When did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get married?

It's been over four years since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married on a beautiful British summer's day. 

It seems like a lifetime ago since Prince Harry and Meghan's royal wedding. Fast-forward to 2022 and the Sussexes are living in LA having left behind royal life when they stepped down from royal duties two years ago. Now sharing their story in Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, the two touch upon how Harry and Meghan met and their early courtship, on to to their wedding, honeymoon and beyond.

49.1 million viewers across the globe tuned in to see the couple's wedding at the time, with their nuptials broadcast around the world. Hundreds of people also gathered in Windsor to catch a glimpse of the new royal couple on their special day. Making their commitment to one another in a traditional royal setting, the couple chose to get married in the same venue as Prince Charles's union to Camilla and Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank in 2018.

When did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get married?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were officially married on Saturday 19th May 2018. The Queen and Prince Philip watched their grandson wed his beautiful bride alongside 600 guests on what was a historic day.

The star-studded guest list included Meghan's mother Doria, her former Suits co-stars, plus celebrity friends like Oprah Winfrey, Amal Clooney and Serena Williams. Several prominent Royal Family members were also present for the nuptials, playing an important part in the ceremony. Prince William acted as best man, whilst Princess Charlotte and Prince George were on their best behaviour as bridesmaid and page boy.

Meghan looked every inch the princess on the day, in a white custom-made Givenchy wedding dress. This was complimented by Queen Mary's bandeau tiara and a 16 and a half foot veil, embroidered with 53 flowers of the Commonwealth countries. The Duchess added a sweet ‘something blue’ to her wedding dress - a piece of blue fabric snipped from the dress she wore on her first date with Prince Harry.

Harry and Meghan revealed in a televised interview with Oprah that they exchanged personal vows a few days before the royal wedding. A spokesperson for the couple confirmed that they had "privately exchanged personal vows a few days before their official wedding on May 19".

The couple's private garden ceremony gave Harry and Meghan a chance to celebrate their marriage intimately (and without the world watching) before their big wedding day was broadcast to millions around the world.

Where did Harry and Meghan get married?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were married at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, England. Part of Her Majesty’s Windsor Castle, the chapel has a long association with royalty. It is traditionally where former monarchs are laid to rest and is where the Queen is buried now.

Meghan was escorted down the aisle by Harry’s father, now King Charles, who looked smart in a previously-worn suit. Inside the chapel, the bride and groom exchanged vows before making their way outside to the chapel’s steps where they shared their first kiss as husband and wife.

Harry and Meghan then participated in a 25-minute celebratory carriage ride through the sunny streets of Windsor. This is where the couple addressed the hundreds of people who had gathered to celebrate the big day.

The carriage took them to their first wedding reception. This was a special afternoon lunch held by the Queen for guests at St George's Hall, Windsor Castle. Guests heard speeches from King Charles and Prince Harry and watched the cutting of their spring-themed cake, baked by Claire Ptak.

A second and private wedding reception then followed at Frogmore House that evening, put on by the Prince of Wales. This is where the couple were able to let their hair down with 200 of their closest friends.

According to the biography Finding Freedom, guests were greeted with ginger-and-rum-based cocktails called "When Harry met Meghan". They danced to an American Southern band and a DJ set by actor Idris Elba.

Authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand also revealed that "for their first dance, the couple chose I'm in Love by the sixties soul singer Wilson Pickett."

The black tie evening reception culminated at 11pm that evening with a special fireworks display.

When did Harry and Meghan announce their engagement?

Harry and Meghan’s engagement was officially announced on Monday 27th November at 10am. In a statement, the Prince of Wales revealed he was ‘delighted’ by the news and that the couple became engaged earlier that month.

Later that day, Harry and Meghan posed for photos in front of the media, as they confirmed their happy news to the world.

They also sat down for a special engagement interview with the BBC where the couple chatted about their future and Harry revealed how he proposed to his wife.

According to Harry it was “just a standard typical night for us”. With the couple “roasting a chicken” at their Nottingham cottage home, in Kensington Palace.

"It was just—just an amazing surprise, it was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee," Meghan said, adding that she could hardly let Harry finish proposing before saying yes.

“It was a really nice moment, it was just the two of us and I think I managed to catch her by surprise as well," Harry added.

However, in their new docu-series, Meghan recalls the engagement announcement which she felt became an "orchestrated reality show".

"It was rehearsed," she tells the camera. "We did the thing out with the press, then we went right inside, took the coat off and did the interview. So it’s all in that same moment."

Asked if she was instructed on how the interview would play out, she explained: "Yeah, but also like, ‘Then there’ll be a moment where they’ll want to see the ring, so show the ring’... We weren’t allowed to tell our story because they didn’t want [it]."

Harry added that this remained the problem throughout their time as royals, not being able "to tell our story".

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• When did Harry and Meghan get married?
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• When did Harry and Meghan step down as senior royals?
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