On Saturday May 18th, Prince Harry of the British Royal Family wed Meghan Markle, an American former actress most known for her work on the USA program Suits.
Prince Harry has been deemed by the press and the public as being a bit of a rebel, so the fact that he chose Markle does make sense. I mean she is everything that the Royal Family wouldn’t want her to be:
- American
- Biracial
- Liberal
- Divorced
Markle challenges the royal tradition (the tradition of adultery, beheading, and incest, but you know, tradition). The nuptials of this unconventional pair got me thinking a lot about various topics concerning the UK, the Royal Family, our reaction to the Royals, and human relations in general. I will segway into my first point by asking this: Why do we still have “royals” in the modern world anyway?
Monarchys Are Outdated
Look, I give the UK props for maintaining a monarchy for the better part of a millennium. As far as I can see, this institution has worked well for our neighbors and allies across the pond, and several countries still maintain this system of kings and queens today. I will ignore the fact for now that many of the world’s more democratic nations and republics were derived with the intention of straying away from this “old world” institution that was based on the concept of “divine right.” Maybe I’m sounding like a poster child for the American Dream (although I know this principle can be faulty at times), but I’ve always believed that people should work for things. The idea that someone can just be born into power isn’t my cup of tea. I find the idea to be thinking that is based in the past-the past where people believed in stuff like predestination, and that they had no control whatsoever over their lives. The members of the Royal Family are appointed by birth right and heredity. Not only do royals inherit genes, but they inherit power which is a scary thought to me. Queen Elizabeth II just so happened to be born at the right time, to the right people, and that, above everything else, is why she has ruled for over six decades.
She is the cutest old lady lol
I think what I find most troubling about the monarchy is the imaginary hierarchy it creates. First there’s God, then it’s the royal family, and then it is the commoners. Royals have implied that God gave them the right to rule for centuries, insinuating that they are above everyone else. In my eyes, they are just as, if not more so, human as the rest of us. The Queen actually has a small role in politics. She is a neutral individual and is described as having more of a “ceremonial” position. In parliament, she can’t even vote on legislation. The Queen is the head of state meaning she acts as more of a face or figurehead for the people. Her job is to attend to her various engagements such as charity functions, galas, and knight appointments. I have a lot of respect for Queen Elizabeth, and she has always been a classy lady in my eyes. For her to still be ruling at 92 is no small feat, but at the same time, is there really that much to “ruling” in the British monarchy?
*Note: I realize that democratic forms of government in which the people elect their heads of state maybe don’t work for each nation. I have more of an issue with the idea that someone can be born into this world as superior to someone else.
Meghan Is Getting a lot of Unnecessary Hate
So she took a simpler approach-let’s burn her at the stake
I have seen countless videos, articles, and social media posts in which people have criticized Markle’s character, appearance on her wedding day, and intentions with Prince Harry and the Royal Family. You’d think these naysayers actually knew the woman! Everyone is a critic, and everyone has an opinion, but at the same time, none of us know who Markle really is or the dynamic of the relationship between the couple. The fact that she is facing criticism for her looks and her “plain” dress is also disgusting in my eyes. This was her wedding day, and she chose what she wanted to wear. I thought she looked great, and flashiness isn’t for everyone. I don’t know why people put so much emphasis on what people wear to their weddings anyway (and I love fashion!) because weddings and marriage are about the union, or at least they should be.
The Wedding Shouldn’t Make You “Believe in Love”
One phrase that has been circulating the internet since the wedding is: ” Omg, this makes me believe in love.” Why should two people, that most of the world doesn’t know personally, getting married have that much influence on individuals’ ideas about love? If the wedding gave you hope, cool. If the wedding inspired you, awesome. I just don’t understand why people look to celebrities or royalty to show them what real love is. Love is all around us; it is not made more important just because the people who are getting married are royal and their wedding is put on TV. As a self-diagnosed idealist, I realize that people love to romanticize things because I do it too, but maybe everything shouldn’t be romanticized. The wedding of Harry and Meghan shouldn’t make you “believe in love” anymore than your grandparents that have been married for decades or your parents that were high school sweethearts (I’m being hypothetical here).
