Amidst all the Windrush tension and negative racial undertones of the last few months, next month sees Prince Harry marrying a woman of African American heritage. The British Royal Family is increasing in size with Harry taking the hand of actress Meghan Markle. I thought she was great in the TV show “Suits” and rumour has it her character Rachel Zane could be replaced by Kathetine Heigl? Ummm…. I don’t know.
There’s a huge split around the Meghan admiration society. Criticised for being “pushy”, her siblings have also been quite outspoken, and her sister’s words have definitely not been in her favour. Meghan has been married before and her fashion sense doesn’t appear to be following in the footsteps of other brides who have joined The British Royal Family.
We’re a few short weeks away from the May 19th wedding of Meghan and Prince Harry, and the “Meghan Effect” is already in full effect.
According to Brand Finance, Markle’s entering into the royal family is expected to bring a huge boost to the British economy, this time to the tune of $1.4 billion (£1 billion). The expected profits will come from a surge in tourism, travel, restaurants, hotels, parties and celebrations, and the sales of T-shirts, hats, banners, and other commemorative merchandise related to the royal wedding.
Brand Finance previously stated that Markle’s impact on the British economy would be about £500 million, but “excitement in the last couple of months” has doubled the estimation, said Richard Haigh, managing director Brand Finance.
Why I (and many others) love Meghan
We can relate…
The 36-year-old actress led a surprisingly relatable life— which included sharing photos of her friends and family, clothes, and travels on her now deleted Instagram and blog — before recently rocketing to global fame. And Markle’s American citizenship, along with the few years she spent living in Canada while shooting television drama “Suits,” could expand her global fan base. Her style is also decidedly trendier and less traditional than royal ladies.
I used to be quite hooked on her lifestyle website “The Tig”. As a woman of colour I found a lot of her features spoke to me, from hair care, to skin care, the travel section and I just liked the general lifestyle feel of the site.
In a time where prejudice still profoundly exits, Prince Harry and Meghan’s engagement symbolises a new kind of advancement—a love that supersedes social hierarchy, ethnicity, citizenship and even the colonial order.
She loves fashion…
After Markle and Prince Harry’s engagement was announced, the couple posed for photos at Kensington Palace in London. She wore a coat by the Canadian fashion brand Line, a brand beloved by Canadians, but fairly obscure outside the country. Soon after the brand was identified, its site slowed or crashed for many visitors.
She’s an activist…
Britain is ready for a confident, unapologetically feminist, mixed-race woman to occupy a position of great visibility and even a bit of power.
Markle is used to having a professional platform in her own right, as an actor and former UN ambassador on women’s rights. Not only is Markle a women’s advocate for the UN, but she’s also the Global Ambassador for World Vision Canada.
She (and the other royals) bring in revenue for our country…
All things considered, 2018 is set to be a banner year for the British royal family as they’re expected to drum up more than $3.8 billion (£2.8 billion) for the country’s economy, according to Brand Finance.
Meghan Markle’s platform is enormous. She doesn’t have to be sought out; she is everywhere. Online you can find out about her outfits, her TV career, her past as an 11-year-old feminist advocate, and her many instances of “breaking royal protocol” — sometimes simply by wearing her hair a certain way. Beloved reformed “bad boy” Prince Harry has found a wife!
Why some people DON’T like Meghan.
Divorcee. Bi-racial. Not royal. Commoner. Actress. Gold digger. Pushy. Breaking protocol. Too expensive. Not British.
And it goes on and on and on…
“Obviously, seventy years ago, Meghan Markle would have been the kind of woman the Prince would have had for a mistress, not a wife,” pundit Melanie McDonagh wrote. “Things have changed. She’ll now be the apotheosis of the union of showbiz and royalty, with a glorious subsidiary cast of embarrassing relations.”
And don’t even get me started on the racism that has been flooding our country since they’ve been dating. You can read about that here.
And it’s not just Meghan – some don’t like the idea of having ANY royals. Some say the cost is too high: £30million a year into maintaining their lavish lifestyle.
Love them or not so much, it seems that for the time being, they’re here to stay. I, for one, like Meghan and Harry and am SO excited to see the kinds of change she will bring to our country.
The upcoming wedding is being anticipated as one of the most “normal” weddings within the family. What are you thoughts on Meghan Markle? I’d love to know. Let’s talk about it on Facebook,Twitter, and Instagram.
