Duchess Meghan really was offered QEII’s Black equerry as a possible ‘mentor’

Back in 2021, the Windsors were completely panicked about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Oprah interview, and they authorized one of the most ridiculous and clownish campaigns of character assassination I’ve ever seen. One of the pieces was this one in the Times of London, in which palace sources insisted that Meghan had all of the help she needed, except that half of the staff threatened to quit as soon as Harry became engaged to a Black woman, and Meghan wanted “a Beyonce way” of royal stardom. Inside that piece was also this telling detail: palace staffers assigned QEII’s black equerry, Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, to “mentor” Meghan. Literally, they got the one Black guy to “mentor” Meghan, all while they sabotaged her. Well, Omid Scobie’s Endgame repeated the story with a new wrinkle – that Meghan and her friends were like “WTF” when Lt. Col. Twumasi-Ankrah was assigned to mentor her. Now the Sun is repeating the story and putting a royalist spin on it.

Writer Omid Scobie has placed Queen Elizabeth II in the racism row. He suggests Meghan was insulted at Palace aides assigning Her Maj’s black equerry to make her “feel comfortable”. In his book Endgame, Scobie claims the suggested appointment of the Ghana-born Lieutenant Colonel “stood out like a sore thumb”.

An early Dutch version of the book sparked outrage after it named King Charles and Kate as the two royals accused of having “concerns” about the skin colour of Harry and Meghan’s son Archie.

In the UK edition, Scobie discusses the late Queen’s equerry. He writes: “When Palace aides told reporters, including myself, they ‘bent over backwards’ to make Meghan feel comfortable at Buckingham Palace, this included a follow-up suggestion that perhaps the Queen’s Ghanaian-born household cavalry officer Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah should be the one to help Meghan. Though a charming and intelligent man, it stood out like a sore thumb to Meghan and her friends . . . ”

But royal expert Ingrid Seward told The Sun on Sunday: “If Scobie’s account is correct, she was offered Lady Susan Hussey and turned her down. Then she was offered the Ghanaian-born equerry to the Queen. I don’t know who she thought should be helping her but presumably not an equerry or a lady-in-waiting.”

[From The Sun]

Scobie did claim that Meghan and Harry turned down Lady Susan Hussey’s mentorship too, which I’m not actually sure I believe – think about how Meghan was likely so eager to please in the first months. If QEII offered Baroness Hussey (then QEII’s most favored lady-in-waiting) as a mentor, I would assume that Meghan probably did meet with Hussey. Now, it still feels like the Hussey thing was a set-up – Hussey later bad-mouthed Meghan and Harry, and said (on the record) that the marriage would “end in tears.” As for Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, it’s still insulting, and it’s still crazy that these people don’t realize that it’s insulting.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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83 Responses to “Duchess Meghan really was offered QEII’s Black equerry as a possible ‘mentor’”

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  1. Dear lord these people are absolutely revolting. How was he going to mentor her. Would he tell her to lay low do what your told and take whatever they dish out with a smile and a curtsy and you will do just fine. Yes very insulting.

  2. Pinkosaurus says:

    This is a fine looking man in uniform so I am in favor of any reason to post pictures. However, the palace clowns are so deeply incompetent that they didn’t realize ONLY HAVING ONE BLACK PERSON in a significant enough role, out of hundreds of employees, to offer as a liaison is not a good look?!?!

    • antipodean says:

      I agree Pinkosaurus, that guy is gorgeous.

    • BlueNailsBetty says:

      I completely agree that assigning him as a mentor was both racist (see? we have a black employee, we can’t be racist!) and stupid. How on earth is an African born Black man who *works* for the royals going to be able to advise an American born, biracial woman who *married* into the royal family and who will be mother to heirs to the throne (not immediate heirs and hopefully nothing happens to change that but still…heirs to the throne)?

      Having said that, Hollywood needs to make a movie about Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah and how an African born Black man rose through the ranks to such a high position. And make it a romantic dramedy because he is handsome!

  3. Bettyrose says:

    Ghana/Los Angeles. Equerry/actress. The commonalities just jump out at you. It was an obvious choice for a mentor dynamic.

    • Kelsey says:

      I am crying lmaooo

    • Brassy Rebel says:

      Not to mention male/female. No way he would be able to help her with the unique challenges faced by a woman who marries into that family. Maybe he could give her a heads up about the onslaught of racism heading her way.

      • kirk says:

        Assists members of royal family / actual member of royal family by marriage. What exactly are the duties of an equerry that qualify him to advise new female member?

