Prince William insists royal family is 'very much not racist'

Prince William has defended the royal family against accusations of racism made by his brother Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

The Duke of Cambridge broke his silence on Thursday morning during a visit to an east London school, making him the first member of the royal family to publicly address the race row sparked by Harry and Meghan's interview with Oprah Winfrey.

In the interview, which aired on Sunday in the U.S., the couple alleged concerns were raised by a member of the family about Archie's skin colour before he was born. Oprah later clarified it was neither Queen Elizabeth II, nor her husband Prince Philip, who is currently in hospital recovering from an operation.

When asked for his opinion on the comments, William insisted, "We're very much not a racist family".

He was then asked whether he had spoken to his brother since the explosive Oprah interview, and answered: "No, I haven't spoken to him yet but I will do", reported ITV News.

William and Katherine, Duchess of Cambridge were visiting teachers in Stratford involved in reopening after the lockdown to thank them.

His comments come days after Buckingham Palace officials released a statement on behalf of the Queen in response to the revelations made by Meghan in the interview, including the claim she sought help for suicidal thoughts but they were ignored by palace staff.

"The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," the statement read. "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members."