I hadn’t paid much attention to the British royal family in years, not since Princess Diana’s death. It had kind of slipped away into an elite world of pop-cultural irrelevance, popping up on my newsfeed only when Prince Harry went partying or to Africa for a visit.

It’s not a world I can relate to or care to impress upon my child in years to come. Though I do recall my childhood and how my mum and grandmother were avid fans of Lady Diana, the royal who said she felt like an outcast, but nevertheless stole people’s hearts.

My curiosity peeked when Meghan Markel – Prince Harry’s future wife – stepped into the picture. Good heavens, I gasped, in my best British accent, what a field day for the British press! And how wonderful for us commoners in the world…finally a princess we can relate to. And by commoner, I mean, the divorcee, the feminist, the foreigner who leaves her world behind to marry her prince in his home country, the mixed-race child who doesn’t quite fit the stereotype.

Meghan Markel is all of the above and she is a role model for bi-racial people all over the world. Her experience will help shift the stigma that so many bi-racial people suffer.

A soon-to-be-published report entitled “Breaking Stereotypes with Data: A Report on Mixed-Race Children and Families in the UK” reveals that children of mixed race start off in life with the same advantages and disadvantages as all children, however society still harbors views about mixed race which are potentially damaging to the emotional wellbeing of these children later in their childhoods and into adulthood.’

People such as Meghan Markel display a self-confidence that will empower other young mixed race individuals to choose their identity freely, nonchalantly challenging the naysayers.

I love the fact that she will help dispel the myth that black or mixed race girls cannot become princesses… I mean, look at her on her first public official walkabout in Nottingham, she’s a natural!

Markel’s new role in the British royal family will offer her a platform to promote social acceptance of issues that remain a gray area. She can bridge the divide between the elite blue-blooded monarchy and the melting pot of cultures that now makes up the the UK. If the royal family was in need of a spin doctor, Meghan Markel, who also worked as an Advocate for the United Nations for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, might just be it. She will be able to address the socio-political issues of our times.

Her speech at the UN Women’s 2015 conference, relating how she succeeded in getting a company to remove a sexist slant from its national television commercial for dishwashing liquid, showed that she is not your average fairytale princess waiting on her prince. This actress turned humanitarian has street cred, or enough life encounters that have forced her to tackle challenges and push boundaries when it comes to injustice. Watch this space, its about to get interesting! Could Meghan Markel be the next ‘people’s princess’?

As a commoner, I’ll be glad if this act of royal rebellion changes the course of history. In the meantime, at least the royal rebel Prince Harry seems to have finally found his cup of tea!

Author: Sarona Wolter

Editor: Anne Thomas

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