Statistics from Buckingham Palace’s annual financial report revealed that 8.5% of its employees come from ethnic minorities. Royal household officials also declared they want to increase that percentage to 10% by the end of 2022.
What We Know:
- The public expressed scrutiny of Buckingham Palace’s racial relations after former Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, said certain Royal Family members made racist comments to her. Since then, Buckingham Palace has been working on making Buckingham Palace a more diverse workplace.
- People’s desire to see Buckingham Palace become more accepting became extremely relevant when “a significant number of questions” about this year’s Sovereign Grant report were about how the household would increase diversity among staff.
- A senior palace source told Town and Country that Buckingham Palace knows it could do more to elevate the number of minority workers. However, officials will continue to engage with external advisers, grassroots organizations, and others who can give different perspectives.
“It is not that we have not been progressing diversity and inclusion initiatives during this period. It is that simply the results have not been what we would like,” the source said.
- The source announced that Buckingham Palace voluntarily published these stats so that the public could hold them accountable for their progress. Palace leaders also promised they would also explain the case that they do not meet their constituents’ expectations.
“Her Majesty and members of the royal family have promoted and embraced the diversity of our nation and that of the Commonwealth and we therefore recognise that our own workforce needs to reflect the communities that we serve.”
- The Sovereign Grant report details that the Lord Chamberlain’s committee “endorsed a shift in the Diversity Strategy agreed in 2017-18 to one that actively emphasizes the importance of inclusion” in early 2020. However, it also communicated that the palace considers its failure to provide an “inclusive and effective environment” as a “medium” level risk for the royal household.
- To ensure this does not occur again next year, administrators will place continuous emphasis on this issue. They will do a “listening exercise” to examine employees’ experiences. In addition, they will improve the household’s recruitment and selection processes. Buckingham Palace will also propose revised diversity targets and enhance its Diversity and Inclusion plan. The Sovereign Grant report informs its readers that the Royal Family believes that leadership in “building an inclusive culture” is necessary. They also feel that the leaders must focus on “setting the tone, providing visible advocacy for inclusion and ensuring representation of diverse talent.”
Despite this affirmation, officials have not determined how they will enact these goals. Contrary to past reports, Buckingham Palace no longer plans on hiring a diversity tsar. However, the senior source explained to Town and Country that officials would continue considering it as part of their strategy.
