The medal of one of the highest honours bestowed by the Queen has been accused of
encouraging racism because it appears to depict a white man standing on the neck of a more brown man.
The scene in the centre of the badge of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George depicts the Archangel Michael defeating Satan.
However, the presentation of the scene has been compared to the murder of George Floyd, the black American killed by a white police officer in May,
which sparked the Black Lives Matter protests in some coutries.
One of the recipients of the honour, the Governor General of Jamaica Sir Patrick Allen,
has said he will no longer wear the award and called for it to be redesigned.
His spokesman said: “This follows concerns raised by citizens over the image on the medal, and
the growing global rejection of the use of objects that normalise the continued degradation of people of colour.”
Over the years the enamel badge, which has been made by some of Britain’s top jewellers including Garrard
who hold a Royal warrant, has varied slightly in design. Some examples show Satan as lighter skinned but
the majority depict him as dark. The Archangel is always white.
Buckingham Palace said the design was the responsibility of the Cabinet Office which did not reply to requests for comment.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...al-redesigned/