Happily Ever After: the British monarchy jumps into the 21st century

Only 90 years ago, a divorcée scandal rocked the House of Windsor and forced a monarch to abdicate the throne. King Edward VIII, in love with the American, twice-divorced Wallis Simpson, abruptly end his tenure as sovereign of the Commonwealth and his brother Albert ascended to the throne as King George VI. Prince Philippe’s romance with then-Princess Elizabeth raised eyebrows due to his Greek and German noble background, and their royal offspring took Elizabeth’s surname Windsor instead of his – Mountbatten. Princess Margaret was not allowed to marry the man of her choice, the divorced Peter Townsend, in 1952. Prince Charles loved the commoner Camilla Parker-Bowles but married (and later divorced) Lady Diana Spencer to follow tradition and protocol. When Prince Charles finally wed Parker-Bowles in 2005, Queen Elizabeth II, as head of the Church of England, did not attend the wedding ceremony. She did, however, bestow Parker-Bowles with a title – Duchess of Cornwall, and in 2011 extended the same courtesy to the commoner Katherine Middleton, now Katherine, Duchess of Cambridge, whose father Michael has ties to aristocracy. Now, Prince Harry, fifth in line to the British throne will marry a mixed-race, divorced, American actress at Windsor in May. Meghan Markle, who first

came to fame for her role in the TV series Suits, will become at once a British subject and a member of the most famous royal household in the world. As the Prince and Markle make historic appearances – Christmas together at Sandringham, polo matches at Berkshire, the Commonwealth Youth Forum last week – royal experts have been baffled at the level to which Markle has been included in very private royal family events prior to her wedding to the prince. The polo-playing prince knows exactly what he’s doing – by prepping Markle since day one of their public relationship for a place within the royal family, he’s showing her the ropes: protocol, expectations, order, deference, and expectations; otherwise unfamiliar to those outside of the House of Windsor. Markle will be ready for the “job” that entails public work, charities, events, tours, and appearances. Prince Harry’s own mother was overwhelmed by the “job” after marrying Prince Charles, and he won’t have the same experience for his wife and marriage.

But while she’s also training to join the royal family, she and Prince Harry are rewriting history and hundreds of years of tradition and protocol regarding public appearances, private gatherings, and marriage ideals. Instead of being set up by the Queen or well-meaning courtier of the royal household, the prince and Markle were set up by a mutual friend. It was an immediate attraction and on their first date, they compared calendars to see when and where they overlapped in the weeks and months to come in order to see each other again. Comments from the House of Windsor about the couple are limited to prim-and-proper, perfectly worded press statements, but their public appearances betray the traditional (and prickly) approach to royal romance. In appearance after appearance, they’re intimate, they’re loving, they’re a real life fairy tale.

The American actress will become the wife of a prince, with castles and palaces, golden carriages and footmen, tea and crumpets. And thanks to her doting finance, she will be ready for the “job” and responsibility that royalty entails. with a title – Duchess of Cornwall, and in 2011 extended the same courtesy to the commoner Katherine Middleton, now Katherine, Duchess of Cambridge, whose father Michael has ties to aristocracy. Now, Prince Harry, sixth in line to the British throne will marry a mixed-race, divorced, American actress at St. George's Chapel, Windsor in May. Meghan Markle, who first came to fame for her role in the TV series Suits, will become at once a British subject and a member of the most famous royal household in the world. As the prince and Markle make historic appearances – Christmas together at Sandringham, polo matches at Berkshire, the Commonwealth Youth Forum last week – royal experts have been baffled at the unprecedented level to which Markle has been included in very private royal family events prior to her wedding to the prince. The polo-playing prince knows exactly what he’s doing – by prepping Markle since day one of their public relationship for a place within the royal family, he’s

showing her the ropes: protocol, expectations, order, deference, and expectations; otherwise unfamiliar to those outside of the House of Windsor. Markle will be ready for the “job” that entails public work, charities, events, tours, and appearances. Prince Harry’s own mother was overwhelmed by the “job” after marrying Prince Charles, and he won’t have the same experience for his wife and marriage.But while she’s also training to join the royal family, she and Prince Harry are rewriting history and hundreds of years of tradition and protocol regarding public appearances, private gatherings, and marriage ideals. Instead of being set up by the Queen or well-meaning courtier of the royal household, the prince and Markle were set up by a mutual friend. It was an immediate attraction and on their first date, they compared calendars to see when and where they overlapped in the weeks and months to come in order to see each other again. Comments from the House of Windsor about the couple are limited to prim-and-proper, perfectly worded press statements, but their public appearances betray the traditional (and prickly) approach to royal romance. In appearance after appearance, they’re intimate, they’re loving, they’re a real life fairy tale. The American actress will become the wife of a prince, with castles and palaces, golden carriages and footmen, tea and crumpets. And thanks to her doting finance, she will be ready for the “job” and responsibility that royalty entails.