On becoming Meghan Markle

As for British royalty, I often just buzz past them, lingered a little when Diana was alive, met Prince Philip at the British Council Abuja and Prince Andrew at an event in England not too long ago but as it is with royal meetings, it was distant and cool, never intimate. A handshake with Prince Philip after many rehearsals was the closest I ever got to the British monarchy and I can hardly remember the handshake although I remembered the visit. So, really we kind of get on with our lives, view the Queen as our own grandmother who is so colorful and stern but otherwise not much of an attachment, aside the Queen’s jewelry of course which is an item of interest for someone like me interested in royal jewelry history.

Enter Meghan Markle and everything changed. We collectively obsessed, took note of her freckles and joined the millions of people around the world who chanted her into the royal wedding and handed her over to Prince Harry, the rugged relatable grandson of the Queen who brings his own charm with his red head and man about town looks. But we were smitten, not just because of the whirlwind secret romance, novel like in fact but because the world so badly needs love and a high profile one at that, of two persons who seem completely mad over each other. Then there is the huge fact that there is some black heritage taking its right royal place at an all-white Palace. Meghan has stolen our hearts by stealing the Prince’s heart and we are all swooning. I am not only happy for her but I am excited for her mother who clearly brought up her daughter well enough to be suited to the Queen’s most rebellious grandson. As I watched the royal wedding, I kept my eyes firmly on Meghan whose life changed significantly but I also kept my eyes on Prince Harry whose “can’t help myself” love was showing all over him. So what could Meghan have possibly done right to earn her place in history, right here, right now. The comments I am going to make here are based on news stories that we read and her general countenance since the royal engagement announcement. I will draw out the lessons for all young ladies looking to hook their prince. Here are tips for becoming Meghan Markle.
One of the first lessons is discernment. Learn to keep your mouth shut when you are in a good relationship. Aside your mum and a very thin list of trusted friends, you should never ruin it by talking about it everywhere. Many young women have lost a beau to a trusted friend by too much talk. If Meghan had done that, everything could have been ruined. Her mum, a strong woman helped keep things under wraps.
Confide in your mother. She can never lead you astray. Most young women are highly secretive and their mums know next to nothing about them. We hear how close Meghan is to her mum. I can imagine that through this journey, there was honest advice and loads of mummy prayers.
Do not be the door mat. You see, Meghan had a life, had her opinions, had a blog, had a job, a fashion sense and a career. So she had views of her own that sometimes may have been different from Harry’s. But she was also confident. Men like confident women. But she also had a sense of occasion and a sense of timing. So she understood his role as a Prince and was ready to give most of her life up as royal protocol demanded of her. All young women must know what time it is and time their actions strategically.
Meghan remained mute and did not allow her sour sister and mean brother to drag her into the controversy of their bad behavior. Know when to be silent in the face of abuse and bad belle people. Not every talk is worth a response. Drink water. Don’t lose it. Harry loved her even more for not been petty.
Learn to honor your father and your mother so that your days will be long. So Meghan showed off her mother and in spite of her father’s seemingly unworthy behavior, issued statements that were kind to her father when the internet went into a meltdown because he was accused of trying to make money from pictures, and she stayed in touch with him even when he could not come to the wedding.
Meghan was smart with her wedding gown. It was so heavily speculated that she went the opposite direction keeping it simple so as not to upstage her new family. Simple, chic, classy, elegant. And you think her Mum did not help with this decision.
From her guest list, to the goody bags, to donating replicas of her bouquet to a hospice, Meghan has shown to all young persons out there, how to be kind, simple, thoughtful and discerning on the road to a very important wedding.
It’s not about all the makeup artists in the world or too much vulgarity. I am certain that many have learnt great lessons. Go Meghan!

Eugenia Abu