Harry's relationship with Meghan has swept across the world's front pages. It's natural that we are all interested in the love life of the prince as he is a much-loved high profile figure. Whoever he marries will assume a large role on our country's stage so it is not a position to be taken lightly.
The question of the moment is: Should Harry be able to marry Meghan as she is a divorcee? I understand fully that the position of wife to a potential heir to the throne is an important one to say the least. I also know that members of Harry's family to date have had to sacrifice true love in order to fulfil their commitment to their country. Princess Margaret had to end her romance with Captain Peter Townsend in order to carry out her royal duties. A huge sacrifice for any human being to make, but one that nevertheless was expected of her. The Royals are role models for us and need to be setting a good example for us to follow.
However I still cringe when I hear the question. Times have moved on and so much has changed significantly since this antiquated rule was put in place for the Royal Family. Being a role model surely means being part of this modern society and not removed in a glass bubble that doesn't bear any resemblance to normal life for most of us.
Princess Diana led the way for a more modern approach for the royals and this mantle has carried forward with her sons' too. The Queen's approach also appeared to be softening when she allowed Prince Charles to marry divorcee Camilla Parker Bowles despite her previous marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles.
The truth is the traditional family model of Mum and Dad with 2.4 kids is long gone. It has made way for the 'blended family' where Dad has remarried and Mum has a boyfriend. Children grow up with half-brothers and step-sisters as their parents have divorced and moved on with new partners. To forbid a young prince to marry a woman, purely on the basis that she has been married before would be sending out the wrong message to the world. It would seem to say that if you are divorced you are tarnished, a failure and not worthy of finding the love that you dream of. You deserve only to take second best and that you are now flawed.
The reality of being divorced could not be further from this. You may have had no choice in the breakup of your marriage so should you be punished further for your ex's decision? You may have been in an unhealthy relationship that was toxic for you? Surely making the decision to leave makes you a stronger person for knowing what you want and for saving yourself from an unhappy future?
Divorce isn't a failure. Sure you didn't get the fairy tale ending to the marriage that you had hoped for but that doesn't mean you failed. It was a life experience that your learned and grew from and lessons have been learned. You can still keep the happy memories of all the good times and cherish those magic moments you had. Sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can come together and this is one of them. Surely staying in an unhappy marriage is more of a failure than leaving could ever be? If you stay then you are accepting a life of unhappiness for yourself and committing to settling for less than you deserve.
We only life once so what is wrong for getting out if the marriage really isn't working for you? The chances are if it isn't right for you it can't be right for your partner as they deserve to find true love too don't they? By staying with you they are being denied the chance of finding real love and a relationship they feel safe and secure in.
So, for what it's worth I say it's time to embrace our new family structures and let go of old traditions that do not serve us. If Prince Harry should decide that he wants to marry Meghan, then I hope from the bottom of my heart that he can.