Princess Michael of Kent
Posted on 05/26/2004 2:46:58 AM PDT by Pharmboy
Princess Michael of Kent
May 26, 2004 -- A prickly British princess sparked a tempest in a trendy West Village eatery when she lobbed a racist insult at a noisy table of influential black New Yorkers, fuming, "You need to go back to the colonies!" "I was stupefied," said fashion TV correspondent and p.r. consultant Nicole Young, one of the five diners on the receiving end of the royal rage of Princess Michael of Kent on Monday night at Da Silvano, at Sixth Avenue and Houston Street.
"I have never experienced anything like that in my life," said Young, who was dining with investment banker Merv Matheson, music honcho Philmore Anderson, BET and "Extra!" reporter A.J. Callaway and entertainment lawyer Tamera Reynolds.
The five believe the rude remarks from the royal referred to the heyday of British colonial rule and its efforts to "civilize the natives" in Africa and Asia.
Princess Michael told the diners she actually said "you should remember the colonies" — possibly a reference to the American colonies.
"I honestly couldn't believe something like this could happen in New York City. It was ridiculous," said Callaway.
"It's sad that, in today's world, people still have that mentality," added Matheson, who eats at Da Silvano at least three times a week.
"Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never run into that kind of racism in my life," Young said. "To think that this kind of thing could happen here — in 2004! We obviously have not come as far as we think we have."
The New Yorkers had been in the eatery two hours, chatting on and off with owner Silvano Marchetto, when Princess Michael was seated next to them around 10 p.m.
"We were loud, laughing and carrying on. But it's Da Silvano — it's a boisterous place," said Young.
Princess Michael, 59, is married to Prince Michael, first cousin of Queen Elizabeth.
Ten minutes after her arrival, Princess Michael suddenly "reached over and just slammed her open palm down on our table — the glasses moved, the table shook," Young recounted. "She said, 'Enough already! You need to quiet down!' "
"I was shocked," said banker Matheson. "It was like were in a school classroom."
After a few minutes of stunned silence, Matheson, Young and the others ignored the royal decree and continued their lively dinner — while the princess demanded a new table.
But as she left, she circled the offending commoners, leaned toward Callaway, pumped her fist and said, "You need to go back to the colonies!"
After the comment, mayhem erupted among other shocked diners in the room, and Young decided to confront the raging royal.
"That she would make a comment like that, in this day and age — I was fuming," said Young.
Marchetto and other witnesses said Young marched up to the princess' table and demanded, "What did you mean by that, 'back to the colonies?' "
"I did not say 'back to the colonies," Princess Michael retorted. "I said 'you should remember the colonies.' Back in the days of the colonies, there were rules that were very good.
"You think about it," she told Young. "Just think about it."
Princess Michael, in the country to attend the graduation of her daughter, Lady Gabriella Windsor, from Brown University this weekend, did not respond to a request for comment made through her secretary in London.
Owner Marchetto confirmed the account to The Post.
"I felt awkward and uncomfortable, upset that someone would make an inappropriate comment like that to my customers," he said.
After Young's tense confrontation, the princess tried to summon Marchetto and a waiter, saying, "You need to remove her from this table."
Young left voluntarily and things calmed down, Marchetto said.
"I tried to mediate the situation, and was happy it didn't get uglier," noted the restaurateur, who apologized to Matheson and the others for the princess' behavior.
"She obviously thinks she's in her country," Matheson said. "Well, this is our restaurant, not hers."
Boy, Prince Michael bears a striking resemblence to his uncle (?) Kaiser Wilhelm!
The question is, is calling him a dog an insult to canines everywhere?
If there are any freeper parents out there that have actually named a daughter Michael, I'd love to hear what the thought process behind it was.
I agree. ;-)
I think HRH was referring to a time when Africans were living in British colonies and not to the RevWar. And the Post is conservative.
But it IS a bit rude to actually TELL that to someone's face, eh?
Gotcha--we agree. And Glen Close after 6 months of too many carbs: on the money!
looks a h*** of a lot better then that old bat
Sheesh, and they have the nerve to call US "ugly Americans"???
Wait a minute . . . I am very happy to hear this . . . but it doesn't exactly jive with what we've been led to believe about how people of color are the constant victims of racism . . .
He doesn't really look like Kaiser Wilhelm II. However he does look a LOT like his grandfather, HM King George V. Just make the beard a little more pointy.
True, he does look like George V, but I still think there's a shading of Kaiser Bill. Maybe it's just the slightly mad expression, probably caused by being married to "Princess Michael!"
She paid money to have her hair look like that? Not an ad that works for me, thanks.
EXCELLENT point...if that's the worst she's ever heard--whatta country, America!
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