So that’s how it went down! A year ago on a quiet Monday, November 27, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement to the world. The couple started the day with an official engagement announcement by Clarence House followed by a formal photo call at Kensington Palace Gardens that afternoon.
After smiling for photographers and greeting reporters at the splendid family site, the future Duke and Duchess of Sussex then made their way indoors for their first official joint interview with BBC News. Six months later, the couple married at Windsor Castle in a scenic spring wedding that was equal parts moving and personalized to suit their tastes. Look back at the beginning stages of their wedding planning journey, featuring exactly how Prince Harry proposed below, as well as his thoughts about how the late Princess Diana would have reacted.
Prince Harry Proposed in Private—And It was a Surprise
There was no flash mob here–but there was roast chicken. Prince Harry revealed that he proposed in the comfort of Nottingham Palace in early November. “It happened a few weeks ago,” he said of that Sunday night. “Earlier this month, here at our cottage. Just a standard night for us.”
Markle chimed in, “What were we doing? Roasting chicken and—trying to roast a chicken, and it just—just an amazing surprise. It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 27: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce the engagement of Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace on November 27, 2017 in London, England. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been a couple officially since November 2016 and are due to marry in Spring 2018. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage; Shutterstock)
Markle Then Interrupted His Proposal
Beaming, Markle recollected the intimate moment adorably. “Yes! As a matter of fact, I could barely let you finish proposing,” she said as she turned to her future husband. “I was like, ‘Can I say yes now?’”
He added, “She didn’t even let me finish. She was like, ‘Can I say yes? Can I say yes?’ And then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger and I was like, ‘Can I give you the ring?’ and she was like, ‘Oh, yes, the ring!’”
Prince Harry and Markle Are a Team
“It’s another team player as part of the bigger team,” he commented of his fiancee. The royal and Markle, who first bonded over shared humanitarian efforts and their activism, will now seek to impart their wisdom and passion upon younger generations. “To see the world in the correct sense,” Prince Harry noted. “We’re a fantastic team. We’ll try and have as much impact.”
Yes, It Was a Quick and Passionate Love
“The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was confirmation to me that all the stars aligned and everything was perfect,” Harry continued. “This beautiful woman fell and tripped [into my arms]. She’ll be unbelievably good at the job part of it, as well, [which] is a huge relief…”
(Photo: BBC News)
Prince Harry and Markle Had to DTR Too
As in “define the relationship.” Prince Harry said he had to sit down with Markle to discuss future expectations in their relationship given the pressures of being a royal. “I know that I’m in love with this girl,” he recalled of that stage. “I had to have some pretty frank conversations with her… What you’re getting yourself in for, it’s a big deal and it’s not easy for anybody. I know that she chooses me, and I choose her, and therefore, whatever we have to tackle individually, it will be us together as a team.”
He adorably added, “She’s capable of anything.”
Harry Is Confident Markle Will Be Incredible in Her New Role
Just last week, the actress moved from North America to the U.K., where she will now be based since Suits wrapped its series. “When you have access to people and voices … you have a great responsibility,” she said as she expressed her excitement “to be in the UK… also, to be able to get around the Commonwealth.”
For the actress, the transition is bigger than her acting career. “I don’t see it as giving anything up. I see it as a change,” she noted. “Also keep in mind, I’ve been working on my show for seven years. We were very very fortunate to have that longevity.. once we hit the 100 episode mark, I thought, ‘I have hit this mark.’”
“There’s a lot to do,” Harry added.
No Kids–Just Yet
When asked about the prospect of adding to the royal family, Prince Harry smiled and cracked, “Not currently, no.” However, both are on the same page about wanting cousins for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
“One step at a time,” Harry added. “And hopefully, we’ll start a family.”
The Families Have Been Amazing
“His family has been so welcoming. On both sides of the family. His mom’s side as well, which has been really good to me,” Markle noted. “We’ve had a really nice time getting to know them.” She expressed that she was happy “not just [to be] part of the institution, but part of the family.”
Prince Harry made sure to slowly introduce Markle as their relationship progressed. “We’ve actually done incredibly well to make sure you got to know the key people,” he said to his fiancee.
Among those who’ve been wonderfully welcoming is Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. “Catherine has been absolutely amazing,” Harry said of his sister-in-law.
“Wonderful,” Markle agreed. “The whole family has come together and been a huge amount of support.”
Naturally, that includes Queen Elizabeth II. “The love that he has for her as his grandmother… all of those layers have been so important for me,” Markle told BBC. “She’s an incredible woman.”
(Shutterstock.com)
Date Nights Are Cute and Cozy
The two have opted for private nights in due to the hullabaloo over their relationship in 2016. A typical date for the high-profile pair includes “cozy nights in front of the television,” according to Prince Harry, who added: “We reversed the whole process, which has provided different opportunities. It’s made us a hell of a lot closer.”
Markle also chimed in on how it improved the speed of their romance. “Just to take the time to go on long country walks and just talk,” she said, which helped the course of their relationship.
The Ring Is a Nod to Princess Diana
“The ring is obviously yellow gold, that’s her favorite,” Prince Harry said Monday. “The main stone itself is from Botswana. And the little diamonds on the side are from my mother’s jewelry box collection to make sure she stays with us.”
“It’s beautiful and he designed it,” Markle added in agreement. “I think everything about Harry’s thoughtfulness and the inclusion of that… to not be able to meet his mom, to know that she’s a part of this with us.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 27: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce the engagement of Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace on November 27, 2017 in London, England. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been a couple officially since November 2016 and are due to marry in Spring 2018. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Prince Harry said that he had no doubt Princess Diana would adore his fiancee. “They would be thick as thieves,” he speculated of Markle and his late mother. “She would be over the moon jumping up and down… It’s days like this I miss having her around.”
“She’s with us,” Markle added in solidarity.
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