“Sistah Space charity has suffered as a direct result. (...) Because of this incident, violence has been directed to me. The palace hasn’t intervened - I think they could have.”
(Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Ngozi Fulani has claimed Buckingham Palace did not apologise to her properly after Lady Susan Hussey asked her 'where are you really from?' - and revealed she is temporarily stepping down as CEO of her charity.
Speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain on International Women's Day, Ms Fulani revealed she would be taking leave of her role at Sistah Space - a charity which helps Afro-Caribbean women who have faced domestic abuse.
She says the organisation has suffered as a direct result of the row with Lady Susan - who was Queen Elizabeth II's most senior lady-in-waiting - and claims 'violence' has been directed towards her following the incident.
'The service users and the community can't access us properly,' she said. 'This whole thing has cost us a fortune because we had to pay our own PR to stop the press from coming up, it was horrible.'
Ms Fulani met with Lady Susan in person in December to discuss the issue, but she today hit out at the Palace - which had publicly issued an official statement of apology after the incident.
She told GMB: 'Who are they apologising to? If you're sorry, tell me you're sorry, if you're not, it speaks for itself. If you have to ask somebody for an apology, it is not an apology.
After Ms Fulani made a string of media appearances about the incident, she met with Lady Susan at Buckingham Palace in mid-December to discuss the issue.
The Palace said following the meeting: 'At this meeting, filled with warmth and understanding, Lady Susan offered her sincere apologies for the comments that were made and the distress they caused to Ms Fulani.
'Lady Susan has pledged to deepen her awareness of the sensitivities involved and is grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the issues in this area.
'Ms Fulani, who has unfairly received the most appalling torrent of abuse on social media and elsewhere, has accepted this apology and appreciates that no malice was intended.
'Both Ms Fulani and Lady Susan ask now that they be left in peace to rebuild their lives in the wake of an immensely distressing period for them both.
'They hope that their example shows a path to resolution can be found with kindness, co-operation and the condemnation of discrimination wherever it takes root.
'It is the wish of both parties that, at the end of the UN's 16 days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, attention can now return to the important work of Sistah Space in supporting women affected by domestic abuse.
'Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort and other members of the Royal Family have been kept fully informed and are pleased that both parties have reached this welcome outcome.'
My impression was that the issue had been put to rest but Ms Fulani appears to be willing to keep seeking media attention, notably this morning she appeared to be looking at her daughter to answer some of the questions being ask to her.
I will assume she would have received a fee for appearing on the show, this is called cashing in on a situation, should I take it that the fee was donated to charity? Think not.
Ms Fulani is saying she has to step back as the attention was on her rather than the charity and it's cause, in that case why again appear in the media ?
A press statement would have been suffice about her change in position with the charity.
The charity itself appears to have questions to answer and there is currently an investigation taking place.