What I would have added to the royal wedding

History was made Saturday in Great Britain. The day after another horrific shooting, this time in Santa Fe, Texas, it was good to watch good news. When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married before a watching world, we witnessed a fascinating mix of tradition and innovation.

There was much in the wedding to celebrate. But I would have added a vital element to the ceremony.

Celebrating inclusiveness

Seated directly opposite Queen Elizabeth II was Meghan Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, a descendant of slaves on plantations in the American South. A black choir sang; a black cellist performed; a black minister preached. African-American women flew from America to join the procession in the streets and participate in history.

Denise Crawford, a court stenographer from Brooklyn, made my favorite observation of the day: “One of the children of slaves is marrying a royal whose forerunners sanctioned slavery; the lion is lying down with the lamb.” She added, “Today is a day that history will never forget.”

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female” in God’s eyes (Galatians 3:28). Nor should there be in ours.

Observing tradition

The couple’s decision to wed on a Saturday was unusual, as royal weddings usual occur on weekdays. The Queen was married on a Thursday; William and Kate were married on a Friday.

However, their choice of Windsor Castle was traditional, making them the sixteenth royal couple to celebrate their marriage at the castle since 1863. I have visited the site and can attest to its stunning architecture and remarkable history.

The castle was built in the eleventh century after the Norman invasion of England by William the Conqueror. It is the now the longest-occupied palace in Europe.

St. George’s Chapel, the site of the wedding service, was established in the fourteenth century and expanded in the following centuries. Henry VIII is buried there; Queen Elizabeth plans to…