£80k British Council worker sacked after rant about 'dickhead' Prince George's 'white privilege'

A British Council manager has been sacked after describing Prince George on Facebook as a symbol of white privilege.

Angela Gibbins, 53, was the organisation's former head of global estates, and claims that she was let go because of her republican beliefs.

Her comments were shown to a newspaper after she shared her thoughts about the three-year-old prince on Facebook as her privacy settings meant that only 150 of her friends had seen the post.

Gibbins made the remarks after a photograph was released of George to mark his birthday in July last year.

She commented on a meme of George which read: "I know he's only two years old, but Prince George already looks like a dickhead."

A debate ensued on the post and Gibbins wrote: "White privilege. That cheeky grin is the (already locked-in) innate knowledge that he's royal, rich, advantaged and will never know any difficulties or hardships in life. Let's find photos of 3yo Syrian refugee children and see if they look alike, eh?"

She added: "I'm sound in my socialist, atheist and republican opinions. I don't believe the royal family have any place in a modern democracy, least of all when they live on public money. That's privilege and it needs to end."

Gibbins told the Central London employment tribunal that a British Council press officer had approached her about the story before publication but played down how bad it would be, according to the Mail on Sunday.

She sent an apology to Kensington Palace but was suspended from her £80,000-a-year job the next day.

She has since claimed that she was "overwhelmingly clear" that a decision had been made to "hang the claimant out to dry" before any proper investigation took place.

Gibbins – who was sacked a month later for gross misconduct – claimed in her witness statement that her long-held republican views were well known at the British Council. The Queen is patron of the organisation while Prince Charles is vice-patron.

Gibbins, also a Labour Party member, said: "I had always been open and honest about these if asked. I can remember being variously bated as 'the red under the bed' or 'the quiet Corbynista' in meetings with senior colleagues, many of whom often made disparaging jokes about my left-wing views.

"I have been very clear that none of the comments I made were abusive or used any kind of foul language."

The council's EU regional director Rebecca Walton said at the hearing: "I believe there is a recklessness that comes into play when you choose to comment under a picture of a three-year-old child about that three-year-old child."

The case continues.