The Duke of Cambridge has said the royals are “very much not a racist family” in his first comments following accusations by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in a TV interview.

Speaking on a visit in east London, Prince William said he had not yet spoken to his brother but will do so.

Buckingham Palace previously said the claim a Royal Family member expressed concern over the Sussexes’ unborn baby’s skin colour was “concerning”.

The matter will be addressed privately.

In a statement, the Palace said “recollections may vary” but that the Sussexes would “always be much loved family members”.

As he departed a school in Stratford alongside his wife the Duchess of Cambridge on Thursday, Prince William was asked by a reporter: “Is the Royal Family a racist family, sir?”