Why Meghan Markle's Mother Wearing Her Natural Hair at the Royal Wedding Changed This World

In today’s cultural climate we hear about so many heinous and discriminate things being done to black people and people of color (POC) as a whole; from getting the police called on us to police brutality. It seems like we can’t even enjoy a simple BBQ, or trying to elevate and go to school, let alone just have a simple coffee, without being harassed and shamed for who we are, solely because of the way we look.  

That’s why it was not only refreshing to see all the natural hair on display at yesterday’s royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry: it was vital to today’s society and the upliftment of POC around the world. There is no doubt that Meghan Markle let it be known where her roots lie, and who she is at the royal wedding ceremony. One of the most marked ways this was done was by the guests and performers wearing their hair in its natural state. Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, has been the main vessel in her daughters upbringing, as a single mother who made sure Meghan knows who she is, and takes pride in her heritage as a black woman. Ragland was also instrumental in the layout of the royal wedding. And she made sure to not cower to traditional, instead choosing to wear her natural hair to the ceremony. Doria wearing her locs put natural hair in full view for the entire world to see. Ragland donned her impeccably styled locs coupled with beauty and grace. Showing the world that black womens hair is lovely as it is. This is pivotal in a time when POC are being eliminated from jobs simply because they wore their natural hair. Our hair is largely seen as ‘unprofessional’. But the Kingdom Choir performing at the royal wedding blew away that biased point-of-view! The myriad of neat hairstyles showed the versatility of black hair, and that it is far beyond unprofessional, as they skillfully executed one of the most astutely fervent artistic displays of our time. We can’t leave out the GOAT Serena Williams. Who brought in the fire wearing almost knee length braids and Senegalese twists that virtually shouted NATURAL HAIR IS AMAZING! It was a declaration of fabulousness. Nor can we fail to mention the amazing cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and the Bishop Michael Curry’s, Afros. Kanneh-Mason, who opted to miss his US debut in order to perform at the royal wedding, delivered an impassioned performance. As did Bishop Michael Curry, who’s sermon shocked and emblazoned the entire congregation. Yesterday’s royal wedding was a statement of strength. It’s sad to say that such a declaration still has to be made in 2018. But it does. There needs to be change in terms of how natural hair is perceived by society. We at Eternal Women believe that the royal wedding played an integral part in not only changing how natural hair is perceived by non persons of color, and in changing societal perceptions of one set standard of beauty. But also in the sense of pride that we as POC have in the way we look.