    • MMRB says:

      lets not also forget – aside from personal assistant, someone who is in charge of the horses? how would he be able to mentor her?

      noun
      A personal attendant to the British royal household.
      An officer charged with supervision of the horses belonging to a royal or noble household.
      A large stable or lodge for horses

      • Cairidhs says:

        Equerries used to be the people who were in charge of the horses/arranged the transport for royals (on horseback). They’re not anymore. They arrange travel (via car, plane, train, chopper) and organise other things for the royal visits. There are still people working in the stables with horses who are called equerries but that’s not what is being referred to here.

        It’s always staff who are assigned to help new royals. Royals assign servants to do everything for them – raise their children, hold their ashtrays, pick up their clothes, so of course they expect staff to teach people marrying into the Royal family, rather than themselves. Princess Margaret did give Diana some lessons, but she chose to herself because she liked her and identified with her (at first). She wasn’t assigned. It was a lady in waiting and private secretary who were given the job.

        An equerry would be a good choice usually as they are familiar with the royal job and all it entails, but yes, this was a poor choice.

    • Becks1 says:

      also, his job is completely different from what her job/role was. he’s not a public figure, he’s not making public appearances on behalf of the crown, etc. It really does feel like they looked for a Black person at the palace, found him, and sent him Meghan’s way.

      • Anna says:

        Exactly, she’s Black, he’s Black, it’s a match!

        Like all immigrants hear “hey, you’re from Poland, I know this lady from Poland – do you know her?”

    • Bdogrox says:

      LOLOLOLOL!

  4. SpankFD says:

    The royals are all just inbred morons, frantically clinging to the life raft of inherited social position.
    –Me, trying to be sympathetic

    • NotSoSocialB says:

      Truly. Every time I see a photo of one of the Windsor adults/ geriatrics, I am reminded of what a deeply unattractive lot of inbreds they are.

    • BlueNailsBetty says:

      They are mediocre in every possible way. If they weren’t born into a life of unfathomable privilege they would be struggling their whole lives to attain even a tiny sliver of success.

  5. sevenblue says:

    That’s because they appoint only white people to senior roles. That’s literally the firm’s policy. There is no way Meghan would survive this system. Shame on any people suggesting that Meghan should have stayed and changed it from within. It isn’t a black woman’s job to fix an intentionally broken system and to risk her life trying. Thank God, Harry loved Meghan enough to get his family out of it.

    • Amy Bee says:

      Amen!

    • Bettyrose says:

      We have intentionally broken systems in US that women like Kamala Harris, Ketanji Jackson, and Stacy Abrams are changing from within. But these are systems they believe can and must be changed for this nation to survive. Meghan fell in love with Harry. She wasn’t trying to overhaul a thousand years of hereditary privilege.

      • sevenblue says:

        Yes, that’s the point. The positions of Kamala Harris, Ketanji Jackson, and Stacy Abrams come with immense power to lead change. Some people were talking like Meghan was the Queen and she preferred to leave instead of using the power. She was the wife of the spare Prince, the position gave her influence, but much more hate. After Oprah interview, a british bullying foundation said Meghan donated to them when she was a working royal, but they preferred to keep it private, because she was a hated figure in UK. How can you change something like that? At the end of the day, the hate she received shadowed the position’s influence power.

      • DK says:

        @SevenBlue: Wait, what?!

        The British Bullying Foundation…bought into the media bullying of Meghan and thus cowardly took her money but kept it a secret?!

        What a hypocritical organization.

      • sevenblue says:

        @DK, yes I was shocked as well. After Oprah interview, I think they understood Meghan was scapegoated by the royals, so they made a statement that Meghan donated to them (from her own funds) while she was under constant attacks from the media. The foundation apparently discussed about making it public and decided to keep it secret because they saw her as a divisive figure, you know, because she was being bullied by british media. That’s why I am soooo glad Meghan left that island. There is definitely something rotten there.

        Also, if I remember correctly, the Sussex Squad gave them some fire taking her money and not protecting her while she was there.

      • Christine says:

        WHAT?! How did I miss this? That is horrifying.

    • Caribbean says:

      That ‘skinny’ woman from Bravo said that Meghan had access to all the resources to do so much…this is how many people want to frame it. I wanted to ask her since access happens just by association, how come she does not have to all the access to Bravo wealth to pay the Reality Stars (that she said that she is fighting for)? Harry, who is born into the ‘firm’ said CLEARLY, that he did not have access to any money and had to shop at TK Max and it is shown that he cannot do anything without permission, yet Meghan should go in and create, change and fix everything…SMH

      • Deliworker says:

        Queen Elizabeth put Princess Anne in control of Harry’s money because he was a wild child and she didn’t want him to blow his money. That is the only reason he has to ask for money.

