As you well know, the global populace is currently enamored with the British monarchy, and it isn’t because England’s ex-rulers have reclaimed their political power and set out on a mission to re-establish the nation as a global empire. No, that would be much too exciting. Instead, we’ve all been the subjects of one of the most high-profile royal weddings to date, which is exciting in it’s own right.
We’ve certainly had some exciting ceremonies over the past couple of years, and, while few could really claim to be quite as grand as the famous 1981 union of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton is still stuck in the minds of many. That ceremony was notable because, as far as I can remember, it marked one of the first weddings between a member of the British Royal family and a common citizen. At the time, that was some pretty groundbreaking stuff, and it seemed like the sort of Earth-shattering event the likes of which may never be repeated.
Then, a short seven years later, the marriage of yet another of Lady Diana’s offspring would garner even more attention. While it is true that Prince William did the unthinkable and walked down the aisle with a commoner, Prince Harry took it a step further and proposed to a woman who wasn’t even a native of the United Kingdom. What’s more, ex-Hollywood starlet Meghan Markle has been in compared to Lady Diana herself, though not everything she does is entirely reminiscent of the late princess.
10 Neither Diana nor Markle Grew Up Royal
Much has been made of the fact that the new Duchess of Sussex doesn’t come from a royal background. Far from it: a Los Angeles native, she is about as far removed from the British nobility as one could possibly be. That is, of course, until her high-profile relationship with Prince Harry thrust her onto the global stage. What’s lesser known, however, is that, while still a member of a noble family, Princess Diana wasn’t exactly British royalty before she married Charles, either.
Though certainly well off, Diana’s father wouldn’t inherit a truly noble title until he gained the title of Earl Spencer in 1975, which granted the then-14-year-old Diana the title of Lady Diana, or Lady Di, as she would famously come to be known. Though hailing from a semi-royal lineage, she was nowhere near the stature of her soon-to-be Prince Charles, the apparent heir to the British throne.
Though there is a pretty stark contrast between the upbringing of these two famous royal spouses, they do share remarkable similarities. They themselves were not particularly well known in their early lives, and they would remain relatively anonymous until they caught the eye of a member of the British Royal family.
9 They Both Work Closely with the Press
The press, which is often known to resort to rumor and slander to generate intrigue and sell papers, haven’t always been to the Royal Family. In an effort to curtail such actions, Diana was well known for having co-operated with the press. She had an interest in working with the media and ensuring that each story printed by a publication was as factual as it could be. Lady Di was known to have felt a responsibility to the British people and sought to ensure that they were subject to an accurate representation of her life. In a way, her rejection or attempt to hide from the press was her ultimate undoing, though we may someday believe otherwise if those ever-popular conspiracy theories are to be believed.
Meghan Markle has already generated a reputation for her acceptance of the media and interest in the public spotlight. She was a movie star to begin with, so it isn’t all that surprising to find out that she has taken what she’s learned in the Hollywood limelight and applied it to her new royal status.
Meghan has allowed for a good deal of candid shots and moments to be covered by the press, and a good deal of important events for the couple were revealed through Meghan.
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