Even some of those who are lukewarm about the British monarchy were looking forward to a wedding that would help the royal family reflect some of the diversity of modern Britain.
Mixed-race British royals are rare enough that you have to go all the way back to the early 1800s to find a candidate: Some historians believe Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, was of African descent.
An official wedding photo released by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the newly minted Duke and Duchess of Sussex, highlights the historic nature of their union.
Photographed in the Green Drawing Room of Windsor Castle, Meghan — who has asserted with pride that she is “strong, confident mixed-race woman” — stands next to her African American mother, Doria Ragland, and is surrounded by senior royals and members of the wedding party.
The official photos were taken by fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski after the ceremony, which was widely celebrated for combining British and African American traditions. The Archbishop of Canterbury led the couple in their vows. Michael Curry, the first black leader of the Episcopal Church in the US, delivered a 14-minute barnstorming address that people in Windsor and beyond were talking about long after the service.
“It has been an incredible honour and privilege to document the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s inspiring journey of love, hope and family,” said Lubomirski, who also took Harry and Meghan’s engagement photos. In a post on Instagram, he said: “This has been a beautiful chapter in my career and life, that I will happily never forget.”
Kensington Palace tweeted that the newlyweds “would like to thank everyone who took part in the celebrations of their wedding on Saturday. They feel so lucky to have been able to share their day with all those gathered in Windsor and also all those who watched the wedding on television across the UK, Commonwealth, and around the world.”
