Another royal wedding
Published 9:13 pm Thursday, May 17, 2018
Another royal wedding is upon us.
I can’t explain why I’m so excited, but I had the same feeling when William, Duke of Cambridge, married Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge.
I even skipped school when William and Kate got married to watch the afternoon nuptials on the television with my mom and brother.
I’m no longer in school, and skipping work isn’t something you do unless you want to be fired, but thankfully Harry, Prince of Wales, and Meghan Markle’s wedding is set for Saturday afternoon.
I’m able to pinpoint my excitement now that I’m older, and it’s because I have a love for what the sovereign stands for and what Markle is going to do for the royal family.
Markle has been a well-known actress for some time, with her biggest role in the television series “Suits.” She left the show this year. During her fame, she hasn’t been quiet about issues important to her.
She became an advocate for women’s rights and was a global ambassador for World Vision, advocate for UN Women and a counsellor for One Young World, but her advocacy began when she was just 11.
Markle saw a commercial for dish soap, and its tagline, “Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans,” didn’t sit well with her. She wrote letters about it to Hillary Clinton, Linda Ellerbee and Gloria Allred.
The commercial was changed.
While the royal family is typically quiet on political matters, most can imagine she will be just as philanthropic as her soon-to-be husband is now, and she will, hopefully, still help with the fight for women’s rights.
While her advocacy is the most impressive thing about her, she also will be the first biracial woman in the royal family, and that gives non-white British folk someone to look towards. Representation matters, and for young black girls this gives them someone they can relate to.
Besides Markle, there are other wonderful things about the upcoming wedding. Almost everything associated with the royal family is dripping in tradition. Tradition gives comfort, and it makes everything feel much more lavish.
Every year and every wedding, the media and the public speculate on which traditions will be broken and which will be followed.
The first big tradition to be broken was done by Diana, the Princess of Wales. During her wedding vows to Charles, Prince of Wales, she chose to forgo the word “obey.” Princess Kate followed her mother-in-law, and most anticipate Markle to do the same.
The Church of England offers many options, some with “obey” and some without.
The other tradition people are speculating on is what the couple’s wedding bands will look like.
Welsh gold wedding bands have been used in seven royal weddings since 1923, and the public is unsure what the almost-newlyweds will do.
Harry has commented that white gold is Markle’s favorite, but he did not specify what ring she would receive at the wedding.
Whatever traditions do or don’t happen, I imagine the public will be delighted to welcome Markle to the royal family. I know I’m ready to sit down and indulge myself in all the royal traditions and finally seeing what her dress looks like.