Adrienne Bankert’s Scoop on the Royal Wedding

The big moment is here! ABC national news correspondent Adrienne Bankert, who graced the February cover of 24Life, has had the privilege of reporting on Meghan Markle’s engagement to Prince Harry—and all the planning and excitement leading up to their nuptials this week. Of course, we had to ask what it’s like to cover the royal wedding—and how it’s affecting our outlook on life.

  1. It’s renewed our sense of hope when the odds are uncertain. There’s literally an ocean between the royal couple: Markle lives and works in Canada and the U.S., while Prince Harry is in the U.K. “There is a lot of skepticism in the world today. But there’s something about the idea that you could find your ‘one.’ What you’ve been working for, what you’ve been aiming for, what you’ve been hoping to get to—and you didn’t know how you were going to get to it—is actually possible.” Bankert observes that Prince Harry also has had his share of difficulties, including the loss of his mother, Princess Diana.
  2. It’s brought people together. “What I love seeing [when reporting in from the U.K.] is that this community [regards him] as their son. They say, ‘We just want Harry to be happy.’ They’ve put aside the fact that she is from the States and she’s this beautiful, stunning actress. They really just want their boy to be happy.”
  3. It’s a reminder to put less pressure on ourselves. We tend to think we should have arrived at some ideal life on someone else’s timetable. “Meghan Markle gives hope to a lot of women who think, ‘Oh, my gosh. I’m never going to meet my man.’ And she’s met her prince.”
  4. It’s a chance to smile. “I’m just giving you a moment to say, ‘You know what? You can hope. You can smile. It’s going to be all right.’”

You can follow ABC and Adrienne Bankert’s coverage of the royal wedding here.