Princess accused of making racist remark in New York restaurant

Princess Michael of Kent yesterday denied making a racist insult when she lashed out at a group of prominent black New Yorkers dining at a table next to hers because they were being too rowdy.

Princess Michael of Kent yesterday denied making a racist insult when she lashed out at a group of prominent black New Yorkers dining at a table next to hers because they were being too rowdy.

A spokesman for the princess, who is visiting America for a graduation ceremony at Brown University in Rhode Island for her daughter, Lady Gabriella Windsor, said that a description of the incident carried on the front page of the New York Post was "simply untrue". The newspaper claimed that the princess turned to the table and admonished the group, which included an investment banker, a senior television executive and an entertainment lawyer, by telling them: "You need to go back to the colonies".

Her spokesman did not deny that some kind of confrontation occurred. He said that the Princess went for dinner at the Da Silvano restaurant on 6th Avenue with two friends after visiting the cinema. He confirmed that she had been angered by the noise at the next table and that her host had asked the restaurant to intervene.

"She sat down, the table next to her was very loud and abusive, to the extent that the host complained to the manager," he said. "It continued over the evening. The host complained, asked them to quieten down, which they did not. Then the host suggested they move tables. Any suggestion she made a racist comment is simply untrue. She did not make a racist comment."

The restaurant's owner, Silvano Marchetto, told the New York Post that he had been embarrassed by what he said he had heard the princess say. "I felt awkward and uncomfortable, upset that someone would make an inappropriate comment like that to my customers," he said.

One of those who roused the princess's ire was Nicole Young, a television fashion correspondent and public relations consultant. She said she was "stupefied" by the incident. It began 10 minutes after the princess arrived at the restaurant. She "reached over and just slammed her palm down our table - the glasses moved, the table shook", she said. Ms Young went on: "She said, 'Enough already! You need to quiet down".

Witnesses said uproar broke out when the princess made her alleged "back to the colonies" remark as she was leaving. Among those who confronted her was Mr Marchetto. According to the Post, the princess retorted: "I did not say 'back to the colonies'. I said 'you should remember the colonies. Back in the days of the colonies, there were rules that were very good."