Meghan Markle is beautiful, graceful and intelligent – she graduated from Northwestern, after all. On first glance, she has everything it takes to be a princess, but there is so much more to Markle than meets the eye. She is not the conventional oyal, which is why she is the perfect addition to the Windsor family.
Markle didn’t come from a “traditional” family; her parents got divorced when she was only 6 years old and she has an estranged relationship with her half-siblings. She certainly doesn’t have the happy family that most people love to see, making her an unlikely choice to join the Royal Family. She is divorced, biracial and American – all of which are a first for the royal family. Markle is not picture perfect, and she never tries to be. She is outspoken about her struggles, making her the “normal” princess we have all been waiting for.
When she first announced her engagement to Prince Harry, she faced racist and sexist backlash, yet she handled it with grace. When Kate Middleton announced her engagement to Prince William, she did not face the same type of discrimination. While she wasn’t born into royalty, she fit in immediately, coming from a wealthy, well-known British family (not to discredit how amazing and beautiful Middleton is). Markle, however, has faced discrimination her entire life for being biracial, but has spoken out against this racism numerous times. She has outwardly spoken about what it was like to grow up biracial and what unique struggles she faced. Speaking to Elle magazine she said, “To describe something as being black and white means it is clearly defined. Yet when your ethnicity is black and white, the dichotomy is not that clear. In fact, it creates a gray area. Being biracial paints a blurred line that is equal parts staggering and illuminating.”
Markle has also advocated for gender equality for almost her entire life. Literally…she began speaking up for women’s rights when she was just 11 years old, and she has not stopped since. Markle was a counselor for the international charity One Young World, speaking at the 2014 annual summit in Dublin on the topics of gender equality and modern day slavery. In 2016, Markle became a global ambassador for World Vision Canada, traveling to India to raise awareness for issues concerning women. She was a United Nations advocate even before she met Prince Harry, working with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women as an advocate.
Let’s not just admire Markle because she is about to be royal, but let’s also recognize her many achievements. She is an accomplished actress, a humanitarian and a proud feminist. This Saturday, as she officially becomes a member of the royal family, let’s recognize Markle for all that she is and all that she will become. She is not the princess that the world expected, but she is certainly the princess that the world needs.
Long live Princess Meghan!
Gif Courtesy of Giphy