As a black man who has often dated white women, I know the prejudice Meghan and Harry are up against

Their union has allowed interracial relationships and mixed race culture to be cooler than they ever were, but it hasn't always been that way

There is excitement and jubilation in the air. The union of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seems like a fairy tale that none of us could have anticipated: the next female member of the Royal Family is streetwise, stylish, charismatic – and mixed race.

Yet we still tend to forget that mixed-race culture in Britain is both rich in history and a valued part of our society.

Harry and Meghan have allowed interracial relationships and mixed race culture to be cooler than they ever were, but it hasn't always been that way.

In previous decades, there was lack of understanding about how to refer to people of mixed parentage, with unpalatable terms such as “half-caste”. Luckily that term was dropped in favour of “mixed race”, but the legacy of racism made some people feel uneasy about their background. Some people were unsure as to which side of the family they belonged. They were questioned as to whether they were white or black, depending on how they acted, dressed or behaved. As a result, it was hard for some people to fully accept their identity.

I strongly believe we started to accept interracial relationships in the late Eighties. Music played a major part: the arrival of rave culture enabled people of all backgrounds to congregate on one dancefloor. And let’s not forget the Soul II Soul movement, which allowed a new, radical generation to talk openly about sexuality, race and fashion. These liberated young people enabled the term “mixed race” to be accepted, and would go on to have children who are now part of Markle's generation.

I have family members and friends who are mixed race, and I have been intrigued to find out whether people feel accepted for who they are and what they do.

On my BBC Three Counties Radio show, I recently spoke to Stevenage-based author Charlene Shaw, who is mixed race. She shared her experiences of growing up in a white, middle class area in Hertfordshire, and her grandparents’ struggle to accept her parents’ interracial relationship. They finally came around, but it took years. Shaw also noticed there was a current “trend” for parents to have mixed race babies. We need to remember it's not just about accepting different cultures but also understanding how a mixed race child can relate to their roots and heritage.

In some circles, interracial relationships haven't been fully accepted.

I often have dated outside my box, mostly with white women. A black female friend once said to me, "You are not keeping it real – you are not interested in us". Even my white male friends have said, “Mate, I’m disappointed, you don't date the sisters”. It can be awkward to have that conversation among friends as I strongly believe it’s down to who you connect with, rather than skin colour.

These experiences of interracial dating were recently highlighted in a recent Radio 4 documentary, Single Black Female by my BBC colleague Bridgitte Tetteh. Even though it has long been the norm for people to date outside of their culture in Britain, it is still disrespected by some traditionalists within the black community. Meghan and Harry may go some way to changing this.

In fact, I believe their marriage will be the best thing that will ever happen to the Royal Family. The positives go beyond race and how we perceive interracial relationships; their union will help people to understand what it is like to be from a different background.

So let's embrace Meghan and Harry’s big day. Their relationship is special and unique to them, as well as to our society at large.