Half a year from now, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will get married! It’s going to be a huge ceremony, obviously — because it’s going to be a royal wedding.
We can’t help but think back to when Prince William married Kate Middleton. The world collectively lost its mind over that union. Now that Meghan is joining the family, what role will Kate play at the ceremony that welcomes her?
A surprisingly small one, it turns out. But why?
After months of leaked reports, speculation, and rumors, Kensington Palace finally made the announcement to the world:
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged!
Meghan Markle is a gorgeous actress. She and Harry are clearly in love, no matter what Wendy Williams says about the future Duchess.
Markle’s status as a divorced, biracial American makes her upcoming marriage into the British Royal Family a groundbreaking one and a sign of progress for the monarchy.
Harry has spent years and years as one of the most desired men in the world.
He’s also been a source of frustration for those who see him, Harry Styles, and Harry Potter and find themselves wishing that the UK would come up with some new names for their heartthrobs.
Their upcoming nuptials will be a welcome distraction from the endless hellscape that 2018 is bound to be, if 2016 and 2017 are any indication.
But what role will Duchess Kate play?
She and Meghan Markle are about to be in-laws.
And, not for nothing, but Harry and William are known to be very close brothers.
William and Kate have to be positively glowing with excitement about the wedding … right?
So, how big of a role will Kate play in her brother-in-law’s wedding? Will she be Meghan Markle’s maid of honor?
According to Cosmopolitan and to royals expert Marlene Koenig, probably not.
Koenig explains, a little bluntly, one good reason why Kate wouldn’t have a major presence in the bridal party.
“The Duchess of Cambridge barely knows Meghan.”
Well, that could apply to just about any family’s wedding, royal or not.
Koenig also describes a much more specific reason why Kate Middleton is very unlikely, in her estimation, to be a bridesmaid for Meghan Markle — or any other bride.
“For another, she is the future queen consort when William becomes king after his father, and would unlikely be an attending person to another royal bride.”
The translation?
The woman who’s slated to become queen can’t be seen playing second fiddle to a woman who, barring some tragedy, will never be queen.
So … is Kate being a snob?
Probably not.
Following certain royal protocols remains part of life for the royal family. That means all sorts of things, including avoiding things that are “unseemly” for a future queen consort.
A huge part of being a member of the royal family is keeping up appearances, which is why the royals can’t dress or act like normal people in the way that most other celebrities can.
While this sucks for people like William and Harry who were born into this very luxurious prison, Kate and Meghan both chose to enter this life.
So we don’t imagine that Meghan Markle’s feelings are going to be hurt.
Kate Middleton didn’t take part in her own sister’s wedding because she would have completely upstaged her (and, again, protocol). This doesn’t sound like it’s personal in the slightest.
