Ahead of UK Return, Harry and Meghan Mark 10 Years Since the London Date That Changed Everything
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's sweet milestone launched their decade-long love story, which the world has followed ever since.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's love story famously began with a blind date arranged by a mutual friend. Fast-forward a decade, and the couple—now parents to two children—are preparing for a highly anticipated return to the UK six years after stepping back from royal life. Amid growing excitement surrounding their homecoming, the Sussex couple marked a deeply personal milestone on July 3, the 10th anniversary of that very first date, the spark that ignited an enduring relationship the world has followed ever since.
Harry and Meghan have both spoken fondly about that first meeting at Soho House in London in their 2022 Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. The Duke further opened up about how enamored he was with his future wife in his 2023 memoir, Spare, recalling that despite arriving late due to traffic, they had a "great chat for about an hour." Later that evening, the Suits actress called him to ask if he would like to get dinner before she left town, a move that cemented their instant connection. As she playfully recalled that night in Harry & Meghan years later, Markle said, "I'm sure he thought it was so forward and American. I'm sure he told me it was so forward and American."
It didn't take long for sparks to fly; the future Duke and Duchess of Sussex met again the very next day, capturing their whirlwind connection in a sweet, black-and-white selfie of the two hugging. Within weeks of those London meetings, the pair took their budding romance to Botswana for their third date, where they realized they were falling head over heels for one another. After dating privately for two years, they married at St. George's Chapel in 2018, later welcoming Prince Archie in 2019, followed by Princess Lilibet in 2021 in Santa Barbara, California.
Although Harry and Meghan are no longer working members of the institution, their upcoming UK return is viewed as a significant step toward mending ties with the royal family. When it comes to their children, however, the Duchess of Sussex remains notoriously strict about public exposure, often photographing them from behind or covering their faces with emojis. Only time will tell how the Sussexes navigate protecting their children's privacy during their homecoming, where intense media interest is bound to follow their every move.
