Members of Germany's Lady Di Fan Club are in London ahead of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding. Their advice for Meghan: be your own princess and don't obsess about following in Diana's footsteps.
At Cafe Diana, located just yards away from the royal residences at Kensington Palace, almost every inch of the walls is covered in pictures of the late Princess of Wales. After all, when it used to be a low-key eatery, Diana made this one of her go-to spots for a cup of tea or a quick bite.
It's here that I meet Marie Evelyn Seidel, the matriarch of the Lady Di Club Germany and very much the royal family's unofficial German ambassador.
And it's no surprise that Seidel and Anja Biere, one of the club's newer members, chose this location to meet ahead of the royal wedding. A few yards from where we sit, Harry is preparing for the big day. Paparazzi and onlookers line the gates leading from the palace grounds onto Bayswater Road, while we look on from the cafe window, hoping to catch a glimpse.
Almost every inch of wall is dedicated to the People's Princess at Cafe DianaImage: DW/D. Martin
Germany's royal ambassadors
Seidel, who hails from the German town of Hamelin, has been on a whirlwind media tour of Germany in the days leading up to Saturday's royal wedding — from biographies in the local press to appearances on national talk shows.
Seidel founded the club in 1998 as a means to bond with other Diana fans in Germany and preserve the Princess of Wales' memory after her tragic death. Today, around 15 women meet up three-to-four times a year to organize charity and school events in their home towns.
"We're not just about following the royals and wearing nice hats," said Seidel. "We want to make sure that Diana's charitable spirit lives on, whether it's helping children, the elderly or the less fortunate. That's why we go together as a group a couple of times a year to visit kindergartens and hospitals, and try to do our part."
Guerilla marketing: Seidel leaves some flyers for her club on the gates of Kensington PalaceImage: DW/D. Martin
Harry: The one-time wild boy
Seidel admits that she has long been waiting for Harry's big day. Of course, William's wedding to Kate was a big deal. But it's Harry who is Seidel's favorite of the two brothers.
"William always had to be the more traditional of the two, since from birth he was anointed the role of monarch," said Seidel. "But Harry has always had the right to a bit more freedom and he's gone and embraced that."
“Of course Harry's made mistakes in life," said Seidel, "but the thing is that he's actually allowed to make mistakes. And that's why we love him."
Fans ready for royal wedding
02:51
This browser does not support the video element.
So, is Meghan fit for the prince?
If Harry is the wild child-turned-golden boy, then what do the club members think of Meghan?
"This wedding represents just how much things have changed since Europe's monarchies just married among themselves," said Seidel. "And it opens the door to others joining the monarchy — let's see who little George and little Charlotte bring into the family when their time comes."
Biere said that Meghan will breathe a new lease on life into the royals, as the first mixed-race member of the monarchy. "But the most refreshing thing about her is how normal she seems, and how normal she makes Harry seem, as well," she said. "When I saw the interview they gave shortly after they announced their engagement, I really thought they looked and behaved just like the people in my own friends group."
Dream wedding means big business
04:32
This browser does not support the video element.
Is Meghan the new lady Di?
Like Lady Di before her, Meghan is widely seen as someone who doesn't always abide by strict royal protocol. The Princess of Wales caused a stir back in the day when she removed her gloves to shake peoples' hands, or when she bent down to greet people at eye-level.
Meghan, meanwhile, has reportedly told friends that she intends to continue greeting people by hugging them. It's what makes her American, despite it not being particularly princess-like.
So is Meghan set to become the new people's princess?
"Never — we will only ever have one Diana," said Seidel. "My advice to Meghan is for her to be herself and not try to follow in Di's footsteps. After all, Diana had a special aura, the type that instantly made everyone who met her feel as they knew her personally. That's not something you learn — it's god-given. But I'm sure Meghan will find her own."
Just as we're wrapping up, there's a roar outside the cafe. Paparazzi scramble as a black jeep pulls away from the palace grounds onto the main road. Some of the people sitting around us, with a star-struck look on their face, are convinced they saw Harry in the back of the vehicle.
