Royal Report: 6 Regal Black Women Around the World

In honor of the British royal wedding, we highlight royal women of color--from princesses to socialites to businesswomen

by Janell Hazelwood Posted: April 28, 2011

(Images: Thinkstock; File; Princesssikhanyiso.org; Getty Images; Nabagereka.org)

 

As the international community puts its focus on today’s royal wedding between Britain’s Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the question arises of whether there exists black royalty today other than Disney’s Princess Tiana. Well, the following women prove that the concept transcends cartoon fantasy and has expanded beyond the shores of Africa. BlackEnterprise.com highlights regal women of color — princesses, socialites, philanthropists and businesswomen — who show the beauty of diversity in love, marriage and monarchy.

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  • jacqueline

    THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS WOMEN OF COLOUR IN AFRICA. 99% OF WOMEN IN AFRICA ARE BLACK. IF AN ISSUE SUCH AS COLOUR COMES UP, IT IS USED FOR THE FOREIGNERS ON THE CONTINENT. [ie. anglo-europreans and asians]

    THE EXPRESSION ‘WOMEN OF COLOUR’ IS AN EXPRESSION THAT HARKENS BACK TO THE[ghastly]SLAVERY EXPERIENCE OF THE PAST. IT IS AN EXPRESSION THAT IS ALIEN TO US AFRICANS IN AFRICA.

    THERE ARE MANY ROYAL HOUSES IN AFRICA. I AM PERSONALLY FROM NIGERIA, AND WE HAVE MASSIVE ROYAL HOUSES IN OUR MAJOR TRIBES[the smaller tribes also have smaller royal houses] WHICH GO CENTURIES BACK IN HISTORY.

    FOR INSTANCE THE IGBO TRIBE WHICH BELONGS TO THE GREAT AND ANCIENT KINGDOM OF NRI. IT’S 1ST KING WAS NAMED ‘ERI’–HE RULED FROM 948AD-1041AD [BEFORE THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY-okay!]THE PRESENT KING IS ‘EZE NRI ENWELEANA II OBIDIEGWU ONYESO.

    WE ALSO HAVE THE BINI KINGDOM IN NIGERIA HAS THE KING WHO IS REFERRED TO AS THE ‘OBA OF BENIN’THE 1ST OBA WAS ‘EWEKA I’ WHO REIGNED FROM 1180-1246AD.THE PRESENT OBA IS ‘EREDIAUWA’ THIS WAS AROUND THE TIME OF THE BEGINNING OF THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY.

    THESE ROYAL HOUSES [to mention a few...as there are many more...]HAVE VERY WELL EDUCATED WORLD CLASS PRINCES AND PRINCESSES…

    AS YOU KNOW, AFRICA IS A CONTINENT DEPLY IMMERSED IN ITS HISTORY AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS.

    ENOUGH SAID!!!

  • jacqueline

    OH I FORGOT TO ADD THAT THE ROYAL HOUSE OF SWAZILAND WHICH IS THE ONLY SURVIVING ABSOLUTE MONARCHY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. NO PRIME MINISTER..OR OTHER POWER SHARING BUSINESS — YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

    THE KING IS ‘Mswati III’. HE HAS 13 WIVES[at the last count] AND MANY CHILDREN.

    IT IS OUR AFRICAN CULTURE, AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR HISTORY/CULTURE/HERITAGE/ AND LEGACY.