Lawyer suspended over racist tweet on names for royal baby Lilibet

‘I am very sorry for the comment and what I saw as a joke’ says family law barrister

A lawyer who tweeted an ‘offensive’ joke following the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter has been suspended by her employer.

Joanna Toch, a family law barrister, has been suspended with immediate effect pending an internal review, the law firm Family Law Cafe confirmed on Monday.

In a statement, the firm’s directors said: “Family Law Cafe Limited has suspended Joanna Toch with immediate effect pending an internal review into her recent comments on Twitter.

“FLC considers her comments as offensive, unacceptable and highly contradictory to the inclusive manner in which FLC has always and will continue to work with members of all communities in managing the challenges of matrimonial and family disputes.”

The lawyer made the racist comments following the news on Sunday that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had welcomed their second child Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Lilibet is a nod to the nickname for the Queen used by her late husband, Prince Philip. The middle name is in honour of her grandmother and Harry’s mother.

Controversial journalist Julie Burchill tweeted: “What a missed opportunity. They could have called it Georgina Floydina!” in reference to George Floyd, murdered just over a year ago by US police officers.

In response, Ms Toch replied: “No Doria? Don’t black lives matter?”

She later apologised for the tweet, saying: “I am very sorry for the comment and what I saw as a joke. I’ve fought during my professional life against racism which is abhorrent. I’m not a judge and I have children of colour and I apologise unreservedly.”

Ms Toch is a barrister with over 25 years of family law experience, according to the website of Family Law Cafe – a company she founded four years ago.

Ms Burchill has yet to apologise for her own comments.