The Real-Life Fairytale of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Everyone grew up with fairy tales – for a lucky few, they might become more than just stories.
By now, the world is aware of the upcoming marriage between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. With almost a month before the wedding takes place, you can feel the excitement in the air. As this real-life love story is about to reach its happy ending. It is so exciting in fact that Lifetime has not missed the opportunity to tell this story themselves! A decision that was no doubt made following the success of their first royally romantic TV movie. This was based on the unprecedented romance between Kate Middleton and Prince William – William & Kate.
Just six days before the happy couple say their ‘I do’s, the network will air its highly anticipated movie. It will be called Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Royal Romance In Detail
With Parisa Fitz-Henley taking on the role of Meghan and Murray Fraser as Harry. This is a film that will follow the love story from the very beginning. Their love story begins when they meet through a mutual friend when neither of them was too familiar with the other. However, according to a BBC interview with the prince himself, Harry knew from first sight that Meghan was ‘the one’. The TV film will then follow the developing relationship that was kept a secret, until the press revealed it. Then finally, it shows the start of their happily ever after: the wedding itself. It will even include the dramatically wonderful gifts they received. These include giraffes that were gifted by the couple to each other after a trip to Botswana.
Botswana seems to hold an important role in the relationship of this happy couple as Meghan’s engagement ring holds in the centre a diamond from the country. It also has two smaller diamonds on either side that previously belonged to Harry’s late mother, Diana Princess of Wales.
The roles of Kate and Wills will be taken over by Laura Mitchell and Burgess Aberthany. Steve Coulter will also be taking on the role of Prince Charles, the father of the princes, William and Harry.
Some Royal History
The film will raise the question – will this be a love that can survive?
For some, this might seem like a silly question. Of course, love is love, what is stopping it? But there have been some that can see some very clear similarities to a large event in British royal history.
The British throne was put through a turmoil time back in 1936 with the drama of the romance between King Edward VII, Harry’s Great Uncle, and Wallis Simpson. Wallis was an American socialite and was going through the process of her second divorce at the time when Edward and her first met. Noticing some similarities already?
King Edward VII wasn’t someone who took like a fish to water to the role of the monarchy. He hated the protocol involved and caused much concern to politicians of the time as he disregarded established conventions. He ultimately wasn’t doing as the King was supposed to do. In the end, it was his proposal to wed Wallis Simpson that caused the most uproar.
The marriage was strongly opposed by the Prime Minister and other leading politicians, due to her status as a divorcee. It was believed that having two living ex-husbands was something that made her unfit to be the Queen consort. As the head of the Church of England, it also went against everything that Edward was supposed to represent.
In the end, with the threat of the Prime Minister stepping down and the negative publicity, Edward VII’s role as King came to an end. He abducted in December 1939 and went on to marry Wallis. This left his brother, and Queen Elizabeth’s father (Harry’s Great Grandfather), to take the throne – not something he had been expecting.
The couple never returned to England again.
Luckily times have changed
Now, times have changed. Despite the historical conventions of the monarchy that still apply in some ways today. Meghan Markle’s divorce and her American nationality don’t matter as much as it did when Edward VII was on the throne. Not to mention, as the second son of Charles and with his brother already having children, Harry is unlikely to inherit the throne. Therefore the struggles of balancing the title of ‘King’ with what is being felt, doesn’t really apply here.
However, as Harry is fifth in line to the throne, he still had to follow the legal requirement of getting permission from the crown to marry. (This is according to the Succession to the Crown Act.)
With this in mind, it does give more weight to the words spoken by Laura Mitchell’s Kate Middleton: “She’s American. She’s divorced—are you ready for this?”
And perhaps, it makes Harry’s reply all the more reminiscent of the Windsor family history. “She makes me happy, so to hell with tradition!”
The Wedding Itself
Even with all this drama – both historical and created by Lifetime – the wedding is no doubt to be a resounding celebration of love. The mixing of two worlds and something of a modern-day fairytale. And modern it shall be because Harry and Meghan have no qualms about the breaking of tradition, or ensuring that this day is their own.
The date of the wedding has been confirmed for Saturday 19 May at Kensington Palace. It already makes an unusual event as most royal weddings take place on a weekday. (Cue the British public’s complaints about not having a day off in celebration). This is also the day of the FA Cup Final, and historically, the day that Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII, was executed in 1536.
The happy couple are also forgoing any traditional wedding presents. Instead, they have asked for any gifts to be in the form of charitable donations to the following good causes: CHIVA (Child’s HIV Association), Crisis (A UK-based homelessness charity), The Myna Mahlia Foundation (supporting women in Mumbai’s urban slums), Scotty’s Little Soldiers (helping bereaved Armed Forces children), StreetGames (supporting sports to change lives), Surfers Against Sewage and the Wilderness Foundation UK. This is a decision that makes 100% sense when you consider the amount of charity work that Harry himself as done. As well as Meghan’s position as a World Global Vision Ambassador, representing a children’s charity that works with children living in poverty.
Amazingly, we may have the unexpected possibility that the Father of the Bride speech might be made by the bride herself! Mr. Markle will be walking his daughter down the aisle on her happy day but may not make a formal speech. Reportedly, Meghan herself has been planning her own speech in his place.
Trivia
Israeli designer Inbal Dror has been asked to design the wedding dress with a staggering budget of half a million pounds!
Meghan will have to be baptized into the Church of England before the wedding. She was born Roman Catholic, although she is not religious.
Meghan interrupted the marriage proposal! She was so excited that before Harry had the chance to actually ask the question, she had interrupted with: “can I say yes now?”
After the wedding, the happy couple will move into Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, which had previously housed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
