When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their engagement eight years ago today, it triggered a massive change within the Firm before their eventual exit from the royal family
Harry and Meghan got engaged eight years ago today. Here’s what happened, and how it changed the royal family forever
- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement on November 27, 2017, with an official interview, and the Firm released some stunning photos of the pair taken in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace.
- At the time, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke candidly about their relationship and how lucky they were to have found each other and discussed the plans for their nuptials.
- Meghan flashed her ring in the interview , which holds one diamond from Botswana – where the couple went on a trip in the early days of their relationship – and two stones from the personal collection of the late Princess Diana.
- While their engagement news seemed to be straight out of fairytale, the royal couple later spoke more candidly about the event. In their 2022 docuseries, Meghan referred to the engagement interview and called it an “orchestrated and rehearsed reality show”.
- They also confirmed that Harry had in fact popped the question several weeks before announcing it to the world, but waited until they had officially set up a home in the UK together before their engagement became public knowledge.
- While many were thrilled for the couple, one member of the royal family was cautious about their union. Harry’s late grandfather Prince Phillip allegedly gave the duke a warning after proposing, as he reportedly said: “One steps out with actresses, one doesn’t marry them.” Harry also wrote in Spare that Prince William was concerned his brother was “moving too fast” with his bride-to-be.
- After their fairytale wedding in May 2018, things quickly went downhill for the Sussexes, leading to them quitting their royal duties in January 2020 and relocating to California where they remain with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.
