When Meghan Markle stood by Prince Harry’s side, who acknowledged that she was the love of his life and honored her as his wife in front of millions of people, the cheers that it garnered were unlike what any other Royal couple had witnessed. The crowd was witnessing the marriage of beloved Princess Diana’s second son but importantly the first step of an American into the Royal family. Adding stars to the occasion was that Markle was biracial.
The Duchess of Sussex is often hailed as the first-ever biracial woman to hold a title in the British Royal family. Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, is an African American and her father is of Irish-Dutch descent. Owing to her previous affair with the spotlight, she is often mistaken as the first black woman in the Royal family.
Not Prince Harry, but King George III was the first British Royal to marry biracially
The turmoil that unfolded after Meghan Markle’s marriage to Prince Harry has not painted the nicest image of the royal family, especially when it comes to matters concerning race. While it is with Meghan Markle that race has become such a highlighted issue, a trip down memory lane has led many experts to believe that the Duchess of Sussex is not the first black woman to enter the Royal family according to The Washington Post. The first biracial woman had actually stepped foot into the Royal family back in 1761 when King George married Princess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are married. We got a real Black American princess, y'all……and it's Saturday! pic.twitter.com/snzV0RmgWL
— Jonathan Capehart (@CapehartJ) May 19, 2018
Mario De Valdes y Cocom, who describes himself as a historian of the African diaspora, believes that Princess Charlotte was dominantly black. Her lineage is traced back to Alfonso III and his concubine Ouruana, who was black.
Is Meghan Markle the only Black royal?
While many deem Meghan Markle’s entry as the Duchess of Sussex a huge progress, it is to be noted that Britain has actually had a black Queen in the past. Queen Charlotte ruled from 1761 until 1818, was not only of mixed race, but she was a true Black royal.
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During the time, her race was overlooked, and it was not until much later that historians recognized her “distinctly Black features”. Hence, Meghan Markle is not the first Black woman to hold an important title in the British monarchy. Princess Charlotte bet her to it 261 years ago.
Did you know about the Black Queen of England? Let us know in the comments below.