      • sevenblue says:

        @Deliworker, that’s incorrect. Harry was always controlled financially by his father, Charles. He talks about it in Spare, he had an allowance yearly for clothes, etc for work purposes. He got his inheritance from Diana later in life, usual for trust funds and he said he still didn’t spend it because he wants his own children to have it. This wild Harry stories are the product of tabloids and royal rota. He suffered especially in his teenage years, that doesn’t mean he was an irresponsible person.

    • Macky says:

      At cairdaih, I think he could’ve helped in some regard. He could’ve showed her some protocol while “gently” introducing some of the “eccentric” people. Of course she would need someone who helps with activities but I think a personal equerry could’ve eased her in a bit better. Maybe explained Kate moody ways or watch out fir Princess Micheal of kent.

  6. Dee(2) says:

    What exactly was he supposed to mentor her on? Because being in the royal family and serving the royal family regardless of how highly of a position it is is totally different I would imagine. Is he supposed to relate to her about being an American, black woman, former actress, philanthropist, activist? Were they supposed to connect about their shared goals for their roles within the royal family? Is he supposed to tell her how to navigate being married to someone in a high ranking position and how to deal with perceptions and misconceptions? I mean really, other than the blatantly obvious what was he supposed to instruct her on that would have been useful marrying the 6th in line to the throne?

  7. This is some cartoon villain level racism they got there.

    The brain trust got their 1 brain cell together and decided to help her survive their racism by assigning the only black person on the payroll to her.

    Because in their minds Equerry skills = Princessing skills, or close enough if you are the only two people of color in the firm.

    • KFG says:

      It also speaks to the overall issue of British racism and classism. Meghan was to be a servant, bowing and scraping and thankful for being allowed in their spaces, never an equal. Do these crown critters really think this makes the Windsors look good?

  8. equality says:

    Wouldn’t a mentor need to be somebody who was in the same type role you filled in a company? Why does it make any sense to have someone who wouldn’t be doing the same job you were?

    • Kingston says:

      Oh….@equality……you were sooooo close! LOL

      “Wouldn’t a mentor need to be somebody who was in the same type role you filled in a company?”

      Ding! Ding! Ding! Yes! Indeed yes! So lets take the next step to the logical conclusion: the black servant was assigned to tell the black woman how her black ass was expected to live and have her being in the rf!

      Consider: which other married-in, married to a prince of the realm, would be equivalent to M’s position, EXCEPT FOR HER RACE? Why, that would be sofiesta, right? Lets not even say kkkHATE, for the fact that she married the heir so lets not even consider the fact that both she and M were female, married-in, commoners. Lets take sofiesta, a married-in commoner who married the non heir-apparent, just like H was and is. [Nevermind sarah, given that she was out of the family.]

      In the first place, is there any evidence that sofiesta herself was assigned a mentor when she married-in? But even if she wasnt, is there any evidence that sofiesta was assigned to help guide M into her “Senior RF Member” role?

      Or is it that, with the assignment of this lowly black servant, as a M. E. N. T. O. R. to the wife of a prince of the realm, high on the LoS, they were very explicitly telling her exactly how she was seen and expected to be treated by the whole fckng lot of them from the get-go?

  9. 809Matriarch says:

    That family is so incredibly ignorant!

  10. Snuffles says:

    These people are like, “Well, we TRIED but she simply wouldn’t listen!” But we know their advice was be less, do less, say less, hide away until we call you when we need a token black to look good. Oh, and put up with the relentless media abuse because they might be nice to you one day.

    • Ciotog says:

      Exactly

    • Christine says:

      Truly, what could he possibly do to help Meghan? Tell her to duck if Wills picks anything up in her presence? Advise her to try and blend into the wall as much as possible? Under no circumstances start a conversation with any of the royal family, wait for them to address you first?

  11. Plums says:

    it’s like that scene in the pilot of Mad Men when they’re meeting with Rachel Menken and her father as potential clients and decide it would be a great idea to scour the agency trying to find a jew to include in the meeting (along with the shrimp cocktails, lol) to make them seem more jewish friendly and then throw in the random guy from the mail room they found, lol.

    • Lizzie Bennett says:

      Spike Lee said he had similar experiences at the beginning of his career wheh he’d go in for meetings at studios. They drag whatever obscure black person who happened to be in the building to sit in on the meeting. That was the 80s/early 90s it’s sad the BRF would do the same thing 30+ years later and think it was cool!

