Where do YOU come from?

O

Ollygon

Well-known member
The late Queen's Lady-in-Waiting, Lady Susan Hussey has had to step down from Royal duties.

At a gathering at Buckingham Palace hosted by Camilla, she apparently chatted to one of the guests, Ngozi Fulani and at some time asked her where she "really" came from, after she'd originally been told that she was born and bred in Britain

Now I hate racism, sexism and homophobia, but I think Ms Fulani, who said she was "totally stunned" by this has been completely oversensitive.

I don't have a Lancashire accent as I was born in the Midlands, but many times I've been asked where I come from. Similarly I know many Black and Asian people who were born in the UK, as well as friends with Polish, Ukrainian and German heritage. They're all proud of their roots, and so should Ms Fulani.

This smells of "political" opportunism!!!
 
Sounded like a Harry Enfield sketch or something the Major from Fawlty Towers would come out with.

The old bird hasn't done the Royal Family any favours with this, has she. I bet Meghan is doing somersaults over in the good old US of A!
 
It has happened regularly to me during my lifetime, I was born in Lancashire, in 1947, brought up in Wales, moved back to Lancashire in 1961 and have lived in Yorkshire since 1982.

During my travels I have been asked if I'm Welsh, called a Yorkshireman and also been told I'm from Darn Sarf.

Does it bother me? Not one bit.
 
It wasn’t a one off comment. The old girl seems to have gone on a bit. Like a dog with a bone.

The issue is that some people struggle to understand that Black/Asian people, even those born here, are actually British.

It’s as daft as being told you can’t be a Blackpool fan unless your family have lived in the town for x number of generations.
 
It was a bit more than just asking 'where do you come from'?
It is worth remembering that the woman concerned was a guest of the royal household. Transcript below;

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Over reaction for me, stupid woman, out of touch, but like ollygon and curryman, I’ve lived in Yorkshire, Wales and darn sarf, and been asked where I’m from. In Wales there were definitely people who were openly antagonist towards me being English and darn sarf I was asked more than once where I’m from, near Blackpool I used to say, oh I know Bill Smith in Newcastle, do you know him 🤨 I’ve been to Warwick, is that near Blackpool. Where are you living now, Sunninghill, oh that must be nice for you, all those tress 😡
 
Matesrates said:
Over reaction for me, stupid woman, out of touch, but like ollygon and curryman, I’ve lived in Yorkshire, Wales and darn sarf, and been asked where I’m from. In Wales there were definitely people who were openly antagonist towards me being English and darn sarf I was asked more than once where I’m from, near Blackpool I used to say, oh I know Bill Smith in Newcastle, do you know him 🤨 I’ve been to Warwick, is that near Blackpool. Where are you living now, Sunninghill, oh that must be nice for you, all those tress 😡
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And has anyone ever suggested you aren’t really British?
 
I'm young enough to still have a couple of elderly grandparents so this is quite familiar to me. She shouldn't say things like that but she's 80-odd and probably doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks anymore anyway.
 
Recidivist3 said:
But, hey, Ollygon and Curryman, where are you both really from ……..🤔
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How far back should I go?

Warwickshire. My parents were from Yorkshire and Oxfordshire, and as I posted on another thread a few days ago, my DNA shows a whole mix of European, North African and Middle Eastern traces.

We are what we are, and should be proud of it.

Maybe Ms Fulani should be invited on to "Who do you think you are?", and have her ancestry traced. She then might be able to embrace her complete identity, and lose that chip off her shoulder.

But then it might not suit her purpose
 
Blackpool born, if it comes up in conversation I say that all my family prior to me were born in the Midlands, thankfully they saw fit to move to Lancashire and especially Blackpool.
Whilst my Dad was still alive there was always plenty of banter when Lancashire played Warwickshire and he always gave me stick saying I should have supported the Villa instead of that lower league team. The Premier season was satisfying when Villa weren't that much better than us that season.
Whilst on holiday in America I've been mistaken for an Australian, South African and in Mexico some thought I was Canadian!!
Didn't bother me🤷
Edit to add, in the UK most think I'm a manc!!!!
 
It was wrong, but the overreaction by the media is equally wrong, but of course they love it. Her reply saying “I don’t know, they didn’t leave any records“ was strange, that implied that she wasn’t born here. I also think she could have dealt with this quietly without going public.
 
It's such a stupid thing to ask in any case.
A black woman that I know did one of the genetic tests where they tell you the origin of your ancestors based on DNA profiling

She was a real mixture of races and places but the biggest match was actually from Sweden.

