A royal engagement
Prince Harry, U.S. actress break several traditions
LONDON — When King Edward VIII set his heart on marrying American divorcee Wallis Simpson, the price was to give up his throne.
That was 81 years ago. Prince Harry’s engagement to divorced American actress MeghanMarkle shows just how much Britain has changed since then.
His father, Prince Charles, said he was “thrilled” about his younger son’s decision to marry the 36-year-old actress. A Buckingham Palace spokesman described Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh as “delighted” by the news.
Prince Harry, 33, and Ms. Markle met on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend. They got to know each other on a trip to Botswana in southern Africa, where they camped out under the stars.
The couple were secretly engaged earlier this month. In their first interview following the announcement, they
revealed Monday that the prince had proposed on bended knee while preparing a roast chicken dinner. Ms. Markle said Prince Harry was still trying to get the words out when she said yes.
So far, so traditional. But this is far from a traditional royal marriage.
For centuries, Britain’s most senior royals were expected to marry members of other European royal families. Crucial alliances were often sealed that way.
Those further down the line of succession could choose from the British nobility.
But marrying a commoner (someone not of noble blood) was out of the question and so was marriage to a divorcee.
In recent years those taboos have been demolished, first by Prince Charles’ second marriage to the divorced Camilla Parker Bowles, then by Harry’s older brother, Prince William, who married commoner Catherine Middleton.
But this engagement presents another couple of firsts. Ms. Markle, best known for her role in the legal drama “Suits,” is not only a divorced commoner. She is mixed-race — her mother is African-American, her father of Dutch-Irish descent and a Catholic.
It’s the last of these that could have been an obstacle right up until 2015.
At that time new laws on succession ended the ban on a potential heir to the throne marrying a Catholic. Prince Harry is fifth in the line of succession.
The bride-to-be’s biracial heritage is clearly not seen as an obstacle by Queen Elizabeth, who must approve any proposed marriage of a senior royal.
But in the early days of the couple’s relationship, Ms. Markle faced press coverage that Prince Harry’s spokesman said “crossed the line.”
An unprecedented statement authorized by the prince late last year condemned “the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.”
During their joint interview, the couple were asked about that media coverage.
Ms. Markle said it was “disheartening” that so much of the early media interest focused on race. She added, “I’m just really proud of who I am and where I come from.”
For most Britons, Ms. Markle’s race is the subject of curiosity rather than concern.
That is perhaps not surprising given that one in 10 people living as couples in Britain are in mixed-race relationships.
Ms. Markle, who grew up in Los Angeles but now lives in Toronto, appeared relaxed and happy as she sat alongside Prince Harry, their fingers entwined.
“She has an American confidence about her,” said BBC royal correspondent Daniela Ralph, “and she’s very articulate.”
She also is an advocate for the United Nations Women’s program and has traveled the world for the organization to highlight gender inequalities.
The couple plan to marry next spring.