Where Are You Really From?

In regard of Lady Hussey's remarks to a black charity CEO about where she was really from, I can see both sides of the debate.

1. Given the furore around Meghan and Harry's allegations of racism within the extended Royal Family, and Hussey being a Lady-in-Waiting to the Old Queen, you'd have thought she'd be fully aware that this is a question one no longer asks in polite society. There again, as an aristo (youngest daughter of the Earl of Westmoreland), she is probably heavily insulated from reality and I can't recall any black people in the British peerage with whom she could have rubbed shoulders, except for Meghan, who I believe she was assigned to in order to ease her into the Royal Family. Therefore there should be no excuse.
2. Recent years have seen 1st generation immigration from other former colonies and Commonwealth countries in Africa, so one can't assume a black person was necessarily born here.
3. Ngozi Fulani isn't exactly a Viking, Norman, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon or Huguenot name, nor a typical British Afro-Caribbean name for that matter, as we have come to recognise them. The Fulani tribe are widespread in West Africa and Ngozi is a Nigerian name. On that basis it's entirely feasible that Hussey was genuinely enquiring about Fulani's heritage, but put it in a very unfortunate turn of phrase that many of her age could have used. I can see my late mother saying exactly the same. Hussey had made a show of moving Fulani's hair to see her name tag. 
4. Some reports say Fulani's parents' surnames are Headley and her birth forename was Mary. Others say she married a Mr Headley, who is now deceased. Whichever it true, she seems to have adopted a West African name and likes to portray herself as West African, which adds to the confusion. She admitted to Hussey that she had no idea where in Africa her ancestors originated, as they left no records. 
5. I can't see this question being asked in America, which is arguably more racist than Britain, it being assumed that anyone who is black is more than likely American born and bred, UNLESS they had a foreign-sounding name. Even then, few black Americans would even know anything about their African heritage.
6. Listening to Ngozi Fulani being interviewed on Radio 4 yesterday, I would say she definitely has an axe to grind. perhaps justifiably - that judgement judgement can only be made after walking in their shoes. That's not to say Hussey also had an axe to grind from the other side and decided to press the 'you know exactly what I mean' button, but to disastrous effect. Fulani went straight to Twitter; Lady Hussey probably doesn't know how to use it. 

This has played straight into the hands of the 'you can't say anything these days' brigade. It doesn't stop things being said though, but they have consequences. 

On face value it does kind of back up Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's claims concerning her perception of pockets of racism within the outer circles of the Royal Family. The fact the Palace jumped on this situation shows how damaging and embarrassing they consider the incident to be. 

The Old Queen nailed it by using her famous and diplomatic greeting; "Have you come far?" 

I'm sure more will come to light about Fulani out of this - the right wing press with ensure it, and it will need sifting for truth versus deliberate fiction in support of an agenda..