    • ChattyCath says:

      THIS! They’re stupid AND racist

    • TigerMcQueen says:

      I had a boss who did that with Black employees just 5 years ago, and worse. There was no mechanism with the organization to report them for their blatantly racist behavior as HR was giant mess. Needless to say, I’m not with that organization any longer, but the boss was eventually forced out in one of those ‘you’re being fired but you’re white and high enough in the organization, so we’ll say your retiring suddenly’ type of deals.

  12. Miranda says:

    In other words, they never had any intention of allowing Meghan to rise above the level of “servant” in their eyes.

    • Macky says:

      But that’s how william see’s everyone except maybe Zara and her brother. I’m convinced harry was suppose to do all the work.

      I don’t know what type of reign William will have because of that. He is so lazy but he treats everyone like the help. Sophia out works him yet he gives her no grace.

  13. Amy Bee says:

    I’m confused, what would an equerry know about being a royal. He was there to basically be the Queen’s personal assistant. Harry said he and Meghan loved Lady Hussey so…. Look, the fact is the Palace was ill-prepared in anyway for Meghan to be part of the family. They believed Meghan was a temporary fling and that Harry would not have married her so they made it very difficult for Meghan and made no adjustments in terms of staffing and rules to accommodate her. Meghan joining the family was a political statement and the Palace never reckoned with that.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      @Amy Bee – I am confused too. What would any equerry know about how to be a Royal Duchess?

    • Shawna says:

      That’s a good point: they never intended it to work.

    • Giddy says:

      What would he know about being female in any of the public occasions? Could he tell her things like to always have a Tampa in her purse…or mints or Kleenex or Tylenol? Could he tell her how to excuse herself from a Royal occasion to find a bathroom? What if he was insulted at being chosen because he was black and was no help at all? So stupid and hateful.

  14. Steph says:

    With every new detail I’m more and more surprised that Harry got her down the aisle. In Spare I was shocked at the amount of times he said he found her in tears bc of his family. On top of that, she needed a mentor to be his wife? They really love each other so I’m glad it worked out but honestly I don’t think it could have been me.

    • sevenblue says:

      I think, Harry knew that. That’s why he kept their relationship secret for some time. He said, any woman he has dated got scared off by the tabloids. If the relationship was public in its first week, she wouldn’t take the risk, but by the time the tabloids started to destroy them, she knew Harry and she was so deeply in love to leave. It was sad to hear from Harry how he thought it as he got a disease and he was spreading it to anyone he loves.

    • TIFFANY says:

      I remember him waiting in the church for Meghan, with his knee shaking. Dude knew she could walk away until the very second. Ppl thought I was exaggerating when I said he was nervous and not because of the actual service.

      • anotherlily says:

        Princess Anne married her equerry, Tim Lawrence. Princess Margaret might have married her father’s equerry Peter Townsend. The position of equerry to a high ranking royal is usually given to a serving military officer and counts as military service for promotion. This particular equerry had the rank of Major when he was appointed and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel when he returned to his regiment after three years. It is certainly not the same as a domestic servant role although some of the duties might be similar.

        I’m sure he was suggested as a mentor simply because he is black and not British born . He would be knowledgeable about royal protocol and how the system is organised but that’s about it. A mentor’s role is to advise and, in effect, train someone for their role. Harry would be best qualified.

  15. KASANDRA says:

    This cannot be real !. This has to be some type of reality show or study of human life or something. I struggle to find a reasonable explanation as to how an entire country have grown people that are supposed to be leaders in the world could be so stupid. How could anybody with any type of influence (rank, title, community leader, etc ) have not come out in opposition to this ignorance I just don’t get it. And it’s been so many years, since this has began how are we/they (people with the good sense God gave them, )still allowing all this whole narrative that the Sussex family is the big Bad Wolf. I’m sick of it it’s just so obvious. The Wails’ laziness, incompetence, selfishness, racism and need to copy everything Harry and Meghan do is just vomit inducing.

  16. Flower says:

    Interesting to note that he was in fact appointed in July 2017, so around the time H&M started making their first public outings.

    Pretty sure they hired this guy just for Meghan to keep her in line.

  17. teehee says:

    Its basically suggesting that Meghan is as important as a horse.

    • Lucky Charm says:

      Well, no one is more important than the King’s Horse, so maybe in their primordial brains they thought it was a compliment.

  18. Lau says:

    Meghan probably had one meeting with Susan Hussey and thought “I’m done” and that’s understandable. They need to stop trying to rehabilitate that old bat’s name and trying to make her look like the victim because she was “turned down”.

