They’re one of the most famous couples in the world, but how did Harry and Meghan meet?
The whirlwind romance between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle caught the attention of pretty much the entire globe when we first got wind that they had begun dating all the way back in 2016. But if you’re curious about the entire Harry and Meghan relationship timeline, we’ve got the details on everything you need to know, from their first date to their first baby.
After all, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have come a long way since they first met almost seven years ago. The couple is now married, with two adorable children, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, and have relocated their entire lives from the UK to the US. But it’s safe to say that their relationship—and the beginning of their married life—has been pretty turbulent, though we’ll find out much more about that in the upcoming Harry and Meghan Netflix docuseries, which airs Thursday, 8 December.
During their relationship, the much-loved couple has reckoned with some huge changes together, such as stepping away from their official roles within the Royal Family and carving out their own professional lives away from the institution. So it’s safe to say it’s been a busy few years! But when did the couple first meet, what do we know about the beginnings of their relationship, and how long after their meeting did they tie the knot? Here are all the dishy details you need to know about Harry and Meghan’s relationship timeline.
How did Harry and Meghan meet?
Prince Harry, then 32, and Meghan Markle, then 35, first met on a blind date in July 2016, after being set up by a mutual friend. Harry and Meghan themselves confirmed the set-up in their engagement interview with the BBC.
The couple has been very coy about exactly who that friend was, but some savvy internet sleuthing suggests that it was likely their mutual friend Misha Nonoo, a US-based fashion designer.
At the time, Harry was a senior working royal (obviously), while Meghan was an actor working on the USA Network legal drama Suits. (Check out our guide to other Meghan Markle movies and TV shows you might not know about.)
So where exactly did the couple have their very first date? Let’s dive in.
A complete Harry and Meghan relationship timeline:
(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty)
1. The couple first met at Soho House
It’s well known that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle went on their first date in London, at the members’ club Soho House, where they could enjoy a private dinner and drinks away from prying eyes.
During their engagement interview, the couple confessed that they hit it off immediately, and arranged a second date very quickly. Meghan said: “We went and had met for a drink, and then I think very quickly into that we said, ‘Well what are we doing tomorrow? We should meet again.'”
And while Markle explained that she didn’t know much about Harry prior to their date, he revealed that he wasn’t familiar with her either: “I’d never watched Suits. I’d never heard of Meghan before. And I was beautifully surprised when I walked into that room and saw her. There she was sitting there, I was like, ‘OK, well, I’m really gonna have to up my game!'”
The rest, as they say, is history!
2. They then went on an international trip together
Instantly smitten with one another, it’s reported that Harry and Meghan went on a second date in London before the Duke took a shot and invited the Suits actress to accompany him on a trip to Botswana, Africa, just weeks after they first met.
Paparazzi photos were taken of the couple boarding a plane around the time of Meghan’s birthday in August 2016, and they confirmed during their engagement interview that they had enjoyed a really private holiday.
During the BBC interview, Harry confessed: “I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana, and we camped out with each other under the stars.”
“We were really by ourselves—which was crucial to me to make sure that we had a chance to really get to know each other.”
3. The world finds out about their relationship
After months of dating in private, Harry and Meghan’s relationship was finally revealed to the world via a story in the Sunday Express at the end of October 2016. At the time, it was reported to have been leaked by someone inside the royal household.
Interestingly, on the very same day, Meghan posted a cute pic to her socials—back when she had them—of two bananas spooning. Perhaps a confirmation of her happy relationship? We’ll never know…
(Image credit: Tim Clayton/Corbis/Getty)
4. Harry is forced to defend Meghan in a statement
For fiercely loyal Harry, though, the media scrutiny that was thrust upon Meghan after the announcement of their relationship was too much to bear.
The Prince issued a statement in November 2016, both confirming his relationship with Meghan and asking for an end to the “abuse and harassment” that his girlfriend had received since confirmation of the news that they were dating.
