The Women Who Bear The Crown…
If we could have chosen our family, being born as a royal would have been the choice for a lifetime of luxury, titles and beauty pageants. The British monarchy is an intact family tree of blue-bloods, who have shaped the history of not just the English Empire but also democracies and republics around the world.
But why the world obsession for this bloodline, which has done more harm than good to many of its colonies and has no significant legal powers in the 21st century?
Unlike many other monarchies existing now, the influence of the British monarchy extends to 16 countries including Australia and Canada. Moreover, it has become an icon of power and unity and is well known for its extraordinary rules, stylish attires and social feeds. Yes, the Queen tweets.
Under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the age-old concepts defining royalty have been changing for the better or the worse. The flexibility, media publicity, classy fashion and philanthropic actions have constantly garnered attention towards the monarch and her young heirs.
The British monarchy traces its roots back to the first “King of The English”, Alfred The Great, in the 9th century. From thereon, England started writing the history of an uninterrupted line of succession of Kings and Queens that made the country into a stately home of epic battles and elaborate governance.
But when did it turn into a people-centric, global brand?
The tidal wave of change came quite late to the monarchy, that has lasted for 1000 years or so. And quite bluntly put, it was mainly brought about on the shoulders of women. Queen Elizabeth I, the bachelor Queen who fought and won the Spanish war, Queen Victoria who created an entire era of people loving and fearing her and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, called “ the most dangerous woman in Europe ” by Hitler, are few of the pioneers.
Now, as wars have been fought and peace has been moderately established in old kingdoms, the fights without blood for human rights and equality have to be fought. The few front-runners from the monarchy are:
Diana, The Queen Without A Crown
The first official introduction to Diana was in the winter of 1981, as the young fiancee of Britain’s heir to the throne, Prince Charles. It was love-at-first-sight for the kingdom to a seemingly pretty, full-of-life, naive princess. In the years that followed, Diana rose from a warm and amiable lady to a woman of confidence and compassion, who greatly inspired women of the succeeding generations.
She never let her position as Princess stop her from following her heart and went out of her way to meet those afflicted by HIV-AIDS and cancer. The outfits worn by Diana were timeless and had a voice of their own. She broke the stigma associated with certain causes and questioned the prim and pompous high-profile celebrities of her time. Even though her marriage fell apart publicly, her legacy continues in her children, William and Harry.
Her style, selflessness, and unfiltered charisma did not make her a perfect princess, but earned her the title of the “People’s Princess.”
Catherine aka Kate, The Royal Fairytale
To call Katherine a game-changer of royal traditions would be far from the truth, but I believe she was the breath of fresh air that subtly changed few of the conventional practices of the family. Her passionate and sensational love-story with Prince William was nicknamed as: “The Tale Of Will and Kate.”
After a fairytale wedding to Prince Charming, the newbie did disappoint a few modernists by being a model princess and silent wife beside her husband. But over the years, she has become more confident in her approach to her royal duties and media, breaking a few rules along the way.
‘The Kate Effect’ started because of her classy and surprisingly affordable dresses that sold like hot potatoes, minutes after she was photographed in it. She would recycle her dresses a couple of times and be often seen in down-to-earth jeans and shirt. Her original pictures with her children and her hands-on parenting style make her endearing to many. Her active participation in organisations for mental health and mother-child welfare have made her a well-liked future Queen.
Meghan, The Modern Take
Diana’s death had a profound impact on Harry, which made him an infamous bad-boy in his youth. Meghan Markle was the needle in the haystack for rebellious Prince Harry. An established American social-activist, feminist, divorcee, biracial, outspoken, non-Anglican actress took the world by storm when news of the engagement broke out. People saw in her the long-awaited rule-breaker and the woman to finally settle Harry.
Within a few months, Meghan has broken many of the ridiculous royal rules and has given her views on abortion, woman empowerment and so on, something that was virtually unheard of, from any royal. The time for royal PDA’s and fan-services has finally arrived with Meghan, who like her mother-in-law, owns the media with her charm.
Quite recently, the birth of her first child Archie also broke a few rules. From showing off her baby-bump (a would-be mother's pride) to announcing his birth on Instagram long before the traditional announcement in front of Buckingham Palace, Meghan’s casual bonding with the outside world has made her a favourite.
In one year since her wedding, her likeness to Diana is apparent to the people who may name her their People’s Princess soon.
The previous monarchs may have taken questionable steps to protect the empire. But this new era of a constitutional monarchy, where the rulers are answerable to the people, has decreased the brashness and insensitiveness in the powerful. And these women, without us realising, have steadily paved way to a modern, royal household that fundamentally remains true to its original goal, that is- to safeguard its people and to strike a balance between power and compassion.
