Is Megan Markle the first British royal of colour? Her Oprah Winfrey interview revealed comments about son Archie’s skin colour, but these other royals were mixed-race too
- Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s interview wasn’t great for Buckingham Palace – particularly the bit about other royals asking ‘how dark’ Archie’s skin would be
- Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria have African ancestry, some historians say, and then there’s Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Gouramma of Coorg
This week, the internet has been exploding with one big question: who said it?
Let’s hope moving forward the royal family can be more inclusive than its previous generations have proved.
According to historian Mario de Valdes y Cocom, the wife of King George III, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, was a direct descendant of Portuguese king Afonso III and his lover, Madragana, who was of African descent. Afonso III reigned over Portugal from 1248 to 1279.
George III, who reigned over Britain and Ireland from 1760 to 1820, married Charlotte in 1761. The couple only met on their wedding day, but they had a happy marriage until the king began suffering from mental illness – yes, fans of Bridgerton will note the king and queen in Shondaland were based on George and Charlotte.
