How Meghan Markle charmed us all at the royal wedding

WINDSOR, England — Standing with the throngs of royals fans along Windsor’s historic Long Walk Saturday, I felt like Meghan Markle smiled directly at me as she trotted past in her Landau carriage with Prince Harry by her side.

Many times, this remarkable woman has been said to make a person feel like they’re the only one in the room when she speaks to them. It’s easy to understand why. Markle has magnetism, energy and modernity — a far cry from the still somewhat stodgy British monarchy into which she has now married.

I vividly remember being glued to Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ 1981 nuptials when I was 13. However, while I was bedazzled by the pomp and ceremony, practically everyone in the congregation was as lily white as me.

But from the moment guests at Harry and Meghan’s fete arrived, it was clear this royal wedding was going to be like no other. Diversity reigned supreme. Idris Elba and Serena Williams rubbed shoulders with Elton John and Victoria Beckham. The applause from the crowd were even louder for Oprah Winfrey.

Kim McLaughlan, of Ottawa, Canada, was moved by the broken barriers, too.

“It’s a wonderful meshing of different cultures and national identities. Just what we’d expect from Meghan and Harry,” she told me. “It’s so perfect for this time in world history. It’s brought tears to my eyes.”

The program itself was also shaken up. The traditional choral music was beautiful, but it was a clear second to the toe-tapping Kingdom Gospel Choir with its stirring rendition of “Stand By Me.”

American Rev. Michael Curry raised some British brows with his rousing sermon. Yes, he was long-winded, but he gave an incredible speech. His voice loud and animated, Curry had the audience eating out of his hand. “We’re going to sit down, we gotta get y’all married,” he announced. His wasn’t the low-key (a k a boring) style of the Dean of Windsor or Archbishop of Canterbury.

Curry made everybody shut up and listen.

And then came the marvelous cello solos from Sheku Kanneh-Mason, the first black person to win the BBC Young Musician of the Year Award. A breath-taking performance.

It was a modern wedding for a modern couple — united, not just in their love for each other, but in their passion for humanitarian causes in faraway places like Rwanda and Lesotho.

It’s thrilling to think that children in those countries could watch the ceremony and see people looking like them taking center stage. How great that Britain — growing more multi-cultural every day — got to showcase its diverse citizenry before billions around the globe.

There were the feminist touches, too. Markle walked three-quarters of the way down the aisle unaccompanied. Prince Charles (standing in for her father) didn’t “give her away“ — she approached Harry on her own.

Breaking another precedent, the former “Suits” actress was due to make a speech of her own Saturday night at the intimate after-party for 200 guests at Frogmore House.

The fact there was laughter at this wedding also made it stand out from other painfully solemn royal events I’ve witnessed. Meghan beamed from ear to ear, sharing cute jokes with her dashing prince. When it seemed as if one of the rings wasn’t going on easily, the couple simply giggled.

Last week, Kensington Palace said that the day would “be guided by tradition, allowing everyone to celebrate what makes royal weddings so special, but also reflect the personalities of Prince Harry and Ms. Markle.” It certainly did.