Royal Marriages

Susanna de Vries

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, made history when she married Prince Harry in a genuine love match, as the first divorced, bi-racial American woman to be welcomed into the British royal family. But for centuries it was accepted that princes married virginal aristocrats for dynastic reasons (and often the large dowries of their brides) and few arranged royal marriages were happy.

Most kings and princes took mistresses – or, in the case of Edward II and James I, male lovers. Royal wives were used as baby factories and if found to be unfaithful could be beheaded or have the lover murdered.

Prince George of Wales (later George IV) married for money but found his bride, Princess Caroline of Brunswick, physically repulsive, and his marriage became the first War of the Wales. is fascinating book is now able to tell the full story of the second War of the Wales – the tragic mismatch of Prince Charles and Princess Diana which ended in ‘Camillagate’ and divorce.

Now, decades later, the Queen has relaxed the ancient rules, allowing Prince Charles to marry his mistress and the Queen’s grandsons, William and Harry to marry for love, in a significant change in royal history.