From commoners to royalty: “unequal” marriages in monarchies

Since the beginnings of literature, the fairy tale of the young commoner who ascends to royalty captures the imagination of girls all over the world. In real life, however, the “happily ever after” who was born among mere mortals and fell in love with blue blood is not as pompous as the wedding ceremonies seen on television. Throughout history, the so-called “unequal marriages” have always given something to talk about in their lands, forcing monarchs and subjects to put once again on the scale the weight of traditions, protocols and treatments - a subject brought up, once again, for the departure of Prince Harry and his wife, actrePrincess Charlene of Monaco

"It's like Monaco doesn't have a first lady," says Astrid, of the South African princess and former Olympic swimmer married 8 years ago to Prince Albert II. Although he was first seen together in 2000, the royal couple in the small European principality is rarely seen in public - even in some official engagements, the heir usually goes alone. Not to mention the clear rivalry between Charlene and her sister-in-law, Caroline, who, according to the tabloids, does not want to hide.

Prince Daniel of Sweden

Former fitness coach of Princess Victoria, heir to Sweden, the consort had to face resistance from her in-laws at the beginning of their relationship, which would only be approved after seven years. Before the wedding in 2009, Daniel was forced to adapt his clothing, study English and, of course, the entire royal protocol. It worked: despite being discreet, the Duke of Västergötland, as he is known today, is well accepted in the country.

ss Meghan Markle, of the British royal family.

Some say, after all, that the Duchess of Sussex was especially disaffected by the implacable tabloids of the Queen's lands. Harry himself, now stripped of the title "His Royal Highness", even compared the harassment suffered by his wife to the case of his mother, Princess Diana. Critics, on the other hand, underscore Markle's inadequacy to the life to which the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, has perfectly adapted. “In this respect, Kate took advantage of being British, as well as being born into a very rich family. But, even in more adverse contexts, unequal marriage is no guarantee of failure ”, ponders the historian Astrid Beatriz Bodstein, an expert on the subject. “Many princesses and princes without a noble origin have adapted to royalty while still impressing their personality on the institution. Others still face some raids ”, explains the expert. Know some cases:

The daughter of a journalist with a former stripper, the wife of Prince Haakon of Norway caused a stir in peaceful Scandinavia when she appeared in official engagements. This is because, in addition to her humble origins, Mette-Marrit is a single mother of a young woman who is the result of her relationship with a man convicted of drug trafficking. The growing fuss on the eve of the wedding forced the couple to give a press conference in which the princess apologized for her past. It worked: the princess is now one of the most beloved in Scandinavia.