Prince Harry risks angering the Queen by saying the Commonwealth 'must acknowledge past wrongs' even if it's 'uncomfortable' in an apparent slight against the royal family during a call with Meghan Markle to young leaders

Prince Harry risked upsetting the royal family by insisting the Commonwealth 'must acknowledge the past', even if it's 'uncomfortable'. 

The Duke of Sussex, 35, made the comment as he joined wife Meghan Markle, 38, for a video call with young leaders from the Queen's Commonwealth Trust last week.

As part of the discussion on 'justice and equal rights', Harry said the Commonwealth needed to follow others who have 'acknowledged the past' and are 'trying to right their wrongs', and also admitted to having his own 'unconscious bias'.

Speaking from his Los Angeles home, Harry said: 'When you look across the Commonwealth, there is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past.

'So many people have done such an incredible job of acknowledging the past and trying to right those wrongs, but I think we all acknowledge there is so much more still to do.'

The statement appears to be a swipe at the past actions of his own ancestors, who ruled over the British Empire. Almost all of the Commonwealth's 54 territories were once part of the Empire, and goes against protocol of royals not wading into politics.

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Prince Harry risked upsetting the royal family by insisting the Commonwealth 'must acknowledge the past' in a video call with Meghan Markle and young leaders from across the Commonwealth. Pictured, Chrisann Jarrett (UK) (top left), Mike Omoniyi (UK), (top right), Alicia Wallace (Bahamas) (bottom left) and Abdullahi Alim (Australia) (bottom right

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The Duke of Sussex, 35, made the comment as he joined wife Meghan Markle, 38, for a video call with young leaders from the Queen's Commonwealth Trust last week 

It is the latest in a series of public steps taken by Harry and Meghan as they shift the focus of their royal work towards racial equality and social justice. 

Harry, 35, last week publicly apologised for 'endemic' institutionalised racism, saying he is 'sorry' the world isn't in the place where young people 'deserve it to be'. The statement sparked calls for Harry to apologise for his own mistakes relating to racism.

In the most recent call Harry turned his attention to the Commonwealth, which emerged out of the decolonisation of the British Empire in the first half of the 20th century.

The Queen remains head of the Commonwealth and in 2018 Harry's father Prince Charles was announced as her successor.

However Harry insisted it will only be possible for the organisation to continue if more is done to 'acknowledge' the past. 

Harry said to the group, which included young leaders from Australia, the Bahamas and the UK: 'When you look across the Commonwealth, there is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past.

'So many people have done such an incredible job of acknowledging the past and trying to right those wrongs, but I think we all acknowledge there is so much more still to do.

'It's not going to be easy and in some cases it's not going to be comfortable, but it needs to be done, because, guess what, everybody benefits.'

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Speaking from his Los Angeles home, Harry said: 'When you look across the Commonwealth, there is no way that we can move forward unless we acknowledge the past 

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In response to the growing Black Lives Matter movement, QCT has been running a weekly discussion with young people looking at various forms of injustice on the experiences of young people today. Pictured, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle