Prince Charles' timely photo-op with Black NHS workers raises questions

Prince Charles paid a visit to a new vaccine pop-up clinic at Jesus House in London on Tuesday, where he appeared to take photos only with Black health care workers and patients. Interestingly, his visit came after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle talked about racism in the palace during their Oprah Winfrey interview.

Clarence House shared photos from the Prince of Wales' visit to the National Health Service (NHS) centre. In all the images, the royal is seen interacting with workers and patients, all of whom are Black.

"The Prince of Wales today visited @jesushouseuk in London, where a new NHS vaccine pop-up clinic has been put into action. Led by Pastor Agu Irukwu, the church has been working hard to support the local community during the coronavirus pandemic and combat vaccine hesitancy," reads the caption on the photos posted to Twitter.

"In an effort to encourage vaccine take-up amongst the BAME community, @jesushouseuk has led seminars to share credible information about the programme, providing opportunity to raise questions and concerns with healthcare professionals," the caption continued.

This is the first time Prince Charles visited Jesus House after over a decade. He previously dropped by the centre in 2007 with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall to "celebrate the community work of Black Majority Churches."

The Prince of Wales' visit to the centre and the release of the photos could not come at a more opportune time. Netizens were quick to claim that it is a staged photo-op to serve as damage control to claims made by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle about racism in the palace.

"Not buying this staged scene in light of the interview with your son and daughter-in-law. You are merely using the people in these photos as props. Take proper care of your family. All of them," one user told Clarence House.

"It's photo op! Hitlerism inhabits these Germans -- and Charles and the entire forebears were Germans. The uncle of Charles' mother the queen went to Berlin to greet Adolf Hitler," another added.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle told Winfrey that members of the royal family questioned how dark their son Archie's skin colour will be prior to his birth. The family also allegedly refused to call him a prince and give him security because of his race. The Duke of Sussex has since confirmed that Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II never questioned their son's race. It now becomes a guessing game whether Prince Charles, Prince William, or Kate Middleton, made the remark.