when I say they've been very successful in becoming financially independent, the spokesperson said.