How can anyone say the Royal Family is out of touch and stuffy after a ceremony like that?
From the passionate address from the Most Reverend Michael Curry quoting Martin Luther King, to a swaying black gospel choir, it was a very modern blend of black and white, American and British – an event perfectly judged to represent the union of a Royal and his new, mixed-race bride.
This has been a significant moment, and not just for the newly wedded couple.
How can anyone say the Royal Family is out of touch and stuffy after a ceremony like that?
With traditional aristocracy rubbing shoulders in the pews with stars such as Idris Elba and Serena Williams, this was a wedding that shouted loud and clear that the young Royals – Harry and Meghan and William and Kate – are more in tune than most with the racial and cultural melting pot of 21st Century Britain
It is important for Meghan’s mother Doria, for her illustrious new in-laws, too.
And it is important for the nation as a whole.
With traditional aristocracy rubbing shoulders in the pews with stars such as Idris Elba and Serena Williams, this was a wedding that shouted loud and clear that the young Royals – Harry and Meghan and William and Kate – are more in tune than most with the racial and cultural melting pot of 21st Century Britain.
The Prince of Wales should be very proud of them.
In truth, the Royal Household has been busily updating itself for a long time.
When I began working as the Prince of Wales’s press secretary in 1998, some of the Palace ‘old guard’ struggled to cope with the sudden appearance of a black girl from South London. I was one of the first black members of the Royal Household.
From the passionate address from the Most Reverend Michael Curry quoting Martin Luther King, to a swaying black gospel choir, it was a very modern blend of black and white, American and British – an event perfectly judged to represent the union of a Royal and his new, mixed-race bride
The gospel choir sang 'Stand By Me' and 'This Little Light of Mine' during the ceremony
Meghan's mother Doria Ragland with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall
I was aware in the difficult days following the tragic death of Princess Diana that the Royal Family were criticised for failing to understand the public mood.
The Queen recognised immediately that the Royal Family can exist only with the consent of the people and that listening to their views was vital. That acknowledgment was key to a marked shift in attitude.
The Queen now has a black equerry and there are many ethnic minorities working at the Palace.
Colleen Harris (above): When I began working as the Prince of Wales’s press secretary in 1998, some of the Palace ‘old guard’ struggled to cope with the sudden appearance of a black girl from South London. I was one of the first black members of the Royal Household
Change in organisations always comes from the top. And when the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family are seen to treat all staff with respect and fairness, others have to follow.
Now the Royal Family has a mixed-race Duchess.
Meghan will receive a warm embrace from all at the Palace, where those who matter can see the world is changing.
When, as it is to be hoped, Harry and Meghan have children, they will be living embodiments of the British melting pot.
Not only will they be both British and American, but they will be a blend of black and white and Meghan and Harry will see to it that their upbringing reflects who they are.
Mixed-race people are the fastest growing ethnic group in the country but can sometimes feel marginalised and misunderstood, and having someone like Meghan talk about these issues could be just what’s required.
My own mixed-race children have made clear to me how adopting one particular culture over another is not the answer. They have to learn history in a different way, seeing conflicts from all perspectives.
The Royal Family’s role is to bring us together, and the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex truly reflect modern Britain and are a symbol of what can happen when people are allowed to meet and fall in love, without prejudice.
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