In the statement, Harry made clear how difficult things had been, saying: “Some of [the harassment] has been very public—the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.”
“Some of it has been hidden from the public—the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers; her mother having to struggle past photographers in order to get to her front door.”
The statement continued: “Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her. It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm.
“He knows commentators will say this is ‘the price she has to pay’ and that ‘this is all part of the game’. He strongly disagrees. This is not a game—it is her life and his.”
5. The couple maintain their long-distance relationship
In late 2016 and early 2017, the couple are spotted numerous times in the UK capital and abroad, clearly keen to continue their long-distance relationship. At this time, Meghan was still living largely in Toronto where she was filming Suits, while Harry was based at Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace, London.
It became clear that they were making big efforts to regularly see one another though—in December 2016, they were seen picking out a Christmas tree together near Kensington Palace. And around the same time, they were pictured enjoying a date night in London’s West End, holding hands as they headed to see a stage production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.
The couple also returned to the scene of their first date, Soho House, numerous times in order to enjoy some privacy. And at the time, it was even reported that Harry took Meghan on yet another romantic trip abroad, this time to Norway.
It’s also believed that during this period, Harry took Meghan to meet some of his closest family members, including Prince William, Kate Middleton and their children—suggesting just how serious things were getting between the two.
Harry also met Meghan’s beloved mother, Doria Ragland. But during their engagement interview, the couple confessed that Harry hadn’t yet had a chance to meet Meghan’s now-estranged father, Thomas Markle. And as of 2022, following Meghan’s very public rift with her father, it is unclear whether Harry has ever met his father-in-law.
6. They head off on a trip to Jamaica
In another big relationship milestone, the soon-to-be Duke and Duchess of Sussex were spotted heading to a wedding together in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in March 2017.
It was the wedding of Tom “Skippy” Inskip, one of Harry’s closest childhood friends, and he brought Meghan along as his plus one to the ultra-luxurious beachside event—further indicating how serious he was about her.
During the course of the trip, Meghan and Harry were pictured enjoying a swim and drinks with friends, before returning to their respective home countries.
(Image credit: David M. Benett/Getty)
7. Meghan and Harry make their first unofficial public appearance
While the couple had purposely hidden from view up until now, they decided to make their first (unofficial) public appearance as a couple at the Audi Polo Challenge in Ascot, England.
A keen polo player, Harry played as part of a team, while Meghan was seen adorably cheering her boyfriend on from the stands.
The couple had, of course, been seen in public before this point, but attending society event where they were well aware that there would be cameras suggested a change in their relationship. It pointed to the fact that things were clearly becoming serious, and they they were beginning to test the waters of a much more public relationship…
8. Meghan does an interview with Vanity Fair
In September 2017, Meghan decided to take a big step, and took part in a Vanity Fair cover interview, openly discussing her relationship with the prince for the very first time.
The couple had been together for just over a year at this point, but the actress couldn’t help gushing about how happy she was over the course of the interview—though she did so without revealing anything too personal.
She said: “We’re a couple. We’re in love. I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time. This is for us. It’s part of what makes it so special, that it’s just ours. But we’re happy. Personally, I love a great love story.”
9. The pair make their first official appearance together at the Invictus Games
Later that month, Meghan and Harry made their first official public appearance together—hinting that their relationship was more serious than ever.
On September 25, 2017, Meghan joined her boyfriend at the Invictus Games—which Prince Harry himself founded—in Toronto, where they walked hand-in-hand, and both sat front row at the games’ wheelchair tennis event.
Meghan also attended the opening ceremony of the Games, though the couple wasn’t sat next to each other for the event. Harry sat next to the former president’s wife Melania Trump, while Meghan took her seat next to Markus Anderson, one of her closest friends and global membership director for Soho House—yes, the same Soho House where Harry and Meghan had their first date!
(Image credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty)
10. They announce their engagement!
On November 27, 2017, a little over a year and a half after they started dating, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement news to the world.
