When Harry met Meghan

He is blue blooded royalty. She is a sensational TV star. Together they create magic. Ever since news broke out of Prince Harry’s engagement to actress Meghan Markle, it seems like the world has gone berserk. While the Prince’s love life has always been the subject of fodder, this time, the fascination levels have reached an all-time high. None of Harry’s ex-girlfriends have been from the glitzy world of showbiz, and there is clearly something irresistible about dating a star. Take the case of Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan who recently wed actress Sagarika Ghatge. No doubt, he is a popular cricketer, but his partner is a glamorous film personality. Her presence in his life enhances his social image further.

Nisha Jamvwal, columnist and luxury brand consultant, opines, “The entire world has an immense fascination for stars. And when a cricketer like Zaheer or a Prince like Harry marries one of them, then they get painted with that same fantasy glamour brush. Princes and tycoons, world war heroes and public idols have all fallen under the swoon and spell of starry beings — I believe it is also the heady attraction of beauty, glamour, success, charisma and the magnetic desirability that comes together in these film idols for the entire world’s adulation.”

Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma

In a world that continues to yearn for fairytale endings, there is nothing more heart warming than watching two prominent celebs come together for a life long union. That is why there is enormous fascination with Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli’s romance with actress Anushka Sharma. Professionally, they are both at par — two successful personalities from diverse fields dating each other. But had Virat opted to date an investment banker, would the world be as interested? “Increasingly, the world is looking for couples where both are successful in their respective fields. It started with Brangelina and the Beckhams. Anushka and Virat are super successful and look good together. The public loves icons and what they are getting is not one but two inspirational icons in one photo frame,” says designer Wendell Rodricks.

She maybe a celeb herself but former Miss Earth Nicole Faria is excited about Meghan and Harry’s engagement, like the rest of the world. “Suits star Meghan has a huge fan following and so does Prince Harry, given that he is part of the royal family. When one celebrity marries another, both sets of fans tend to rejoice. Also, if two celebrities get hitched, it definitely increases the brand value for both of them,” believes Bengaluru girl Nicole Faria, former Miss Earth.

Former South Indian star Sumalatha, who is married to politician Ambareesh, considers herself fortunate to have witnessed the pre-social media era, where stars led more private lives. “The extent of curiosity this Royal-Hollywood wedding is going to create is mind boggling. There is avid public curiosity and Meghan and Harry will face challenging times and will need to be very strong to handle all the attention. I can’t tell you how lucky I feel that we did this all before the social media hoaxes and hoards of channels starving for celeb news, came into existence,” she confesses.