Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and the Queen have made an important statement on Black Lives Matter

'Silence is not an option'

(Image credit: Getty Images)

'Silence is not an option'

Anti-racism protests have broken out across the world, calling for justice for George Floyd.

George, an unarmed black man, died whilst being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 25 May.

In viral video footage taken by a bystander, a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, can be seen kneeling on the 46-year-old’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, whilst pinning him to the ground. ‘I can’t breathe…please stop,’ were his last words but the police officer continued to choke him until he lost consciousness. He died in hospital an hour later.

George Floyd’s brutal killing has brought to light a much deeper issue about the deeply engrained systemic racism felt across the world, with people standing up across the globe to say enough is enough.

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Among them are Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, who on behalf of the Commonwealth Trust (run by Meghan, Harry and the Queen), shared a statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The trio shared the Martin Luther King, Jr. quote: ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere’. Then going on to caption the quote, they wrote: ‘Young people are vital voices in the fight against injustice and racism around the world. As a global community of young leaders we stand together in pursuit of fairness and a better way forward. Silence is not an option. #BlackLivesMatter.’

We will continue to update this story.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.