Meghan Markle Is Popular And The Reactions To Royal Birth Prove It

Meghan Markle gave birth to a boy yesterday and the world couldn’t stop talking about the new royal baby on the block. However, if you closely observe the commentary on social media, the focus is on the new mum than the royalty. This proves that Markle is very popular among people and perhaps people even root for her more than they do for any other royalty. But just what makes her so special? Why is it that we are in awe of Markle so much, so that people are talking about the royal baby more in her context?

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Meghan Markle gave birth to a baby boy yesterday.
• Despite being a royal birth, the focus is more on the new mum.
• Common people feel a special connection to Meghan and it shows in the way this birth is being celebrate on social media.
• She exudes humility and warmth which most royals don't.

Markle is very popular among people and perhaps people even root for her more than they do for any other royalty.

Perhaps the reason is that Markle is an outsider and more of a commoner. She is a foreigner amongst blue blooded British royalty, an actor nonetheless and a divorcee. We see Markle and we see an underdog who got the cold treatment only the Brits can hand out. An outcast whose rise to royalty was riddles with controversy. Besides, her fairy tale royal wedding was just the beginning and her new status came with endless protocols and scrutiny. Just last December she was in news for closing the car door after getting off. People raved about her humility, because this is the kind of regular folk behaviour they are not used to of seeing in royalty.

Some may argue that we are seeing too much in these little gesture. That she is just a regular person and what makes her so special is the royal setting, under which we see her being, well, normal. True, but how many people can hold on to normality and humility when life hands them royal status on a silver tray? Acts like expecting someone to close the doors behind you, or pull a chair for you to sit become a habit. To preserve your humility when you can easily let go of it, and everyone expects you to do so, is a struggle.

How many people can hold on to normality and humility when life hands them royal status on a silver tray?

This is why we feel so drawn to Markle. She makes royalty seem attainable and relatable. Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, is also loved by people, but she has blended quite smoothly into the royal way of life, despite coming from a relatively modest background. One reason may be that the pressure to emulate a royal behaviour is much more of Catherine, as she is wedded to a Prince only third in line to the throne. Some British tabloids with their constant sneering at Markle have only made her more likable to the general public.

Meghan has also been very vocal about gender equality and empowerment of women. Despite being married in to a family where every statement from any royal throat is rehearsed and checked twice to be correct, it is unusual for a royalty to be so frank and committed to a cause.

The royalty exudes privilege, wealth and power, all characteristics which make it distant.

So while those used to a certain type of royal behaviour may be struggling to accept Markle as one, she has emerged as people’s favourite. The royal baby is more of Meghan’s baby to them because they feel certain warmth for her. The royalty exudes privilege, wealth and power, all characteristics which make it distant. Hence there is this invisible iciness which surrounds the British royals, and despite seeing young kids of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in cute dresses and carefully curated photo-ops the public feels distanced from them.

But this also raises expectations from Markle. Will she be able to give her royal baby a normal upbringing? Will she be able to instill the common way of life which she has managed preserve in her own demeanour in her child? Only time will tell.

Photo Credit: Robin Marchant/Getty Images

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Yamini Pustake Bhalerao is a writer with the SheThePeople team, in the Opinions section. The views expressed are the author’s own.