Gaining the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘s May 2018 wedding appeared to represent a more modern and inclusive royal family . However, Harry disclosed that mistrust and suspicion of Markle only grew stronger over time among some members of the royal family. While Prince William and Kate Middleton have remained silent about their initial meeting with Markle, Harry recalls that they were left “speechless” when they learned he was dating the Suits alum. He also said his brother and sister-in-law were initially fans of Markle.
While they were surprised, Harry also mentioned that Markle’s career played a major role in fueling William and Middleton’s skepticism about their relationship. As reported by Daily Express , William reportedly warned Harry and said, “When all’s said and done, Harold, she’s an American actress, anything could happen.” William had been suspicious of Markle from day one. According to reports, he was not used to hugging strangers, so when she tried to hug him, he pulled back. Markle revealed in their 2022 Netflix documentary series, Harry and Meghan , that Middleton also reacted similarly when she attempted to hug her, underscoring the cold dynamics even more.
She said, “Even when Will and Kate came over and I was meeting her for the first time I remember I was in ripped jeans, I was barefoot. Like I was a hugger, I have always been a hugger I didn’t realize that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.” Speaking about how she felt, Markle added, “I started to understand that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside, that there is a forward-facing way of being, and then you close the door and think ‘OK we can relax now.’ But that formality carries over on both sides and that was surprising to me.”
Meanwhile, previously, when asked in an interview if she would date William or Harry, Markle casually responded, “Harry, sure.” In the present day, the couple is happily married and has two kids. A blind date in 2016 marked the start of their romantic journey, which resulted in a stunning wedding in 2018. However, the couple did not have a traditional first meeting. The prince disclosed in their Netflix documentary series that he first came across her on social media when she posted a photo of herself using the Snapchat dog filter on the account of a common friend. That same friend later arranged their blind date.
Despite Harry’s worldwide fame, Markle confessed back then that she had not known much about him before they met, as reported by Town & Country Magazine . She even admitted to checking out Harry’s private Instagram account before agreeing to go on the blind date with him. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to step down from their royal responsibilities and royal life entirely in 2020 after being subjected to endless harassment by the British tabloids. Since then, they have forged their careers, starting side projects like Harry’s candid and contentious memoir, Spare , and Markle’s popular podcast, Archetypes .