Swiss tourism office apologises to Oprah

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey says she was the victim of racism while shopping in Switzerland – and the national tourism office agrees.

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

Forbes magazine estimates that Winfrey earned $77m in the year ending in June.

A spokeswoman for the Swiss tourism office, Daniela Baer, told The Associated Press: “We are very sorry for what happened to her.”

The tourism office also posted an apology on Twitter, saying “this person acted terribly wrong.”

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