Meghan Markle’s makeup artist and friend Daniel Martin has praised the diversity seen in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on the royal’s wedding day, though he admitted he may have been the only Asian male at the ceremony.
Martin reflected on his role as Meghan’s makeup artist on her big day during an interview with People in honor of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s upcoming three-year anniversary on May 19.
When asked if he felt like he had more of a platform to represent Asian American and Pacific Islander community after the wedding, he said it was a ‘great question’ but not something he thought about at the time.
Memories: Daniel Martin reflected on his role as Meghan Markele’s makeup artist on her wedding day in honor of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s three-year anniversary on May 19
Looking back: The makeup artist praised the ‘diversity’ seen in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle that day, saying the ceremony ‘completely changed the world’
Big moment: Martin said he was particularly moved by Kingdom Choir’s gospel performance at the royal wedding ceremony
‘It’s so wild because if you really think about it, if we break it down in such a way on such a top-level, that family represents colonization. And here’s someone of color who is married into it,’ he told the magazine.
‘My participation in it as an Asian American, I didn’t really think about it. For me, it was just helping my friend feel as beautiful and comfortable on her wedding day.’
Martin added that while he ‘never thought about it in that context,’ it was an ‘incredible opportunity’ to show people ‘we are a global society’ and ‘anything is possible.’
The celebrity makeup artist said he was particularly moved by Kingdom Choir’s gospel performance at the royal wedding ceremony.
‘I just remember being in the church. I was sitting in the back where the choir was at. When they started singing, it literally resonated through our bodies,’ he recalled.
Recollection: While looking back at the most diverse royal wedding ceremony in British history, he admitted that he doesn’t ‘remember seeing another Asian male’ in the church
Diverse guest list: Martin said he saw a few Asian women at the ceremony, including Priyanka Chopra (left) and Janina Gavankar (right)
‘I remember sitting there and taking it in. “Wow, what an incredible opportunity to have such diversity in this particular church.” That type of music, those voices had never been sung in that church before.
‘The centuries of the family, the centuries of people who started in that church or who had services in that church were predominantly Caucasian. And then, here’s this one moment where this harmony of humanity happened — that completely changed the world at that moment.’
Looking back at the most diverse royal wedding ceremony in British history got Martin thinking about the other Asian guests in attendance and what it meant for him to witness that history-making moment.
‘I literally only saw one other [Asian] person and she worked for the palace,’ he said. ‘And Priyanka [Chopra] and Janina [Gavankar] in terms of Asian women, but I don’t remember seeing another Asian male.’
Martin also opened up about how he will likely be referred to as ‘Meghan Markle’s makeup artist’ for the rest of his life.
It’s a mystery: Martin said he won’t reveal the exact products he used on Meghan on her wedding day, which has added to the curiosity
Association: Martin said he and the Duchess of Sussex often discuss how he will be referred to as ‘Meghan Markle’s makeup artist’ for the rest of his life
‘It’s wild that we’re coming on three years [since the wedding] and I will forever get asked. And I think it’s not bad, he said.
Martin has spoken in detail about how he achieved Meghan’s natural glow and subtly smokey eye on her wedding day, but he has refused to reveal the exact products he used, which has only added to the curiosity.
‘It’s because I’ve never spoken publicly about what it is I used on her [for the wedding]. That’s always going to be the mystery,’ he said. ‘That’s always going to come up, but it is all good. I’m just really fortunate that I was part of that celebration of my friend’s wedding. That’s just, I guess that’s just how it is.’
Martin said his life-long association with the Duchess of Sussex following her nuptials is something they have discussed in detail.
‘Meghan and I, we talk about this all the time. I’m always going to be that person, how some people are, I’m always going to be Meghan Markle’s makeup artist for the rest of my life. Which is totally fine because we’re friends,’ he said.
‘I think if we didn’t have a personal connection, it would definitely be different.’