Seidel and Biers just missed him, but they aren't too upset. They intend to be at the very front when the newlyweds greet the crowds in Windsor on Saturday.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's love story
As Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announce that they'll be leaving their royal position, here's a look back at how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex got together and their ensuing relationship.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/F. Arrizabalaga
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
US TV actor Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, sixth-in-line to the British throne, met in July 2016 after they were introduced through friends. In September 2017, she told "Vanity Fair": "We're in love." They married less than 10 months later. In May 2019, Meghan gave birth to their first child, Archie. Now the couple has surprised the world by announcing that they'd leave their functions as royals.
Image: Getty Images/E. Mulholland
Watched by billions
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was the focus of a media frenzy months ahead of the event, held on May 19, 2018. The traditional royal ceremony included for the first time elements of African American culture, such as a gospel choir, in reference to Meghan's roots. Several high profile Hollywood celebrities were among the guests — friends of the former actress.
Image: Reuters
A smiling couple
Prince Harry and Markle were photographed holding hands for the first time in September 2017, during a wheelchair tennis competition at the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada. The games for disabled or wounded soldiers and veterans were created by Harry.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/N. Denette
The young Harry
The youngest son of Prince Charles and the late princess Diana, Prince Henry of Wales — familiarly known as Prince Harry — was born in 1984. His childhood was dominated by his parents' messy divorce and Diana's tragically early death. The family is shown pictured together in 1995, with Harry on the left side next to his mother, and his brother Prince William next to their father.
Image: Johny Eggitt/AFP/Getty Images
After Princess Diana's death
Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. Harry was only 12 at the time, and his brother William, 15. This iconic picture shows the young princes bowing their heads as their mother's coffin is carried out of Westminster Abbey. The tragic event deeply affected Prince Harry.
Image: Adam Butler/AFP/Getty Images
A long process of grief
Harry publicly revealed how much he had struggled throughout his life. In support of a mental health campaign, he revealed in an interview with the "Daily Telegraph" that he came "very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions." He added: "Shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life, but also my work as well."
Image: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images
The playboy prince grows up
The impulsive prince appears to have inherited his mother's ability to connect with people, as well as her sense of mischief. Often photographed with different attractive women, he was long labelled a "playboy." He once told Newsweek that he "wanted out" of the Royal Family.
Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The army as escape
Photographs of him wearing a swastika at a costume party that were published in 2005 caused outrage. That same year, he entered the army, as many other royals have done, and spent 10 years serving in the British forces. He later admitted that his military service "was the best escape I've ever had" from the constant public attention.
Image: John Stillwell/AFP/Getty Images
A popular prince
Following his military career through which he served twice in Afghanistan, Harry has turned into one of Britain's most popular royals, not just within the country, but globally. Like his mother, he uses his public profile to raise awareness for different causes, including a recent campaign about mental health with William and Kate.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/K. Wigglesworth
Meghan Markle
Britain barely knew who Meghan Markle was when her name started appearing on newspapers' front pages in October 2017. Born in 1981 in Los Angeles, as an actor she portrayed a lawyer in the hit TV show "Suits." News coverage on Prince Harry's girlfriend was hard-hitting, however, including comment pieces with "racial undertones" and "outright sexism and racism" online, said Harry's office.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/D. Lawson
First marriage with producer
Part of the criticism came in connection with her former marriage with film producer Trevor Engelson, from 2010 to 2013. Markle also had her own lifestyle blog, thetig.com, which she shut down after she came into the royal family's spotlight. On it, she had proudly declared her independence: "I've never wanted to be a lady who lunches — I've always wanted to be a woman who works," she wrote.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Invision/J. Strauss
Humanitarian work
Like the prince, Markle does humanitarian work. She's an ambassador for the Canadian charity "World Vision Canada," which works for children in developing countries, and she also campaigns for women's rights with the UN. The actress has a degree in communications.