Who amongst us could say that they are truly English? My ancestors, like most of us and from what we know, come from all over the place but mainly Europe (France, Belgium, Channel Islands etc). In the context of this conversation, it's a pointless, stupid question designed to let you know what your place is in the pecking order. It is an example of the English class system in operation. I'm afraid that it is all that the aristocratic families have left to cling on to - the idea of hereditary titles and privilege belongs in the past.
 
I think it’s wrong and the connotations are racist.

If you read the whole transcript it’s obvious she isn’t making polite conversation. She’s almost bullying her until she gets the information she wants, which is information she has no god given right to know.

She sounds like an awful woman and maybe now she has more time on her hands, will use that time to reflect on how to engage with others without causing offence.
 
Age, I'm afraid, has a lot to do with it.

My wife had an old Aunt, 98 when she died, who was in a nursing home for her last years. One day we arrived and she announced 'I don't like the two new care assistants, they're both pufta men'. We both took a sharp intake of breath and advised her she couldn't say that. 'Why not, they both are' she said.

No sooner had she said that than there was a knock on the door and one of the new assistants came in. 'He's one of the pufta men' she said, my wife went red and I apologised to him. His reply was great. 'Don't worry, it's an age thing, she can't help it'.

I would have hoped the complainant in this case would have understood how age affects how people ask questions, which in the past would not have been commented on, but are now considered not to be woke.

Where has common sense gone?
 
Matesrates said:
It was wrong, but the overreaction by the media is equally wrong, but of course they love it. Her reply saying “I don’t know, they didn’t leave any records“ was strange, that implied that she wasn’t born here. I also think she could have dealt with this quietly without going public.
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It an agenda to stir up trouble.
This is how Sistah Space describe themselves

"SUPPORTING AFRICAN & CARIBBEAN
HERITAGE WOMEN AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC & SEXUAL ABUSE".

So when the lady said she was from that organisation, maybe asking where her roots were was perfectly reasonable? She chose not to give a straight answer so the posh one decided to interrogate her. Fault on both sides?
 
Born in Blackpool, like my older sister & brother. Both now sadly departed.
Dad was born in Leeds, as was MrsDP.
Mum was born in Cape Town S.A. however her origins are from Durham & Scotland.
Maternal GG/pa was was from Devon & GG/ma from Cornwall.
Talk about a mixed bunch. 🤨
Never met either G/pa.
 
Recidivist3 said:
But, hey, Ollygon and Curryman, where are you both really from ……..🤔
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I was born in Farnworth, brought up in Prestatyn, moved to Blackpool and have lived in Wallsend, Tynemouth, Preston. Ilkley, Bradford and Shipley.

My DNA says my ancestry is Northern England, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Danish and Swedish. In other words a mongrel. 😱
 
Davepick said:
Born in Blackpool, like my older sister & brother. Both now sadly departed.
Dad was born in Leeds, as was MrsDP.
Mum was born in Cape Town S.A. however her origins are from Durham & Scotland.
Maternal GG/pa was was from Devon & GG/ma from Cornwall.
Talk about a mixed bunch. 🤨
Never met either G/pa.
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Heinz57 Dave eh?
 
Loco said:
It an agenda to stir up trouble.
This is how Sistah Space describe themselves

"SUPPORTING AFRICAN & CARIBBEAN
HERITAGE WOMEN AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC & SEXUAL ABUSE".

So when the lady said she was from that organisation, maybe asking where her roots were was perfectly reasonable? She chose not to give a straight answer so the posh one decided to interrogate her. Fault on both sides?
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Agree
 
Loco said:
It an agenda to stir up trouble.
This is how Sistah Space describe themselves

"SUPPORTING AFRICAN & CARIBBEAN
HERITAGE WOMEN AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC & SEXUAL ABUSE".

So when the lady said she was from that organisation, maybe asking where her roots were was perfectly reasonable? She chose not to give a straight answer so the posh one decided to interrogate her. Fault on both sides?
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Was she not also wearing traditional African dress? In which case, the British black woman was culturally appropriating African couture? 🤷🏿‍♀️

I do know it's tiring talking about people's skin and genitals, or whether people like being fucked in the arse or not, all the time. Yet here we are ☺️
 
TheRealKingKenny said:
I'm young enough to still have a couple of elderly grandparents so this is quite familiar to me. She shouldn't say things like that but she's 80-odd and probably doesn't give a shit what anyone thinks anymore anyway.
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In which case the royal family should have kept her away from the public duties. They’ve spent the last few years trying to discredit Meghan accusations of racism and in one ill advised conversation this woman has complete undone it all, whether it was there or not In reality.
 
Just seen her on the TV.

She's really making a meal out of this.

Is she angling for a TV programme, or her "story" in Hello Magazine?
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
It was a bit more than just asking 'where do you come from'?
It is worth remembering that the woman concerned was a guest of the royal household. Transcript below;

View attachment 13760
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are you right to use the word "transcript"? Was the conversation recorded for you to say that or is it a case that is simply one persons recollection of how the conversation went? And done for her effect.

