On May 19, 2018, Meghan Markle, the actress behind the sophisticated Rachel Zane on "Suits," is going to become British royalty by marrying Prince Harry of Wales. Prince Harry, who is the second son of the late Princess Diana, comments that he is lucky to have met someone and fallen in love with a person that sees him for him. While all of this is picturesque and true, I started to wonder what the impact of having an American-born actress can contribute to British High Society.
Prince Harry has made several important contributions and strides towards mental health in the last several years. After the death of his mother, Harry always felt lost and out of limbo and in an era where mental health is not something to talk about openly, it took him a lot longer to deal with all of his feelings.
Similarly, Meghan Markle has claimed that the sexual harassment and the #metoo movement is linked to a lack of discussion about mental health. With similar goals in mind, both Markle and Prince Harry hope to start a national social movement regarding talking about these very same issues.
Markle has always been an inspiration to women and in particular women of color. Hailing from a mixed background, Markle has embraced the concept of equality and advocated for women to have equal footing wherever they go. At the age of 11, Markle wrote to Hilary Clinton, Linda Ellerbee, and an ad company in response to a sexist TV commercial. A soap company decided that their slogan line should be 'women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.' It finally got changed to 'People all over America' in an effort to be more inclusive of all people because of her outspoken nature.
Markle has already had an impressive impact on the philanthropic scene but the real question is will she be eclipsed once she marries Prince Harry. I believe that this American's story is just beginning. The idea that after 239 years of American staking its independence that is separate from British rule that an American born actress and a British royal prince are closing the gap is awe-inspiring.
Markle's journey will begin with trying to close the societal gap between the traditional role of a royal family member and the independence and free thinking that many in America are afforded. While there are some societal norms that Markle must abide by, I do not believe this will silence her voice. Her work with world vision and other philanthropic pursuits will see more important in peoples' eyes because a person of power will make it so.
Even though the main focus of the next few weeks is the wedding, her dress, the fanfare, and the honeymoon, the main fascination will be what she makes of it in her new role as part of the royal family. The kind of influence she will have on young women will be unparalleled because the image of a modern woman shaping an ancient empire like the British will be an inspiration.