Swiss apologise to Oprah Winfrey for ‘racism’ incident

US talk show host Oprah Winfrey has said she was the victim of racism during a recent shopping trip in Switzerland.

The media mogul, who is one of the world’s richest women, told a US television show that a shop assistant in Zurich refused to show her a handbag because it was “too expensive” for her.

"I was in Zurich the other day, in a store whose name I will not mention. I didn't have my eyelashes on, but I was in full Oprah Winfrey gear. I had my little Donna Karan skirt and my little sandals. But obviously The Oprah Winfrey Show is not shown in Zurich," she told the Entertainment Tonight programme.

“I go into a store and I say to the woman: ‘excuse me, could I see the bag right above your head?’ and she says to me, ‘No. It’s too expensive’.”

Winfrey interpreted this refusal as being based on race rather than the bag being overpriced.

A spokeswoman for the Swiss tourism office said: “We are very sorry for what happened to her.” The tourism office also posted an apology on Twitter, saying “this person [shop assistant] acted terribly wrong”.

Winfrey was in Zurich to attend last month’s wedding of long-time friend singer Tina Turner, who lives in Switzerland.

Forbes magazine estimates that Winfrey earned $77 million (€57m) in the year ending in June.

PA