ZDF commentators consistently described Meghan Markle and her guests as "exotic" and were fascinated by her black hair. The public broadcaster has been roundly condemned by news outlets and people on social media.
Image: Reuters/D. Sagolj
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German public broadcaster ZDF was heavily criticized on Saturday for its sometimes questionable coverage of the royal wedding.
Social media users and news commentators found its coverage revealed deep-set racism among German media. The broadcaster responded that it takes viewer concerns seriously.
The wedding of the year: Prince Harry and the US actor Meghan Markle celebrate their nuptials with 600 guests from around the world on May 19, 2018.
Image: Reuters/H. McKay
A royal wedding: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Great Britain's Prince Harry wed American actor Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018. The couple tied the knot in a formal ceremony at Windsor Castle outside of London that was broadcast around the world. Every detail of the wedding was carefully considered, including the bouquet the bride carried. It consisted of forget-me-nots which had been hand-plucked by Harry in honor of his mother, Princess Diana.
Image: Reuters/B. Birchall
The happy couple
Britain's Prince Harry announced his engagement to the US actor Meghan Markle in November. The wedding, announced for May 19, 2018, has been the focus of a media frenzy in the six months since its announcement. In addition to the royal family, 600 A-list guests from both sides of the Atlantic were expected at Windsor Castle for the ceremony.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Dunham
St. George's Chapel
The couple exchanged vows inside St. George's Chapel in a ceremony that diverged slightly from traditional royal nuptials. Meghan Markle was briefly accompanied up the aisle by Harry's father, Prince Charles. The vows did not include the word "obey." And the song to which the newlyweds exited the church was a gospel choir singing a refrain of "Amen."
Image: picture-alliance/Photoshot
Inside Windsor Castle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be the 16th royal couple to tie the knot inside Windsor Castle. The tradition began in 1863 with the wedding between the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The second marriage of Harry's father, Prince Charles, to Camilla Parker Bowles, likewise took place in the castle, at Windsor Guildhall, and was followed by a service at St. George's Chapel.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/D. Lawson
Guests await the couple patiently
Guests were asked to arrive at the chapel more than an hour early. St. George's Chapel can hold up to 800 people, more than enough room to accommodate the couple's guest list, which included no heads of states or politicians in order to avoid controversy. After the ceremony, just 200 of the guests will be on hand at a reception at the nearby Frogmore House.
The bridegroom arrived at St. George's Chapel with his brother, Prince William. Both wore traditional military uniforms and made the short trek to the chapel on foot while waving to their adoring public. Harry made the unusual choice to retain a beard, something which may have gone against the dress code in the past.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/G. Fuller
Doria Ragland, mother of the bride
The only member of Meghan Markle's family to have attended the wedding was her mother, Doria Ragland. After overnighting with her only daughter, Doria accompanied Meghan on the drive to the church. The role was a first in a royal wedding, but Meghan sought to include her "rock and best friend" in her big day.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/G. Fuller
Princess Charlotte as flower girl
In lieu of bridesmaids, Meghan selected ten page boys and flower girls to accompany her down the aisle. Among those children who followed the bride were Prince William's eldest two children: Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who is seen above arriving at the ceremony.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/C. Jackson
Meghan arrives
Greeted at the chapel by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Meghan Markle wore a dress designed by Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy. Her veil stretched for five meters (16.4 feet) behind her and contained 53 hand-stitched flowers, representing the 53 nations of the Commonwealth. She was followed into the church by ten pageboys and flower girls, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/A. Matthews
Accompanied by Prince Charles
After Meghan's father suffered a heart attack earlier in the week, the decision was made upon the bride's suggestion that the groom's father, Prince Charles, accompany her through the Quire to Harry's side. She had no bridesmaids or matron of honor, as she said that choosing one of her many friends for the role would have been too difficult.
Image: Getty Images/J. Brady
I will
The happy couple were all smiles when they met the reverend at the altar to exchange vows. The pair agreed to love, honor, comfort and remain faithful to each other, forsaking all others in the hour-long ceremony which included not only recitations from the Bible but also hymns and gospel songs as well as the UK National Anthem.
Image: Reuters/J. Brady
A platinum ring
Ring bearer for the ceremony was Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry's best man. The couple chose Cleave and Company to make their wedding rings. The Queen had gifted Meghan a piece of Welsh gold from which her ring was fashioned; Prince Harry's was a textured platinum band.
Image: Reuters
A fiery sermon
Ahead of the wedding, Markle was baptized into the Church of England. For the ceremony, a number of preachers from the Anglican church provided short sermons, including the Most Rev Bishop Michael Curry, primate of the Episcopal Church, whose congregation is based in Chicago. The reverend quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and told the couple, "There's power in love, don't underestimate it."
Image: Reuters
An official presentation
After the ceremony, the couple appeared before the public for the first time in a horse-drawn carriage. They were led through the streets by members of the Household Cavalry, guardians of the monarch, atop horses. Prince Harry was a part of the cavalry and was with some of the soldiers during his duties in Afghanistan.
Image: Reuters/H. McKay
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Some of the comments that caused controversy
Repeatedly describing Meghan Markle and black guests as "exotic."
"Meghan always wanted a Barbie doll family. But there were only white and black Barbie families [rather than mixed-race Barbies]."
Question: "Are those dreadlocks on Meghan's mother?" Answer: "It's curly hair that's been somewhat de-curled, same as Meghan probably does all the time."
"The choir sang beautifully black."
"Victoria Beckham came to this event as if it were an appointment with a gynecologist. And with her makeup on, she's like The Addams Family."
Comparing Markle to Amal Clooney and Victoria Beckham, because all three had successful careers before marrying well-known husbands.
What some spectators had to say about the royal wedding
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‘No respect'
Die Welt's Nicola Erdmann wrote: "Airtime was filled with questionable remarks about Meghan's origins, macho-language and cliches. There was no respect for spectators and people who were involved."
Huffington Post Germany's Lennart Pfahler and Josh Groeneveld wrote: "The station never tires of emphasizing that Meghan Markle … is black. Black, black, black. Can we please talk about hats again?"
ZDF: Taking criticism 'seriously'
ZDF responded to the criticism on Sunday, saying it received several concerned responses from viewers, but praise as well.
"In addition to the comments on Twitter, ZDF's viewer service received calls and emails from viewers who had questions as well as praise and criticism concerning different aspects of the broadcast. We take the criticism of our viewers seriously," a ZDF press spokeswoman told DW in an emailed statement.
The broadcaster did not apologize for its coverage in the statement.
Social media reactions
Comedian and TV presenter Aurel Mertz tweeted: "Expert on @ZDF: "Meghan radiates Afro-American spirit" Officially the whitest sentence ever said #RoyalWedding."
"Dear @zdf, it is extremely annoying that Meghan's lineage is THE subject for the reporters. If Meghan was white, what would they snigger about? Please treat them equally. #RoyalWedding," another Twitter user posted.
"I haven't heard so many racist slogans since the NPD party congress."
One user proposed a drinking game — a shot of Pimms every time "African-American background" is said.
Taxpayer money: ZDF is one of the public broadcasters funded by the compulsory broadcasting fee levied on all German households. Given the station is directly funded by taxpayers, viewers feel it should be subject to rigorous standards.
Multiculturalism in Germany: Black people in Germany often report having a particularly difficult time being accepted as German. Deutsche Welle's Afro Germany project wrote: "Colonialist cliches continue to poison the social climate even now, during the so-called refugee crisis. Nowadays, people of color living in Germany — Afro-Germans, refugees, or just people who look different - are facing even greater resentment, hostility, and sometimes even violence."
