Where are you from? Is it an insult?

I have been subjected to racism and am aware of the subtleties where you can be left in doubt as to the intentions of the perpetrator.
I would have assumed in this case that the questions were a clumsy attempt to find some sort of common ground along the lines of “I thought that was a Nigerian costume, we visited there in 2015 and so enjoyed touring your amazing country.”

Incidentally wasn’t the offended lady last in the limelight for saying that Meghan had been subjected to domestic abuse within the royal family?
She does seem to pick battles that raise her own profile doesn’t she. If I felt I had been subject to racist abuse I would have reported it to the organisers of the event. Not gone directly to the media.

Having read a bit more about all this now as I understand it through her working life with the RF Lady H was charged by the late Queen to find out as much about people as she could so it could be decided who they should be introduced to who might help their charity or business. Lady H is getting on a bit and I think just went over the top, I have seen other people her age persist with a question they should have let go.

Franbern

This Lady was not just asked, politely - 'Where re your From?' She was almost grilled as the questioner just was unable to accept her reply. Unable to accept that someone with a black skin, and dressed somewhat differently could be British born and raised.
It really did show up the racism in royal circles definitely amongst the older ones.

Exactly. She refused to accept that the woman was British. It's hardly like wondering if someone with an accent comes from another place, it was racist and she deserves all the criticism she got.

My friends all think that I'm a traditional British person , who still loves afternoon tea - yes please to cucumber sandwiches and watching Agatha Christie .
A couple of them tease me about my love of embroidery .
Antimaccasars this afternoon ?
Some call me Latin .
I asked why .
Latin names of plants , they said unable to contain their laughter !
But -
I'm regularly asked where I come from :

I was born in London and have white British parents though I did spend a great deal of my childhood in Wales and had a strong Welsh accent - no sign of it now .

People don't actually believe me and will ask , but where do you really come from .
My hair was dark auburn and my skin very pale and slightly freckly and my eyes are grey .

I've been told that I speak English very well .Did I learn it at school ? If so , where ?
Do I write it as well ?

Three days ago , a lady asked me I were Eastern European .

Last week , a Pakistani man told me that I look like a Pathan and that's not the first time .

The week before some Afghanis thought that I was Turkish . One of them was quite insistent .

When I explain about the Welsh bit of my heritage -I'm told that it explains it as I'm like Catherine Zeta Jones - well thank you for the compliment !

On holiday in Vietnam I was in a hotel lift with an Asian couple and I asked them where they were from, expecting the Philippines or similar. “Australia” was the reply. Never thought to follow up with “but where are you really from?”.

Sorry l am a bit slow this morning. Lots going on with my DH illness. Besides having a US accent my husband is black so he has become use to being asked where are you from? When he worked for the Royal Mail doing deliveries, an elderly customer once started speaking to him in what he thinks was an African dialect.
He had to explain that he was an American living here.

This Lady was not just asked, politely - 'Where re your From?' She was almost grilled as the questioner just was unable to accept her reply. Unable to accept that someone with a black skin, and dressed somewhat differently could be British born and raised.
It really did show up the racism in royal circles definitely amongst the older ones.

I wouldn't respond well to "tell me a bit about yourself " casdon I feel. It implies (to me) a challenge such as might happen at a training session!

My DH is asked all the time, he has a southern US accent even though he has lived here since 1985. The question most people ask him is why did we move back here from Florida.
When l worked for the LA in Licensing l had some wonderful conversations with drivers about their previous lives in Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.

That really is the point I think vegansrock.

I’d be more likely to say ‘Tell me a bit about yourself’ and see where that led us, than a specific question about where they were from, as lots of people are sensitive - it’s easier to let them volunteer some information and build a conversation from there.

I'm always interested in where people are from too (and am interested irrespective of skin colour). I'm also really interested in their heritage and family but I suppose I always try not to interrogate people!

I'm not from the area where I live and have been asked where I'm from even though I was born in England and am white. My wider family is mainly European with connections elsewhere... I would hate to offend people and it certainly wouldn't be a first question... I suppose I'm looking for the links which unite us rather than divide.

But if they said they were British from London would you follow up with, “but where are you really from? “ That’s the potentially offensive bit.

I am asked and often ask the question. I had an interesting chat with a courier who originally came from Iran, he showed me his artificial leg, photos of his family and was happy to reminisce.
Others I have spoken to came from places I had visited both in the U.K. and abroad and also had no problem with it.
Although if they seemed reluctant to tell me I wouldn’t push them for an answer.

As I am very much into genealogy try and stop me telling people where my ancestors were from and what they did.

On holiday in America, have often been asked “Where are you from?”

On being told ‘England’, they often say “Oh, I love your accent!”.

Not being from ‘down south’, always find that interesting, as I certainly don’t speak as I imagine the Americans think we do.