Meghan Markle: The bride who 'changed' the British Royal Family's century-old tradition

(Baonghean) - Being American, Catholic and divorced, Meghan Markle - the fiancée of British Prince Harry is causing a stir in the media as she is considered the daughter-in-law who 'changed' the British Royal Family.

Prince Harry and his fiancée Meghan Markle. Photo: AP

In an announcement earlier this week by Clarence House, representing Prince Charles, Prince Harry, who is fifth in line to the throne, will marry Meghan Markle, an actress and model, in the spring of 2018.

The royal family said Queen Elizabeth was delighted with the announcement. She had tea with the couple in October when Prince Harry introduced Meghan Markle.

Meghan Markle is considered a famous actress and humanitarian who graduated from Northwestern University (USA) with 2 bachelor's degrees in theater, cinema and international relations.

She is also actively involved in community activities and is a global ambassador for World Vision, strongly supporting women's rights at the United Nations.

The acceptance of the marriage between Markle, an American, a Catholic and a divorcee, is considered a major change for the British Royal Family. For the past century, the standards in choosing a spouse have always given members of the British Royal Family a headache.

Especially when looking back at history, the British Royal Family does not accept “Catholics, commoners and divorced people”. Specifically, in the case of Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth’s sister.

She was once forbidden to marry Captain Peter Townsend, who was married with two children. Or Prince Andrew, the Queen's son, also dated Koo Stark, an American actress in the 1980s. But the Queen did not approve because the actress Stark had appeared in an "indecent" film.

If she marries Prince Harry, Markle will be the first American to appear in the British royal family tree since Wallis Simpson, who created a constitutional crisis in Britain in 1936.

Wallis Simpson was also an American who had a husband when she met Prince Edward of Wales. In January 1936, King George V died and Prince Edward became his successor with the title of King Edward VIII.

However, his desire to marry Mrs. Simpson turned the situation upside down. Under pressure from the Church of England and public opinion, King Edward VIII abdicated.

Back to Prince Harry and Markle, the couple's wedding could be held in April 2018. According to a source from US Weekly, Prince Harry used 2 diamonds from his mother Princess Diana's brooch to make an engagement ring.

And 2018 will be a year of double happiness for the British Royal Family as it witnesses the wedding of Prince Harry as well as Prince William welcoming his third child, expected to be born in April 2018.

Chu Thanh

(According to Le Parisien, Le Monde)