  19. Mary Pester says:

    Knowing what we know about hussey, I’m sure Megan sussed her out in 5 minutes flat, she would have known that everything would have been reported back to her favourite bully with her own twist on it. And no, not surprised that they tried to foist this fine gentleman on her, because until the 70s, people of colour were not allowed to work “above stairs” in the palace. We seem to have an all white court at the house of Windsor

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Mary Pester, and how do you suppose he felt about this? I can only imagine. I feel sorry for him and I feel sorry for Meghan.

      Well, the brf and bm are being consistent once again. They never pass up an opportunity to tell the world how racist they are and again the UK’s reputation takes a hit.

      • Mary Pester says:

        @saucy&sassy,, I wouldn’t be surprised if Megan had a quiet chat with him, asked him all about himself and WHAT his job at the time was, then, when he described his duties,, he and Megan both realised what a disgusting move it was, and Megan was the one who said, leave it with her, and she will just say no!

  20. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    I just threw up a bit.

  21. kelleybelle says:

    That Hussey woman? Well, see ya next Tuesday. That’s all I can say on her.

  22. JaneS says:

    So weird.
    M came into the job with years of experience in the public eye.
    Everyone in the BRF should be sent thru media training and public speaking, bc we know it does not come to them easily.
    Here they had M, ready from day one. Look how they botched it up.
    So insulting.

    Down with the Monarchy.
    Sooner the better.

  23. QuiteContrary says:

    If they had any sense, they would have asked Meghan to mentor Kate! Meghan knew more about actual service and diplomacy and public speaking than Kate ever will.

    But their obsession with rank and race (and rank racism) led them to see Meghan as the help, not as the poised and polished communicator she is.

    It’s disgusting.

    • WaterDragon says:

      Even if they had, I doubt Kate would have had the gumption to learn from Meghan.

      • Anonymous says:

        Rubbish – what does Meghan know about being a royal? She’s an actress! It’s not about being a celebrity!

      • MerryGirl says:

        @Anonymous, what does Kate know about being a Royal? After 20+ years (10 waiting & 12 married) she still can’t dress without flashing her nyash or copying the Queen, Diana or Meghan. She can’t crack 200 appearances per year (and that’s being generous), she can’t do a Commonwealth tour without embarrassing herself. She cannot speak properly or intelligently after 12 years in the RF. She has not a single major successful project that she can show after all these years. As for not being a celebrity, she can only wish she can attract celebrities to her nothing projects. So to sum up 12+ years in the RF, she is a lazy, uncharismatic, uninspiring, hiding behind her children to avoid work, racist who is copying & stalking her sister-in-law for relevance.

  24. JaneS says:

    Well, true enough.
    Rank, birth order, is everything to the BRF.
    Be realistic, as the snobs see things…

    Kate was already married to the Future King. Mother of the Future King and 2 spare kids.
    Ain’t nobody moving Kate unless it is William himself. Yes, William and Charles and now Cam can all boss Kate around and she can’t do a damn thing about it.

    Meg was the newcomer, who was marrying the spare and now current 5th in line royal.
    Nobody was going to go along with the Newbie giving advice to Kate. Ever.

    Gotta remember if The Firm starts changing, or becoming modern = Everybody is out of a fat paying job.
    QE “Do not let sunshine in on the magic. It all will turn to dust”
    Even Liz knew it is all a Spin on PR. They got lucky Liz and Phil played the game for decades.

    C, C, W, K will not be able to keep this BS open much longer, IMO.

  25. Carolyn says:

    THIS Susan Hussey. They can’t be taken seriously in any way.
    https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63819482

    • WaterDragon says:

      The BARF always make a big deal that Susan Hussey was asked to resign. And I think she did leave for a while, but I could swear that there was a recent article that Susan Hussey was BACK at the Palace, working for Cowmilla in some capacity. Or am I imagining things?

  26. Anonymous says:

    In the UK equerries are appointed by working members of the Royal family and are drawn from senior officers of the British Armed Forces. The role involves being in regular close attendance both within the royal residence and outside on public engagements. They do not work with horses!

  27. ElleE says:

    Cringe. An older gentleman from Ghana is the sign to assist a Hollywood actress? It’s akin to meeting someone from China and telling them how much you love Chinese food.
    I would’ve thought these palace people would be more worldly but it’s embarrassing….

  28. ElleE says:

    Why are there no names attached to these gaffs?

  29. Guest says:

    One cannot estimate how absolutely inane that commet is, there the equerry working his way up to be caught in a race row, no wonder the Trinidadians used to laugh openly at their colonizers….
    It is as if they are unaware of differences in culture and race??

    Who are these people??