Meghan Markle's Royal Wedding Is the Fantasy Life That I'm Unapologetically Obsessing Over
My name’s Mariah Smith and I have a confession to make: I’m a bonafide STAN of the British Monarchy.
Perhaps it was The Crown that turned me, or it’s Queen Elizabeth's rumored love of reality television game shows; maybe Princess Diana’s collector’s edition beanie baby that held court on my parent’s living room mantle in the late ‘90s did the trick, but whatever it was, I’m happy to announce that I’ve been mentally body-snatched by the Royal Family. As the wedding of Ms. Rachel Meghan Markle and Prince Harry approach, we’ve been bombarded with minute details about where the couple will sleep the evening before the wedding to huge game shakers such as if Meghan’s dad will walk her down the aisle, and there are even bets on what Royal children will serve as Meghan’s bridal party (I'm rooting for Prince George, that boy is a walking meme). And let me tell you, no detail is small enough for me.
Yes, I’m aware that we’re living in the bowels of a dumpster fire of a society where the President of the United States would rather possibly cause a war on Twitter than enact any beneficial legislation. But, this reality will not stop me from exercising my God-given right to simply enjoy a fun historical event and obsess over the wedding of two complete strangers.
I’ve been obsessed with getting updates about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Royal Wedding because their lives, and their wedding day, seem both accessible and untouchable at the same time. As an American whose passport may has well be a welp emoji, the fantasy of living, breathing royalty is one of the few remnants of mystery and curiosity we have in this wretched world. Unlike modern-day celebrities, the Royals aren’t easily tracked, their movements aren’t documented daily with Instagram Stories or posts. There are no mirror selfies from Kensington Palace, Snapchat-filtered morning musings at brunch, or Deal or No Deal #TBTs. There are only select images, anecdotes, and appearances which are curated and approved for public consumption. These selects are then posted for our civilian eyes on Kensington Palace’s official Instagram and Twitter accounts that solely post official proclamations from or duties of the Royal family.
There are only hints of what’s happening behind closed doors, including the reported kidnapping training Meghan had to suffer through, with live ammunition, to give me insight into the daily life of a Princess-to-be. Plus, I’m unapologetically nosy AF, so any information I can get my hands on may as well be liquid gold. More info? The Royal wedding church staff was reportedly required to watch Meghan’s former show Suits in preparation for the Royal wedding. Who knows what’s worse: two days of being fake kidnapped or viewing hundreds of hours worth of television that has received little to no critical recognition until last year?
The mysterious Monarchy colliding with the world of a Black American cable television actor, blogger, and professional celebrity BFF, is quite wild. That’s why I’ll proudly wake up at the crack of dawn (7 A.M. EST on May 19, to be exact), prepare a cup of Lipton caffeinated tea in the microwave, place a Party City fascinator on my head, spread some jam on an English muffin, and watch the Royal Wedding like it’s my goddamn job. I imagine waiting for this live event in a world I can’t fully comprehend is similar to the feeling our ancestors had as they crowded around a family’s radio to learn about the end of World War I. Globally, this is a unifying moment that reminds young women that dreams, in fact, can come true. Plus, the best weddings are ones you can watch from the comfort of your own bed eating grocery-bought scones and those tiny “sandwiches” that consist solely of cucumber and a light cream cheese spread.
And, this is the good kind of history we’re lucky enough to be alive for. Now when we tell our children about that one time the President of the United States was tied up in a legal battle with an adult film star regarding an alleged sexual liaison before he was in office, we’ll also be able to tell them that that same year the hottest Royal since Princess Margaret married a biracial television star! Unlike our government, our tales will be filled with checks and balances.
By attaching myself to the reality of Meghan Markle’s should-be-fantasy life, I’m attaching myself to a success story that’s not one defined by marriage, but one defined by living out one’s dreams. Prince or not, it would take a lot of love and thought for me to shutter my social media accounts, take down my lifestyle blog, quit my full-time job, and move across the pond. That’s love, that’s devotion, and that’s my Black Princess Meghan Markle.
Because, look — I pride myself on being more upstanding than her suspect father, but Thomas Markle said it best to TMZ, “This is a historic moment. I'd like to be a part of history." Join me, why don’t you?
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