Meghan Markle, a biracial American, will be the first woman of color in modern history to join the British royal family. The 36-year-old was born and raised in Los Angeles, and has been dating Prince Harry since June 2016. After the proposal was announced on November 27th, the world is waiting for the wedding which will take place in the spring.
The two met on a blind date and have reportedly been “inseparable” ever since. Meghan then made her first public appearance as a royal girlfriend in May, stirring rumors about their imminent engagement. Earlier in November, Prince Harry had received the blessing to marry Meghan from her parents, and designed an engagement ring himself. The royal family plans to pay for the wedding which will be at St. George’s Chapel, the same place where Harry was christened.
Prince Harry, 33 and fifth in line for the throne, is from the United Kingdom. He went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and is second lieutenant. However, it was said that Harry was a “weak student” and almost didn’t make it into Sandhurst. He had served in Afghanistan for over two months before a magazine revealed his presence there. He was labeled as a wild child by the press, but has matured and plans to live a long, happy life with Meghan Markle.
Markle is an actress and model, Harry said he was “beautifully surprised” when he first saw her. However, he said he had never watched Suits, a show that she is in, before. She has also had roles in movies and other shows, and also has a degree in theater as well as international studies. She was previously married in 2011, and got divorced in 2013. Her ethnicity is also a major discussion point, as her mother is black and father is white, which is opening the conversation on quiet racism.
The press has been split on the engagement, some say it’s a turning point for politics and others are critiquing the public for being so involved in an outdated system. Whatever views there may be, their wedding in the spring will be an amazing event that will go down in history.