Prince Harry & Meghan Mark New Wedding Milestone With 6th Anniversary

May 17, 2024 by apost team

Prince Harry, who is fifth in line for the British throne, met American 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 after 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, featuring 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.

Like her husband, Meghan is active in humanitarian work. In addition to 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 relocated to the United States, 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. 

In honor of their 6th anniversary, let’s take a look at how they celebrated their anniversaries throughout the years. 

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, which set them apart from other royals early on.

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

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. 

Although Harry and Meghan’s marriage was marred with controversy, the couple has never faltered in inspiring people with their tenacity, strength, and love for each other, and that has been exemplified through their anniversary celebrations. 

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Like any other couple, Harry and Meghan have their own specific love languages. The royal couple is fond of giving and receiving gifts from each other. 

According to a People magazine source, Meghan had gifted Harry with “paper” on their first anniversary. 

"They love to do their own take on traditional wedding gifts," the source explained. "The first anniversary was paper, and Meghan wrote out the wedding speech and had it framed for him."

As for their second anniversary, "they both gave each other gifts based on 'cotton.' Undoubtedly, it was a very creative and romantic gesture as all their gifts are to one another," the source added.

For their third anniversary, the couple gave each other something “leather,” a symbol of something that only improves with age. 

Meanwhile, for their fourth anniversary, the couple gave each other “fruit and flowers,” representing the “blossoming of a relationship and how it ripens into maturity.”

Per Brides, Harry and Meghan’s fifth anniversary was celebrated through gifts of “wood.” "This reflects the strength and durability of your marriage, as well as the strong eternal roots you're putting down," the outlet said. 

Speaking to The Mirror, King Charles’ former butler, Grant Harold, revealed that Harry is "very sentimental" and will "put a lot of effort" into Meghan's gift for their fifth anniversary. 

"Any anniversary is special, but five years will definitely be celebrated. I'm sure it will be a day they will celebrate and remember for years to come. The gift for five years is wood, so it could be a wooden photo frame,” he added. 

According to Brides, the gift that couples usually give out on their 6th anniversary is “iron,” “which symbolizes strength, confidence in your love, and the 'ironclad' life you've built together.” 

Days before they celebrated their fifth anniversary in 2023, Harry and Meghan were involved in a “near catastrophic” car chase. 

"Last night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi. This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers,” a spokesperson of Harry and Meghan said in a statement issued last May 2023. 

The New York Police Department confirmed the incident, sharing that they assisted the private security team of the duke and duchess. 

“There were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard,” they explained. 

Entertainment Tonight reported that amid the turmoil, the royal couple celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary “quietly” together. 

Aside from giving gifts and private celebrations, the couple’s anniversary celebrations are also held between their children’s birthdays. Prince Archie celebrates his birthday every May 6, while Princess Lilibet celebrates hers every June 4. 

Harry and Meghan welcomed Prince Archie in 2019, days before their first wedding anniversary, while Lilibet came weeks after the couple’s third anniversary in 2021.  

In May 2024, the couple received a fresh round of criticism from people online after Meghan decided not to accompany Harry to the United Kingdom for his brief visit to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. 

The couple then met at Heathrow Airport in London and boarded a commercial plane for their visit to Abuja, Nigeria. 

Happy Anniversary to Prince Harry and Meghan! What are your wishes for the royal couple? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other loved ones out there!