Meghan has spoken about her racial identity plenty. Even with her fair skin she is very clearly biracial and will stand out among white people. I'm sure she was reminded plenty growing up just how black she is at times. Same with folks of clllr. It's one of those harsh realities for biracial kids. I can't say she identified more with the white side when she proudly talks of her black mother and grandmother. She is a mixed raced woman and is proud of both cultures and I will imagine their future kids will be told of their African American side plenty.
^^ I only mean that Meghan has clearly been confused by our cultural labels and tensions surrounding the manmade construct of 'race.' Of course, she was also nurtured and strengthened by her parents. Despite embracing and being proud of both sides of her heritage, there's no getting away from the fact that 'being white' has benefits in our culture that 'being black' does not. It's a very complicated and emotional thing to talk about. Meghan has said herself in a video posted earlier in this thread (speaking out against racism) that people in our culture "tend to treat you as what you look like." She understands that. She's obviously had friends from all backgrounds, but she's mostly dated white men (her father is white so that's understandable). I see nothing wrong with whomever a person dates or marries, because relationships and love are based on who you come into contact with and who you happen to click with on a number of levels. All I'm saying is that the topic is emotional and not as cut-and-dried as we'd like to think. Halle Berry's mother (who is white) told Halle and her sister that they would always be considered black, likely because they were cafe au lait, a bit too dark, so their mother knew they would only be accepted as black in our culture.
Actually, IMO, Meghan doesn't stand out that much from the royals in terms of her skin color. Her skin is obviously olive-toned, but she could simply pass for Italian or Hispanic. When I first saw Meghan on an E-news report as the new girlfriend of Prince Harry, I simply thought she was what our culture perceives as 'white' at first. Then, as I looked at her more closely and I noticed her very dark eyes, I began to realize she probably has a 'mixed' background. I immediately looked her up on the Internet and learned more about her parents. So no, her background is not immediately apparent. She doesn't actually stand out that much as different among the royals, aside from her unique personality, stylishness and gorgeous looks. Meghan actually has dark-haired good looks that are similar to Kate and to Pippa. That was often remarked upon on social media when H&M's dating relationship was widely publicized.
Everyone's experience is individual. Troian Bellisario (Patrick J. Adams' wife, who's famous for
Pretty Little Liars), also has a 'mixed' background, but she completely identifies as white, because that's what she looks like and because she can. Her mother is a very fair-skinned black American with obvious African-American features (her mother's background is Louisiana Creole: African-American, French, other European; and her father is half Persian and half Italian). There are other well known actors who people are surprised to discover have African-American in their background.
Meghan was raised by her black mother and grandmother, so there's no way she would reject her black heritage, but she also to me does not seem to have that strong a grounding in being black. Some people who are as light as Meghan, depending upon their experiences and individual situations, do sometimes embrace their black side more-so, but again it's difficult in our culture. One way Meghan could be seen to embrace her black heritage is to wear her hair natural, with her gorgeous curls (as we've seen in some childhood pictures). She has never been uncomfortable admitting she has curly hair, but she's also said she always wanted straight hair. Overall, Meghan seems very well adjusted as a person, but I still think as a result of how she looks, she identifies more with being white, although she always stresses and embraces being 'bi-racial,' and not wanting to make a choice.
Meghan has starred in two Hallmark movies playing 'white' characters with dark-haired 'white' parents. That's why it was so cool to see the producers of
Suits be accepting of Meghan's actual 'bi-racial' identity and cast the black actor, Wendell Pierce, as her character Rachel's father, and her mother as white. It was pretty good casting. But the flack Meghan received from some ignorant fools on social media when they realized she actually has black in her background, was revealing.