BY Dallia Herrtage, who is of mixed race background and grew up in the uk

In the UK, there are are probably two things that unite the country: Football (specifically the World Cup - “this could be IT”) and a Royal Baby. Even the most hardened anti-monarchist can’t help but get swept up in the frenzy and giddy anticipation.

And it was of course the same with the imminent birth of Meghan & Harry little prince. But this time it felt different to me. It was special, in a spine-tingling way.

As a mixed race Londoner (my mum is from St Lucia, my dad is from Egypt), I grew up playing Princesses, using a towel as the long swishy hair I didn’t have. Princesses in books, on TV, in Buckingham Palace didn’t look like me. I didn’t have a complex about it- my parents drilled into us that we were brilliant, amazing, special (thanks Mum & Dad)- but the Royalty was very different & distant to us.

Now living in New York with my own mixed race family it’s been amazing to see how much pride there is from Black Americans of their princess Meghan. Even though I’m not in the UK, the Americans are (sometimes comically) obsessed with our royalty but this time around a black woman is now a part of a club so exclusive not even money can buy entry into it. It makes me feel so incredibly proud and excited for the future.

Which is why the picture of Meghan and Harry, introducing Archie to his grandparents, especially touched me.
That moment you introduce your own child to your parent(s) is so incredibly special in general -but the fact that Meghan’s mum -a proud black woman - was standing next to the Queen is mind-blowing! I can’t stop thinking about how my kids will grow up and think that it’s normal, that their Granny looks a bit like Prince Archie’s granny. The monarchy, for the first time ever, is now racially diverse..and the world needs this more than ever.

I think it’s so easy to get disheartened today, with Brexit Britain and Trump’s America sadly highlighting the divides and differences. But we’re celebrating today - celebrating both the safe birth of a little boy and the fact that the monarchy’s monumentally changed with his arrival. And even the most hardened anti-monarchist can’t help but be a bit moved by that.