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Oprah Winfrey says she had a racist encounter while shopping in Switzerland, prompting an apology from the national tourist office and the shop owner.
The billionaire media mogul told the US programme Entertainment Tonight that a shop assistant in Zurich refused to show her a black handbag priced at US$38,000 because "you will not be able to afford that".

Forbes magazine estimates that Winfrey earned US$77 million in the year ending in June.
Winfrey was in town to attend last month's wedding of her friend Tina Turner, who lives in a chateau on Lake Zurich.
"We are very sorry for what happened to her, of course, because we think all of our guests and clients should be treated respectfully, in a professional way," said Daniela Baer, of the Swiss tourism office.

	We are very sorry for what happened to her, of course, because we think all of our guests and clients should be treated respectfully, in a professional way

	Daniela Baer, of the Swiss tourism office
The office also posted an apology on Twitter, saying "this person acted terribly wrong".
Shop owner Trudie Goetz told the BBC that an assistant had shown Winfrey several other items before the "misunderstanding" over the bag, which was kept behind a screen.
The Blick newspaper quoted Goetz as saying the bag was priced at 35,000 Swiss francs (HK$295,000).
She also told the paper that she was "truly sorry" because her staff were trained to treat customers well.
"I have to admit that the employee is Italian. Of course, she speaks English, but not as well as her mother tongue," Goetz was quoted as saying. "It was a real misunderstanding."
Winfrey was involved in another retail rebuff in Paris in 2005, when she was turned away from a Hermes boutique 15 minutes after closing time. The store said it was closed for a private public relations event.
A Hermes executive appeared on her talk show to apologise for the employee's behaviour.


Apology for Oprah Winfrey over Swiss shop assistant's 'race slur'

Oprah Winfrey. Photo: Reuters

A 'Trois Pommes' store in Zurich, Switzerland. Photo: EPA

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Oprah Winfrey says she had a racist encounter while shopping in Switzerland, prompting an apology from the national tourist office and the shop owner.


Apology for Oprah Winfrey over Swiss shop assistant's 'race slur'

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Oprah Winfrey says she had a racist encounter while shopping in Switzerland, prompting an apology from the national tourist office and the shop owner.

Oprah Winfrey says she had a racist encounter while shopping in Switzerland, prompting an apology from the national tourist office and the shop owner.