Prince Harry says he didn't know of unconscious bias until he 'walked in Meghan's shoes'

26 October 2020, 10:19 | Updated: 26 October 2020, 10:32

Prince Harry has admitted that despite his upbringing and education he didn't know of the concept of 'unconscious bias' until he had "walked a day in Meghan's shoes."

In an interview for GQ, the Duke of Sussex, 36, spoke about racism with Black Lives Matter activist Patrick Hutchinson.

Harry said: "No one's pointing the fingers. You can't really point fingers, especially when it comes to unconscious bias.

"But once you realise or you feel a little bit uncomfortable, then the onus is on you to go out and educate yourself because ignorance is no longer an excuse.

"And unconscious bias, from my understanding, having the upbringing and the education that I had, I had no idea what it was. I had no idea it existed.

"And then, sad as it is to say, it took me many, many years to realise it, especially then living a day or a week in my wife's shoes."

Mr Hutchinson was pictured rescuing suspected far-Right protester Bryn Male during London race violence in June. The moment became an iconic photograph during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations.

On that incident, Harry said: "Millions, if not hundreds of millions of people – will have seen that photo of you giving the fireman's lift to the guy at the protests in London."

In the interview Prince Harry also spoke about the mental health difficulties men have experienced during lockdown.

"But for men who are isolated by themselves this can be a really dark place, unless you know the different solutions or different distractions that you can put into your life: whether it's going for a great walk or a run or just doing something that keeps you mentally and physically fit. So I love that," he said.