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LONDON: The royal wedding not only dominated the UK press this weekend, but also captured the imagination of the Arab media.
“There was interest — people were interested — they wanted to see what was going on. It was a nice romantic story and a break from the misery in the Middle East,” Rima Maktabi, Al Arabiya’s London bureau chief, told Arab News.
The wedding ceremony between Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle — which took place in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle — was broadcast live on Al Arabiya on Saturday. Maktabi also sent a reporter down to the castle to report live from the event.
Al Arabiya’s coverage attracted a surprisingly high number of viewers, she said, despite Ramadan having begun last week — a season when typically daytime viewer figures for Arab news channels drop.
Social media was also buzzing about the nuptials, Maktabi noted. “There was a lot of interaction online,” she said, noting how people were fascinated about the impact the American actress — now Duchess of Sussex — could make on the UK’s royal family.
“People relate to Meghan because she has all the ingredients for being different from the royal family. We see the royal family breaking taboos … and doing things they would never do years back. The Arab World can relate to that and they liked the story,” she said.
Sky News Arabia also had rolling coverage of the wedding, with presenter Chantal Abikhalil tweeting and reporting from outside the castle.
The Gulf-based print and online media also published extensive coverage of the marriage.
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper played on the theme that it was a royal wedding with a modern twist, saying, “the wedding ceremony was held in a stunning ceremony that combines old English and African American culture, giving a great deal of modernity to the British monarchy that dates back a thousand years.”
The Saudi-based newspaper attributed Princess Diana as being the reason for the change in the royal family’s path.
“Her sudden death and the grief of Britain forced the Queen to break the rigid tradition of not expressing feelings. The Queen became closer to the people and was able to renew her family’s relationship with Britain, thus gaining more importance. Through Harry’s marriage to an African-born divorcee, the Queen gave her family a new boost for the future and once again earned the respect and love of the British people.
“Indeed, the spirit of Diana was present at the ceremony, from the flowers that decorated the church, which were Diana’s favorite, to her friends and members of her family that were also present. Most important of all, her close-knit personality was evident in her children and in many of the wedding’s ceremonies,” the newspaper wrote.
BBC Arabic lead with headline: “Royal Wedding: Who Will Change Megan Markle or the Royal Family?“
This wedding included several unprecedented experiences, including the bride, who is of “dual race,” and “some may see it as revolutionary for the royal family.”
“There is talk of modernization, or rescue, of the monarchy.
“So we have to wait to see whether Megan Markle will change the royal family, or will the royal family change her?” said BBC Arabic.
Abu Dhabi’s The National pondered whether the marriage — and the nature of the ceremony — indicated a turning point for the British royal family and the UK as a whole, which “sometimes struggled to appear inclusive.”
The wedding service included a passionate sermon by Bishop Michael Curry, leader of the Episcopal Church, and singing from a gospel choir.
The paper’s editorial on May 20 noted that “the welcome extended to (Meghan Markle) and her mother are perhaps indicative of a softer, kinder side to the royal family, forced to re-evaluate its appearance to the public in the wake of Princess Diana’s death. Prince Harry is a symptom of that lesson learnt and it showed in the way he has gently guided his
family into a new era.”
The paper also included a piece about how an Egyptian archbishop — Anba Angaelos — was involved in the ceremony. This was a further reflection of a wedding full of diversity, it said.
Angaeolos become the first Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London last year.
Gulf News published a highlights-of-the-day article, complete with video footage of the newly married couple as well as
celebrity guests — such as US talk-show host Oprah Winfrey — and hordes of Royal family fans draped in Union Jack flags, camped out
in Windsor.
The Dubai-based paper also suggested that Markle could symbolize an era of change in the UK, especially regarding race relations and the creation of a more inclusive society.
“If anything, the new Duchess of Sussex truly is a commoner, and one who adds a modern and exciting dimension to the institutions of state. Perhaps too she offers a portent that Britain now has changed its outlook on racial equality and its staid traditional values,” its editorial on May 20 said.