Beyonce and Jay-Z accept BRIT award in front of Meghan Markle portrait

Beyoncé and Jay-Z continue to be icons. 

The power couple accepted the BRIT award for Best International Group on Wednesday for their collaboration album “EVERYTHING IS LOVE.” 

The pop culture royalty couldn’t attend the London ceremony, so they sent a pre-recorded acceptance speech with a nod to literal royalty. 

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Standing in front of an oil painting of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and television star turned princess, the Carters were dressed in colorful suits similar to the ones they wore in the “APES**T” music video. 

“Thank you so much to the BRIT awards for this incredible honor,” Beyoncé said, holding the award up in front of a jewel-laden, crowned Markle. “Everything is love. Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome,” Jay-Z responded, never looking away from the camera. 

In a longer statement on Instagram, Beyoncé gave a shout out to Markle.

“In honor of Black History Month, we bow down to one of our Melanated Monas,” she wrote. “Congrats on your pregnancy! We wish you so much joy.” 

Some saw it as a critique of British media treatment of Meghan Markle and her family. George Clooney recently defended the Duchess, stating that she was “pursued and vilified” by tabloids, and at the beginning of her relationship with Prince Harry, the monarchy put out a rare statement condemning the “the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and Web article comments.” 

Some thought the Carters were shading the Grammys, where they won Best Urban Contemporary Album but didn’t make an appearance. Fans theorized that they were done with the awards show after it snubbed Beyoncé in 2017 and Jay-Z in 2018, and has consistently chosen non-Black artists for Album of the Year. 

Leave it up to Beyoncé and Jay-Z to make the most subtle but powerful statements.