How Can You Be A Feminist And A Princess? The Challenge For Meghan Markle

When Megan Markle and Prince Harry became engaged, feminist commentators opined what basically amounted to a collective grin. While there is generally little to be said for women’s rights within an outdated patriarchal institution like the British monarchy, this future member of the royal family was different. Markle had a career, she’d been married before and she is (gasp!) older than Harry. She is a woman of colour who has spoken openly about race and sexism; an ambassador for UN Women.

In her previous life as an actress, Markle reportedly pushed back against gratuitous sexualisation of her character in the television series Suits, objecting when she was expected to wear next to nothing in the absence of a plot driven reason. Several of her previous media appearances suggested all-around excellent feminist credentials. Rubbing our hands together in anticipation, progressive women in press (myself included) were all thinking ‘now here is a princess (or duchess, whatever) who might shake things up’…