As an actor, Meghan Markle comes from a long line of trailblazing women | Rebecca Rideal
Prince Harry’s fiancee is carrying on where Nell Gwynn left off, advancing the cause of women and redefining what it means to be part of the British royal family
Meghan Markle is to marry Prince Harry. While many might argue that the monarchy is an outdated institution, we cannot ignore the long-overdue sea change that the engagement of a prince to an American actor has wrought. Markle also, as the BBC puts it, “brings something different to the British royal family. She is American, divorced, an actress and mixed race.”
There is significance in every one of . Yet, as a historian of Restoration England, I climate we should acknowledge the huge impact female actors have had in furthering the cause of women and breaking down societal barriers.