Either way, the old biddy was being too pushy but the woman was deliberately being evasive. Was it a case of outright racism? No, not for me.
 
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Lala said:
I think it’s wrong and the connotations are racist.

If you read the whole transcript it’s obvious she isn’t making polite conversation. She’s almost bullying her until she gets the information she wants, which is information she has no god given right to know.

She sounds like an awful woman and maybe now she has more time on her hands, will use that time to reflect on how to engage with others without causing offence.
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Correct. And equally shocking other posters don't get it.
 
Hussey was in the wrong. The kindest thing I can say is that she's 83 and from an age where her line of questioning was common. On the other hand, if she's been around the royals for a long time then she should know better. Then again, if she's been around the royals for a long time it may be understandable.
 
20togo said:
are you right to use the word "transcript"? Was the conversation recorded for you to say that or is it a case that is simply one persons recollection of how the conversation went? And done for her effect.

Either way, the old biddy was being too pushy but the woman was deliberately being evasive. Was it a case of outright racism? No, not for me.
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Agree with 20s.
This is one isolated case, with an 83 y.o. woman who probably didn't know what day it was. No comments on my age please. 😉
It's now being milked.
It's ONE bloody episode, no one has been at her day after day.
 
Ollygon said:
Just seen her on the TV.

She's really making a meal out of this.

Is she angling for a TV programme, or her "story" in Hello Magazine?
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The difficulty is that she has the whole floor to herself, we have heard and will hear her side of the story ad infinitum, but will never hear the other side, as no doubt Lady Hussey will not have the right to reply, being bound by some clause not to reveal any of the conversation. So it's basically a one sided argument and will no doubt remain as such.

The press will now have a field day.
 
Ollygon said:
Just seen her on the TV.

She's really making a meal out of this.

Is she angling for a TV programme, or her "story" in Hello Magazine?
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The old white woman was clearly in the wrong, and the “interrogation” had racist tones and, even if not intended that way, was wholly insensitive. There is no excuse for it, even if it was prompted by the African-inspired dress sense of Ngozi Fulani.

However, and this is no excuse for Lady SH’s behaviour, how come Ngozi Fulani can recount 17 separate interjections in the conversation, word for word and maintain it is exactly what was said? It smells to me that she had a recording device running when she went to Buck House. IF that was the case, then she seems to have had an agenda all along and was she perhaps trying to entrap the “Royal Racist”? Note that the event was hosted by Camilla, allegedly one of the suspects.

But Fulani seems to have hooked some sad old antediluvian courtier and seems satisfied with that, as it “proves” to her that the royal household contains racists and so undermines their past protestations. And Fulani seems to have made the first move in contacting the media. IF it was planned that way and was a PR provocation or an activist stunt, then that too is objectionable from a guest.
 
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If you’re born in England, and are offended when someone asks where you were born, wear western clothes. Why wear African style clothes.
 
Archibald Knox said:
She’s a political activist. This is a God-sent opportunity to promote her welfare charity. TV is the ultimate aspiration.
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Well she won’t get a single penny from me…she does nothing to help racial harmony…end off.….and that is the saddest fact in this scenario
….wonder how much she earns like to many charitable heads.….and before some on here have a go we have supported Plan for the best part of 20 + years and we have written sizeable donations ( if anything is left) into our wills for charity but those who help all members of the community.

What the old lady did was stupid but this woman is making a meal of it.
 
20togo said:
nope, some people go looking for racism when it isn't there or intended. Usually, the same people on the same political divide. That's unsurprising.
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How can you possibly know what Susan Hussey intended?

And who are you to decide how Ngozi Fulani should feel?

It's nothing to do with politics. The difference is being awake and sensitive to a modern multicultural Britain or being utterly boneheaded and deaf to it.
 
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20togo said:
nope, some people go looking for racism when it isn't there or intended. Usually, the same people on the same political divide. That's unsurprising.
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She was told by the woman she was born and bred in the UK but kept harping on. There is no way on earth she would have said the same to you or I and you know it.

Purely because of skin colour. What part of that do you not see as racist?
 
Wizaard said:
She was told by the woman she was born and bred in the UK but kept harping on. There is no way on earth she would have said the same to you or I and you know it.

Purely because of skin colour. What part of that do you not see as racist?
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the part that I recognise is it's being said by an 83 year old who no doubt has little concept about how fast the world is changing and what you can and can't say. Like I said it's your side of the fence that has a problem. You go looking for problems where there aren't any! Why? Because it's people like you who are intolerant and unable to accept things for what they are. And that many people of a certain age simply are not aware of what you can and can't say in todays society.
 
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