Meghan Markle joined fiancé Prince Harry at The Queen’s annual Christmas lunch earlier this week.
It was the first time many members of the royal family had the chance to meet the American actress, who became engaged to the fifth in line to the throne last month.
But the event has been somewhat marred by a race row.
Princess Michael of Kent has issued an apology after facing backlash over her choice of jewellery for the Buckingham Palace luncheon.
The 72-year-old, who is married to the Queen’s cousin, Prince Michael of Kent, was pictured wearing what appeared to be a Blackamoor brooch on her jacket.
Read more: I’m A Celeb’s Becky Vardy debuts new look for Christmas
Princess Michael’s brooch depicted a black figure with an embellished gold crown and clothing.
The choice of accessory raised eyebrows among many given Meghan’s mixed heritage.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, Blackamoor is an early 16th century term relating to a “black African or a very dark-skinned person.”
Critics claim Blackamoor art is racially insensitive as it often depicts Africans in positions of subservience.
A spokesperson for Princess Michael has now said: “The brooch was a gift and has been worn many times before. Princess Michael is very sorry and distressed that it has caused offence.”
And a source added to The Telegraph that there was “no malice” intended, while reports claim Princess Michael will no longer wear the brooch going forward.
There’s no word from Meghan on how she feels about it all.
The Suits actress, 36, has spoken frequently about the pride she has in her mixed heritage: she was born to a white father and African American mother.
In an interview with BBC News following her engagement to Harry, Meghan spoke about the negativity she has received from some in regards to her ethnicity.
“Of course it’s disheartening,” she said.
“It’s a shame that this is the climate in this world, to focus that much on that, or that that would be discriminatory in that sense.
“But I think, you know, at the end of the day I’m really just proud of who I am and where I come from and we have never put any focus on that. We have just focused on who we are as a couple.
Read more: Fans think there’s something missing from William and Kate’s family Christmas card
“So when you take all those extra layers away and all of that noise, I think it makes it really to just enjoy being together and tune all the rest of that out.”
She will marry Harry, 33, at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday, May 19.