The Wedding Shined Light on British and American Cultural Differences
Although America will forever be connected to Britain, we are not the same. I lived in England for 3 years during my childhood, and while our cultures aren’t totally different, there are enough differences to distinguish the two nations.
Two religious figures made appearances at Harry and Meghan’s wedding. One was Michael Curry, a black bishop of the American Episcopal Church. His sermon was passionate and expressive as he weaved his message with quotes from Martin Luther King, as well as talks of slavery. Many news outlets and Twitter users have said Curry, funnily enough considering his last name, “spiced up” the Royal Wedding. Some say the Queen looked on with disapproval as Curry was speaking no doubt because she is a traditional lady. In contrast to Curry was Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Church of England. He handled the actual wedding ceremony which is rooted in British tradition. Clear to many, was the differing styles of these two men. One fit the “loud, brash, and overconfident” American stereotype, while the other fit the “reserved, stuffy, and drab” British stereotype. This wedding saw the fusion of two cultures, and I thought that was interesting.
On a side note, British people are brought up to not have a lot of confidence or think they are all that great. They are self-effacing and modest. Brits have a realist approach to life, while we Americans idealize everything. Our parents tell us to have confidence and achieve whatever we want starting at a young age. I have a theory about this. If rulers are born into power in Britain this might foster a culture of “I’m stuck, I was born into this, and this is the hand I’ve been dealt. If I wanted to achieve, I would have needed to be born into a position in which I could reach achievement.” In America, the narrative is different. Our president is a former reality TV star, and the president before that was a black man, so we are led to believe that anyone can make it to the top if they have enough grit (or money, or the ability to cause fear, but that’s besides the point).
The Royal Family is Ironic
This family scoffs at divorce, rebellious individuals, and the breaking of tradition. For example, Harry didn’t shave his beard for his wedding and I guess that was a big deal. Eighty years ago, King Edward VII, abdicated from the throne after being given the ultimatum of being king or marrying an American divorcee. He chose the latter. I find the royal distaste for divorce and other matters regarding marriage ironic. After all, King Henry VII had six wives, and started the Church of England for the sole purpose of getting a divorce. Queen Victoria married her cousin, although it is on the record that she loved him very much. All of Queen Elizabeth’s children or their spouses have been divorced, committed adultery, or the like, yet people still scoff at the fact that Meghan is a divorcee.
That beard. How offensive.
Why Do We Care So Much Anyway?
The Royal Wedding, and all of the ones that preceded it, was watched by millions of people around the globe. My social media feeds have been saturated with images and clips from the big day, and I’ve just wondered why. I guess the question is: Why is there this global interest with the British Royals? I think it’s what they represent which is tradition and the past.
I also think our culture has an obsession with royalty or at least its imagery. Michael Jackson was the King of Pop. Beyoncé is called a queen. My grandma constantly calls me a princess. Two students are crowned prom queen and king each year. The British Royals revive the idea of fantasy and fairytales, especially against the backdrop of the UK. There was a meme circulating around featuring a picture of Meghan on her wedding day, and it was captioned with something to the effect of “This is so Disney.” This thinking makes the most sense to me, as I was the biggest fan of Cinderella and the Princess Diaries when I was kid, and as a teenager, I loved Once Upon A Time until it got bad.
I, along with others, see the UK as somewhat of a romantic place (not in the love sense) because of its dreariness and historic castles that I was lucky enough to walk through in my earlier years. We are probably obsessed with the Royals in the same way that our culture is obsessed with celebrities. They have money and power, so we put them on pedestals to the point where they seem almost mythical. They are not.
I liked that this wedding raised so many conversations. I found that it was about more than just the union of Meghan and Harry. I for one think they are a cute couple even if they are an unlikely pair, and I wish them all the best.
Couturely Sound
couturely sound 