Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Celebrate 5th Wedding Anniversary

May 19, 2023 by apost team

As royal couple Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary together, we take a look back at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's fairytale love story and wedding.

Prince Harry, who is fifth in line for the British throne, met US-born actress Meghan in the summer of 2016 through mutual friends. In a cover story for Vanity Fair back in September 2017, she said: "We're in love."

Less than 10 months later, the couple got married in a ceremony watched by millions worldwide. Almost one year to the day of their first wedding anniversary, on May 6, 2019, the couple welcomed their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

The Duke and Duchess' wedding, which took place on May 19, 2018, was in the media spotlight for months ahead of the event. The royal ceremony differed from others in the past, as it featured elements of Meghan's African American roots, such as a gospel choir. The ceremony was attended by many high-profile Hollywood personalities such as George and Amal Clooney.

The couple was first photographed together holding hands at the Invictus Games in 2017. The Invictus Games is an annual multi-sport event created by Prince Harry in 2014 for wounded and disabled veterans.

Just like her husband, Meghan is active in humanitarian work. As well as campaigning for women's rights with the UN, she is also an ambassador for World Vision Canada, a Canadian charity that supports children in developing countries.

After much deliberation, the couple stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and have since relocated to the US, where they live with their two children, Archie and Lilibet. Their sharp criticism of the royal family's culture was met with some shock around the world, but the couple also found a lot of support. 

When Meghan's name first appeared in newspapers as the couple first started dating, not many British people knew who she was. The former actress was born in Los Angeles in 1981 and is best known for her portrayal of Rachel Zane on the television show "Suits."

Not all media coverage of Prince Harry's then-girlfriend was positive, however. In fact, in October 2016, the royal palace released a statement on behalf of the duke, describing the media coverage as "harassment" and "abuse," even having "racial undertones."

Much of the initial criticism towards Meghan was rooted in her first marriage to film producer Trevor Engelson, to whom she was married for three years and divorced in 2013. She also had a blog, The Tig, which was closed down in 2017. She had once written on her blog: "I've never wanted to be a lady who lunches — I've always wanted to be a woman who works."

The world witnessed a beautiful wedding when Prince Harry and Meghan united to become the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. It was a royal wedding of rebellious firsts as these two decided to marry on their own terms and in their own style. They did many things differently that set them apart from other royals early on.

They opted to include common folk on their guest list. To be specific, 2,640 everyday people were invited to witness the bride and groom arriving at Windsor Castle. Each of the guests was given a special gift bag.

Of those, 200 were from charities and organizations the couple holds near and dear, and 1,200 were youth having shown strong leadership skills, avid servers within the community, and others from all corners of the country.

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While they chose a Saturday wedding, royal weddings are traditionally hosted on weekdays so that citizens throughout the country may have a public holiday out of it. For example, April 29, 2011, a Friday, was the date Prince Harry's older brother Prince William married Kate Middleton and the day was declared a bank holiday accordingly.  

Eschewing tradition, Meghan opted not to be "given away." The public already knew that her father would not be walking her down the altar. It was expected that her mother might do the deed. Instead, the future Duchess of Sussex walked herself down the aisle.

She did meet her future father-in-law, King Charles, at about the midpoint, where he completed her journey to the altar. 

Another break with usual wedding traditions was the priest himself. A senior member of the Church of England is customarily asked to preside over royal weddings. This was not the case at Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding. Episcopal Priest Bishop Michael Curry, of Chicago, Illinois, delivered the sermon, and he even quoted the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his delivery. 

Another deviation from wedding traditions was the vows said by the bride. The newly made Duchess of Sussex changed her part of the vows slightly and excluded the usual vow to "obey" her husband.

However, she was not the first royal lady to break with this tradition. Prince William's wife, Catherine, Prince of Wales, had also opted to leave out this antiquated passage of the vows. Both wives had a truly iconic role model in their decision: Princess Diana, William and Harry's mother. She had been the first to exclude this particular section of the vows from her wedding.

Just shy of their first wedding anniversary, Harry and Meghan welcomed their first child, Archie on May 6, 2019. Less than two weeks later, they celebrated their anniversary and shared an intimate photo compilation from their special day on their now-inactive Instagram account. 

"Happy one-year anniversary to Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex! Today marks the one year anniversary of the wedding of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their Royal Highnesses exchanged vows at St George’s Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle on May 19th, 2018." read the caption.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also had a message for their fans:

"Thank you for all of the love and support from so many of you around the world. Each of you made this day even more meaningful."

The slideshow began with elegant black-and-white photos from the wedding before it moved on to color photos. The collection of images included Harry with his brother Prince William, Meghan receiving her bouquet, King Charles walking to the wedding ceremony, and the bride sharing a special moment with her mother Doria Ragland. 

Since the Sussexes officially left their royal duties early in 2020 and as a result stopped posting on social media, the public hasn't been privy to any more insights into their wedding anniversaries. Considering how happy they seem living life on their own terms, there's no doubt the couple values their privacy. In any case, we wish them all the best on their fifth wedding anniversary and many more to come!  

Happy fifth anniversary to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle! What do you think of the Duke and Duchess' fairytale love story? Let us know your thoughts and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!