Why the queen calls Prince Harry’s fiancée ‘Rachel’
Rachel Meghan Markle? Who’s she? She is the American actress who will marry Prince Harry in May, but the world knows her as Meghan Markle, former star of Suits, soon to be Her Royal Highness Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (probably).
Rachel Zane is the name of her character in Suits but her soon-to-be grandmother-in-law Queen Elizabeth II helped remind the world last Thursday that Markle’s actual first name is Rachel.
The reminder came in the queen’s letter last Wednesday to her Privy Council in which she formally gives her consent to the May 19 marriage between her “most dearly beloved grandson, Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales”, and his fiancée, “Rachel Meghan Markle”.
The queen gave her private consent to the marriage months ago; they wouldn’t have announced their engagement in November without it. But this formal proclamation, officially signed by the monarch under “The Great Seal of the Realm”, is required by British law on the royal succession, most of which is about 300 years old but was updated in 2013. Harry is fifth in line to the throne (soon to be sixth once the third child of Prince William and Duchess Kate of Cambridge is born). Under the 2013 update, the first six persons in line to the throne require the sovereign’s approval to marry.
But that wasn’t the surprise. What might intrigue Britons still getting to know Markle, 36, not to mention her fellow Americans, is that her actual given first name is Rachel.
Rachel is the name listed on her legal documents, such as her American passport, so that was the name the queen had to use in her formal consent declaration. Same goes for Harry, whose given name is Henry (a traditional royal name) but has been called Harry since his birth 33 years ago.
Markle has always been called Meghan, even before she started working as an actress, so that is the name she will be known as once she marries Harry at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19.
The queen is expected, as per tradition, to grant Harry a new title the day of the wedding; most royal observers believe it will be Duke of Sussex, so his wife will be HRH Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
Markle’s legal name is another titbit to add to her unconventional profile as a royal bride — the first American, biracial, divorced, former actress to be welcomed into the royal family in British history. Since the engagement announcement, Markle and Harry have been on a “Meet Meghan” tour of Britain to introduce her to the country and to help her adjust to her new job as a member of the royal firm. In an unprecedented move, she appeared with the queen and the family at their first joint official appearance at an important service at Westminster Abbey last week.