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    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Expert Calls Queen Most Influential Royal, Meghan Markle Most Inspirational Royal

    She compared Meghan’s popularity to that of the late Princess Diana.

    By Marie Claire Editors
    Published 20 February 2022 In News

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    Meghan Markle
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    The Queen still holds the title of most influential royal, but it’s Meghan Markle that’s the most inspirational, according to lawyer and activist Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu in an exclusive chat with The Daily Express.

    “I don’t think Meghan is a past royal,” she said. “She’s still royal, as she’s married to the Duke of Sussex, who is the grandson of the Queen – so she is absolutely still royal. Is she inspiring? I think so. Let me break it down this way. I think some of Meghan’s inspiration comes from her and how she’s handled all this. Clearly, she got to a point where she was like ‘Forget you all, I deserve better than this.’ But most so is the reaction she has been able to generate from people who would not normally talk about these things. Black and brown women are standing together in solidarity with Meghan because the same things happen to us. It’s on a larger scale for Meghan because she’s got the global eye amplified to her. But what they are doing to her is what they do to us, too.”

    Dr. Shola compared Meghan’s popularity to that of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, saying “I think that she’s been able to generate the kind of support that no other member of the Royal Family, bar Princess Diana, has been able to generate. She’s also been able to relate to members of society from a place of people who were not born rich, went to school, and worked hard. Meghan was an independent woman and a millionaire before she met Harry. Therefore, they weren’t giving her anything that she didn’t already have. So I would definitely say that Meghan, in 2022, is the most inspirational royal.”

    While the most influential royal title goes to the Queen, Dr. Shola said, it’s Meghan that takes the inspirational title – right down to inspiring her husband, Prince Harry.

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    “I think Harry probably wanted to do more and wanted more flexibility,” she said. “Meghan being in his life gave him the wings he needed to fly.”

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    Marie Claire is committed to celebrating the richness and scope of women's lives. We're known for our award-winning features, thoughtful essays and op-eds, deep commitment to sustainable fashion, and buzzy interviews and reviews. Reaching millions of women every month, MarieClaire.com is an internationally-recognized destination for celebrity news, fashion trends, beauty recommendations, and renowned investigative packages.

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