In a recent interview, an activist for race and equity sparked controversy with remarks about Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. The activist, Sir Trevor Phillips, stated that Meghan needed to “learn to be Black” following her marriage to Prince Harry, accusing her of making a mess of it. According to Sir Trevor, Meghan’s background did not include a strong connection to race. He claimed that her upbringing in the affluent Black neighborhood of Park View, Windsor Hills, in Los Angeles meant that race was not a significant part of her life. Sir Trevor argued that when she became a princess, Meghan failed to embrace advice and wasted the opportunity to showcase Britain’s diversity.
Who is Sir Trevor Phillips?
During a lively debate on the TalkTV show ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored,’ the former chairman of a broadcasting company and director of the Equality and Human Rights Commission made a series of allegations. He pointed out that Meghan herself had previously stated that she did not view herself primarily as Black until she assumed her princess role. He emphasized that her upbringing in the wealthy Black enclave of Park View, Windsor Hills, and her education in a private Roman Catholic school contributed to race not being a prominent aspect of her background.
These revelations followed Meghan’s admission during her podcast ‘Archetypes’ on Spotify, where she spoke with guest Mariah Carey. Meghan revealed that she began identifying herself as mixed race only after starting to date her husband, Prince Harry. She explained that her experiences shifted when she realized how she was treated as a Black woman compared to how she had been treated as a mixed woman.
Sir Trevor Phillips has been acknowledged as an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and politician. He previously served as the director of the current affairs department at ITV station LWT and received the ‘Royal Television Society journalistic awards in 1998 and 1993. His documentary series, “Windrush,” also won an RTS award in 1998. Sir Trevor was nominated for the British Journalism Awards as Comment Writer of the Year. He is the founder chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and has held positions such as chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality and chairman of the London Assembly. In 2021, he hosted a weekly politics show, as reported by Sky News.
Sir Trevor has participated in several noteworthy TV programs, including “Has Political Correctness Gone Mad? What’s the Deal?” (2017) and ‘Things We Won’t Say About Race That Are True’ (2015). He is a frequent contributor to prominent newspapers such as The Times, The Daily Mail, The Sun, and The Sunday Times. His writings cover various topics including race, diversity, politics, mental illness, and grief. Notably, Sir Trevor experienced personal tragedy when his daughter, Sushila Phillips, a freelance journalist, passed away in 2021 at the age of 36 due to anorexia.
During the Piers Morgan show, Sir Trevor further expressed his perspective on Meghan Markle. He asserted that she had to navigate learning how to be Black while on the job, but he felt she mishandled it by disregarding advice. In his opinion, Meghan and Prince Harry missed the chance to represent something significant about the United Kingdom. Sir Trevor pointed out that the UK has the largest uniquely mixed-race population in the developed world, resulting from romantic unions rather than coercion, and they could have been exemplary advocates for this reality.
The debate between Sir Trevor and TalkTV commentator Paula Rhone-Adrien delved into whether the Duchess needed to directly address racism in the UK. Rhone-Adrien argued that Meghan faced confrontations with racists, even leading to individuals being imprisoned due to threats against her life. In response, Sir Trevor challenged her to provide the name of a specific person that Meghan had confronted regarding these issues.
In the realm of race and equity, Meghan Markle’s journey continues to be a subject of scrutiny and debate, with differing perspectives and opinions being expressed by notable figures like Sir Trevor Phillips.