Happy couple have diplomacy trumped
The Duchess of Cambridge hit it on the head when she said that for Prince Harry and his fiance´ e Meghan Markle, this was the happiest of times for a couple. And indeed, the royal couple are in the position of having two honeymoon periods, the early one they are currently enjoying care of the media and the public.
Fortunately for them, the whole world and his wife seem to be delighting in the couple’s head-over-heels, madly-in-love excitement they find in each other’s company.
Down Under, after watching the couple’s first giddy television appearance, co-host Hilary Barry on TVNZ1’s Breakfast made a great show of ripping tissues from a box and mopping the damp from her eyes. Those watching would probably have been a little lachrymose too at the unbridled joy and easy chemistry exuding from the two lovebirds.
In comparison with her deceased mother-in-law’s memorable engagement appearance, Markle was no shy Di peering out coyly from beneath lowered eyes. The media-savvy Markle is nearly twice the age that Diana was at the time of her betrothal to Prince Charles, and has considerable life experience under her belt.
And the future Prince Harry of Wales (Markle) appears to be a veritable chatter box, dominating the couple’s first official interview together, and only too happy to proudly show off the royal rock on her hand.
And what a rock – the middle diamond so large and sparkly that on a sunny day it risks blinding a pilot and bringing down a plane. Well done, Harry. You’re a gem.
On the TV series Suits, which Markle starred in as a paralegal, the actor turned in a more than creditable performance. This may cause cynics to wonder if her pre-nuptial joy is the real deal, or just another brilliant performance by an opportunistic thespian.
In the real-life drama of When Harry Met Meggy, the sparkle of Markle and the Patron Prince looks and sounds like pure unadulterated happiness, providing enough vicarious feel-goodness for the rest of us poor schmucks to bask in.
How many jaded journalists have opined that in all the sad, mad and bad stories of 2017, along comes the tale of this happy couple to melt our hard hearts and help get us back in touch with the glow of our inner goo.
Markle currently has the world, and a pack of adoring corgis, at her feet.
Her friendly charm makes her the perfect American ambassador to help heal strained relations between the US and the UK brought about by The Donald.
Trump’s planned state visit to Britain is now in doubt after his promotion of fake anti-Islamic hate videos, which drew Prime Minister Theresa May’s first direct condemnation of the president. Undeterred, the president fired back at the prime minister, telling her to look after her own garden and focus on terrorism in Britain.
Meanwhile, a British Government source was quoted as saying that a visit from Trump had been ‘‘kicked into grass as long as it can get’’.
Later May quickly tried to cool the escalation of a diplomatic incident, reminding the president of the ‘‘special relationship’’ they shared.
Perhaps the solution of Trump’s unpopular pending state visit would be for May to ask a favour of Harry and Meg. In the interests of British diplomacy, perhaps The Orange Card is the one to play and the couple should invite Trump to their wedding. Ugh.
One could only imagine that this would only encourage Trump to tweet from the front pews that Harry didn’t seem to look a lot like his dear old Dad.
Prince Harry’s ancestors would heartily approve of the foreign match he has made for himself. It was only a few centuries ago that European royalty were actively encouraged to marry outside their country. Marriage then was a cold and calculated act of diplomacy to lessen the odds of battle engagement with each other, or power up and go to war with opposing forces.
Markle is currently embarking on becoming a British citizen and will be baptised to make sure she has the bona fide credentials to stand at the Church of England altar. Media savvy, bi-racial, a feminist and a philanthropist, Markle is a perfect example of soft power, the good face of another America that isn’t ugly and divided.
With Her American Royal Highness in the British court, perhaps it will inspire her fellow countrymen to look outward and take an interest in another country, albeit another declining power flailing about trying to find itself in the grand scheme of things.
With Harry and Meg’s special relationship, anything’s possible.