Meghan Markle earns cheers for transforming royal family with Prince Harry wedding
Meghan Markle is receiving positive recognition from around the world for her influence on the royal family following her wedding to Prince Harry.
Style bloggers have praised Meghan Markle’s royal wedding gown. Royal romance fans are still swooning over Prince Harry’s and Meghan’s uber-emotional wedding ceremony. And royal family experts are pointing out that Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry symbolized the start of something truly significant.
Meghan is earning kudos for forever changing the royal family’s traditions in a way that reflect her feminist and philanthropic beliefs.
Meghan Markle is “proud to be a woman and a feminist”
When Meghan proceeded gracefully on her own halfway toward the altar before Prince Charles joined her, it symbolized what her new biography on the royal family’s website calls her life-long passion for “women’s empowerment.” The biography also quotes a statement from Markle: “I am proud to be a woman and a feminist.”
This royal wedding brings royal family “into the 21st century”
From the vibrant sermon given by Chicago bishop Michael Curry to the Kingdom Choir gospel singers to a stirring solo from the first black winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year contest, 19-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Harry’s and Meghan’s wedding ceremony “finally [proved] a royal occasion that not only represented modern Britain but sent a real positive message to the world,” British journalist Sandro Monetti told CNN.
WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM – MAY 19: In this handout image released by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex pose for an official wedding photograph with (left-to-right): Back row: Master Jasper Dyer, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales, Ms. Doria Ragland, The Duke of Cambridge; middle row: Master Brian Mulroney, the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II, the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Miss Rylan Litt, Master John Mulroney; Front row: Miss Ivy Mulroney, Miss Florence van Cutsem, Miss Zalie Warren, Miss Remi Litt in The Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Alexi Lubomirski/The Duke and Duchess of Sussex via Getty Images)
The multi-cultural elements in the wedding combined with Markle’s breaking from convention brought the royal family into “the 21st century,” praisedMonetti. “They look young, vibrant and cool again.”
Markle rewrites tradition by giving speech at wedding reception
Evidence that Meghan is daring to make new traditions came during the evening wedding reception. Markle gave a speech during which she thanked the royal family for welcoming her into what is known as the Firm. Meghan also reportedly thanked her new husband Prince Harry in an “affectionate tribute,” according to Town & Country. In addition, she expressed appreciation to her friends, her family, and the Queen.
As Markle’s friend Priyanka Chopra wrote in her Instagram caption celebrating Prince Harry’s and Meghan’s wedding day:
"You my friend… were the epitome of grace, love and beauty. Every choice made at this wedding by you both will go down in history, not just because it was your wedding but because this incredible wedding stood for change and hope."
Reflecting on the impression that Markle made through her choices for her wedding, Dr. Sarah E. Gaither, an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University who also runs the Duke Identity and Diversity Lab, told People that “Meghan Markle is really an inspiration for a lot of women of color, a lot of girls of color across the United States in showing that you can help change the historical ties.”
Markle invites founder of startup that employs women in slums to her wedding
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle held hands and exchanged vows, friends and family weren’t the only ones who were present in the chapel. Suhani Jalota told Glamour that when she was honored for creating the menstrual hygiene startup Myna Mahila Foundation that hires women from slums, she met Meghan.
Markle followed up, meeting Suhani and the women living in Mumbai slums several months later. And then Meghan went even further: Prince Harry’s now-wife invited Jalota to attend the ceremony with some of her employees. Harry and Markle also selected the startup as one of the non-profit organizations that will receive their wedding funds (this philanthropic couple chose to get funds to give to those in need rather than wedding gifts for themselves).
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We can only quote Meghan’s friend Priyanka in sharing our appreciation for what Markle has already accomplished and our hopes for her future with Prince Harry: “Thank you for being the perfect picture of all things good.. [we wish you] happiness and togetherness always.”