In recent years, Meghan Markel has been at the forefront of British, American and international headlines as she married into arguably the most followed, demanding, complex and ceremonial family known to humankind, the British Royal Family. She became Duchess of Sussex, wife to Prince Harry, (who is now the son of the literal King of England) and mother to two royal children, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, all in under five years. However, what many followers of the royal family and viewers all over the world seem to harp on, both negatively and positively, are her racial origins of being half African-American.
What if I told you she was not the first? Meet Princess Angela of Liechtenstein. In January 2000, almost twenty years prior to the day of the Megxit announcement, Angela Gisela Brown became the first person of African heritage to marry into a ruling European family. The groundbreaking union was received with overall positivity by the small European country snuggly found between the borders of Austria and Switzerland. However, of course, the usual universal expectation of racism and prejudice was met as the marriage was solidified at the turn of the 21st century when social media was still in its infancy.
Angela Gisela Brown is of Panamanian origin and was born into a relatively normal family life from which she went on to study at Parsons Design School in New York City. After a successful college career, she went on to establish her own design company which she called A. Brown, after herself. In the mix of her entrepreneurial ventures and lively city lifestyle, she met her now husband, Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein.
Maximilian is the second son of the current reigning Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II, meaning he is not in the direct line of the throne and holds a similar position to that of Prince Harry, the second son of the current reigning King of England, Charles II. This in conjunction with the lesser international cultural, economic, political and overall impact of Liechtenstein in relation to the British empire gives us better insight into the well-kept lowkey profile and lifestyle of Princess Angela and her husband, with whom she shares one son. Little else is known about Princess Angela outside of her educational, entrepreneurial and familial facts, which I can only assume is intentional as the family does their best to keep out of the public eye.
Princess Angela and the Duchess of Sussex are both examples of the radicalization of love in royal marriages, the acceptance of a diverse range of cultures and races in royal families, and the importance of representation in these areas of power. As we look around us, globalization and the media have allowed information and opinions to travel fast. This can be through social media, news outlets, podcasts, direct messaging, etc.
As a Puerto Rican and African American woman who keeps up with pop culture and understands the generational ties to increased diversity and inclusion through my personal experiences and education here at VCU and in the United States, I personally feel the impact of spaces being filled with strong women of color, especially those of humble beginnings.
Could you be the next Angela?