Americans' Obsession With Meghan Markle's Wedding

The wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was a significant cultural moment for many Americans, with an estimated 29 million viewers in the US. Markle's identity as a biracial, divorced American actress added to the public interest in the couple, with many seeing her as a modern princess. The wedding itself also broke with tradition, incorporating African-American culture and featuring a powerful statement from Markle's fashion choices.

Meghan Markle's biracial identity

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is a biracial woman with a black mother and a white father. She has spoken extensively about her experiences as a biracial woman and the challenges she has faced due to her mixed-race identity.

In an article for ELLE Magazine, published in 2015, Markle wrote about her struggles with her biracial identity and how it has often made her feel like an 'other'. She recalled an incident from her childhood when she was asked to fill out a mandatory census in English class and had to choose her ethnicity from the options: white, black, Hispanic, or Asian. Markle wrote about how she felt confused and conflicted, not wanting to choose one parent over the other, and ultimately left her identity blank.

Markle has also faced racism and discrimination due to her biracial identity. She wrote about an incident where her mother was called a racial slur, and how she has often been asked, "What are you?" when people are trying to determine her racial background.

Despite these challenges, Markle has also embraced her biracial identity and advocated for biracial representation. In a speech during a royal tour of Nyanga township in Cape Town, she proudly identified herself as "a mother, a wife, a woman, a woman of color, and your sister." She has also spoken about how her identity as a woman of colour is an integral part of her love story with Prince Harry.

The birth of Markle and Prince Harry's son marked the first time a biracial baby was born into the modern royal family, further highlighting the diversity and influence of mixed-race individuals in today's world. Markle's biracial identity has been a significant aspect of her public image and has provided representation for biracial youth who may have struggled with similar identity issues.

The inclusion of African-American culture

The wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in 2018 was a highly anticipated event that drew an estimated 29 million viewers in the US alone. The wedding was significant for several reasons, one of which was the inclusion of African-American culture in the ceremony.

Markle, an American actress, is biracial, with an African-American mother and a white father. Her mother, Doria Ragland, was the sole member of Markle's family at the wedding, and her presence and heritage carried significant meaning. Ragland's long dreadlocks, tucked underneath her hat, served as a reminder that black women's natural hair is regal, too. The wedding ceremony itself was filled with gestures that celebrated black culture and Ragland's lineage.

One notable aspect was the inclusion of an African-American bishop, Michael Bruce Curry, who delivered a sermon on the power of love, quoting Martin Luther King Jr. Curry's presence and message of love and inclusion added a unique layer to the traditional British wedding service. The ceremony also featured a gospel choir, the Kingdom Choir, who performed a rendition of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me." This Christian group, specialising in gospel music, consisted of black Britons and contributed to the diverse and inclusive atmosphere of the wedding.

The wedding's economic impact

The wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was estimated to have cost £32 million by a wedding planning company. However, the public cost was much lower than that of Prince William and Catherine's wedding in 2011, as it did not include a bank holiday. The money spent on the wedding is justifiable if the benefits outweigh the costs. A positive long-term impact is the most important factor in achieving this.

The wedding is predicted to have positively impacted the British economy by over £1 billion, spread across various industry sectors. The tourism industry is expected to have seen the greatest benefit, with an additional £300 million in travel and accommodation spend. This is due to an increase in inbound tourism to London and Windsor, especially from the USA. The wedding also generated at least £300 million in PR value through media coverage.

Retail and restaurants were projected to benefit by approximately £250 million through parties, food, and drinks. Additionally, sales of wedding-related merchandise, such as commemorative coins, stamps, mugs, clothing, and accessories, were expected to exceed £50 million.

The 'Meghan Effect' on the fashion industry was also significant, with an expected £150 million in increased clothing sales, creating export opportunities for British brands. Meghan's global popularity and strong personal brand have made her a powerful ambassador for British brands, especially in her native United States.

The economic boost from the wedding is in addition to the annual uplift the monarchy provides to the UK economy, which was estimated at close to £1.8 billion in 2017.

The bride's fashion choices

Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for the fashion house Givenchy. The dress was made of "double-bonded silk cady cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza" and had a boat neckline, long sleeves, and a sweeping train. The dress framed Markle's shoulders and cinched slightly at the waist. It featured just six barely-visible seams, giving the illusion of being suspended in air.

The silk tulle veil was 16 feet long and featured the flowers of all 53 Commonwealth nations, as well as Wintersweet, which grows in front of Nottingham Cottage, and the California Poppy, the state flower of California. The veil was secured by a diamond bandeau tiara, made in 1932 for Queen Mary, and loaned to Markle by Queen Elizabeth II. The centre brooch had been a wedding gift to Queen Mary from the County of Lincoln in 1893. The tiara is a platinum band made up of eleven sections and a detachable centre brooch with interlaced opals and diamonds.

Markle's shoes were also from Givenchy and had a pointed couture design. She wore white gold and diamond earrings and a bracelet made by Cartier. Her hair was styled by Serge Normant, who rolled it up with "face-framing fringe tucked behind her ears". Her makeup was done by Dior make-up artist Daniel Martin, who described the look as "a soft brown eyeshadow" with minimal makeup on the face. Markle's nails were painted in a "neutral pink-y beige" for the ceremony.

The bride's bouquet, designed by Philippa Craddock, contained "forget-me-nots, scented sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine and astrantia, and sprigs of myrtle from a plant grown from the myrtle used in the Queen's wedding bouquet". The flowers were chosen by Prince Harry, who included forget-me-nots in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana.

For the customary bridal themes of "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue", Markle had a piece of fabric from Princess Diana's wedding dress sewn into her dress ("old"), her bracelet and earrings ("new"), the Queen's tiara ("borrowed"), and a piece of fabric from the dress she wore on her first date with Prince Harry stitched into the veil ("blue").

For the evening reception, the Duchess of Sussex wore a halter-neck, open-back dress by Stella McCartney and an emerald-cut aquamarine ring that formerly belonged to Princess Diana. Her hairstylist for the private party was George Northwood.

The media interest in the couple

The media interest in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was huge, with an estimated 29 million viewers in the US alone. This was in part due to Markle's identity as a biracial, divorced American actress, which marked a significant departure from the traditional image of the British royal family.

Markle is a Los Angeles-born actress, blogger, charity ambassador, and advocate. She is also a divorcee, having been married to American film producer Trevor Engelson from 2011 to 2013. She is the daughter of an African-American yoga instructor and a white father.

Markle's identity as a biracial woman was a significant source of media interest, with some outlets even exhibiting racist and sexist tones in their coverage. In November 2016, Prince Harry took the unusual step of issuing an official statement condemning the "wave of abuse and harassment" directed towards Markle. Despite this, the media interest in Markle remained high, with many publications commenting on the potential social significance of a proudly mixed-race royal.

In addition to her race, Markle's divorce also marked a break from tradition. By marrying Markle, Prince Harry followed in the footsteps of his great-great-uncle, King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne to marry American divorcée Wallis Simpson in 1937.

Markle's transition into the royal family was also of great interest to the media and the public. She was the first American to marry into the royal family since Wallis Simpson and, unlike Simpson, was welcomed into the family and given the title of Duchess of Sussex. Markle's relationship with her in-laws was also expected to be much less tumultuous than that of her predecessor.

The media interest in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was unprecedented, reflecting the public's fascination with the couple and the potential social impact of their union.

Frequently asked questions