The two lovebirds shared the news through the official royal channels, before stepping out for a quick photo call (and to show off that stunning ring) on the grounds of their home, Kensington Palace.
In their interview with the BBC, Harry explained: “It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage; just a standard typical night for us.” Meghan expanded, saying: “We were trying to roast a chicken and it just—it was just an amazing surprise. It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee.”
And, when asked whether it was an instant yes for Meghan, she confessed: “Yes, as a matter of fact, I could barely let [Harry] finish proposing. I said, ‘Can I say yes now?'”
We can’t handle the cuteness!
11. The royal wedding is here
It’s likely that everyone remembers the iconic day when, just seven months after getting engaged, the couple officially tied the knot in a huge royal wedding at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
Meghan wore a dress designed by Clare Waight Keller, who was artistic director at Givenchy at the time, while Harry wore his ceremonial army uniform.
The couple’s ceremony took place in the chapel before they took a carriage ride through the streets of Windsor in order to thank and greet the public waiting to congratulate them. Then, the newlyweds returned to the castle grounds for their evening reception at Frogmore House—where they enjoyed food, drinks, dancing, fireworks, and speeches from loved ones. Meghan herself is even said to have delivered a touching speech.
(Image credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty)
12. The couple announce that they are expecting a child
Just six months later, in October 2018, the newly-crowned Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced in a short statement that they were expecting their first child.
Kensington Palace officially announced the news on the day they arrived in Australia for their first official royal tour.
The statement read: “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019.”
Their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was born on May 6, 2019, at The Portland Hospital in London, and the couple debuted him to the world a couple of days later at Windsor Castle.
13. Meghan and Harry move to Frogmore Cottage
Just a month before Archie was born, the Sussexes were already going through a big upheaval, moving from their two-bedroom Nottingham Cottage home at Kensington Palace to a ten-bedroom house on the Windsor Estate: Frogmore Cottage.
The property underwent many renovations before the couple moved in order to make it fit for a Duke and Duchess, as it had been sat empty for some years before the couple’s arrival.
They moved into the property just weeks before welcoming their first child, and the family settled at Frogmore—just minutes from the Queen and Prince Philip—during the first few months of Archie’s life.
14. The royal couple announce they are leaving the royal family
For the first few months of Archie’s life, everything appeared to be going swimmingly for the Sussex family. But everything changed when, in January 2020, Meghan and Harry announced that they would be “stepping back” as senior members of the Royal Family, and would be making their own money whilst splitting time between North America and the United Kingdom.
On their Instagram, they shared a statement: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year… We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.”
“This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”
The couple was given a 12-month grace period during which either the royals or Meghan and Harry could undo the decision—but both decided not to, and in February 2021 the couple officially “left” the Royal Family.
Since late 2019, the couple had been living in British Columbia, Canada, as they retreated from the glare of the media spotlight. And in March 2020, they made the official move to Los Angeles, where Meghan grew up. To begin with, they were living in a house they’d rented from director-actor Tyler Perry, before finally relocating to Montecito in Santa Barbara, where they bought their first family home outside of the Royal Family.
(Image credit: Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty)
15. The couple announce that they are expecting their second child
After adjusting to life outside the Royal Family and in the sunnier climes of Los Angeles, Harry and Meghan announced on Valentine’s Day 2021 that they were expecting their second child—a baby girl.
Meghan gave birth on June 4, 2021, in a Santa Barbara hospital, making the Sussex clan an adorable family of four.
Since leaving the Royal Family, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been incredibly busy—establishing their various businesses, adjusting to life outside of the institution, dealing with family turmoil and, of course, the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Various controversies and difficulties have tainted the couple’s relationship, some of which they shared during their interview with Oprah in March 2021, such as tensions with the Royal Family, racism, death threats, and Meghan’s own mental health struggles.
It’s likely that the pair will shed even more light on their difficult past few years in their upcoming documentary (coming to Netflix in December)—but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for happier and easier times for the couple moving forward!
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