Did one blind date really upend the modern monarchy?
From a July 2016 meeting in London to a surprise step back from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan’s story has been anything but ordinary.
This timeline traces their first dates, the wedding, Archie’s and Lilibet’s births, the explosive Oprah interview, and the move to Montecito.
It also shows how race, media pressure, and mental health shaped their choices—and why their exit still matters for the royal family and celebrity life.
Overview of Harry and Meghan’s Relationship
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in July 2016 through a mutual friend in London. A blind date turned into one of the most watched royal relationships in modern memory, complete with a fairytale wedding, two kids, and a departure from the British royal family that nobody saw coming.
Their partnership wasn’t exactly traditional. Meghan was an American actress, biracial, divorced, and vocal about social issues. Within months of going public, the couple dealt with media scrutiny that would shape everything that came after.
From their first camping trip in Botswana just weeks after meeting to their current life in Montecito, California, Harry and Meghan’s story has pushed back against royal conventions. It’s sparked global conversations about race, mental health, and media ethics. Their decision to step back as senior royals in January 2020 created something entirely new: financially independent, living thousands of miles away, yet still tied to the institution through titles and family. Now the couple’s raising Archie and Lilibet while building media ventures through Netflix deals, Harry’s memoir, and Meghan’s lifestyle projects.
2016: First Meeting and Early Courtship
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in London in July 2016 after a mutual friend introduced them. Their first two dates took place in early July at a private members’ club in Soho, where they could avoid public attention. The chemistry was instant. Harry later said he brought Meghan cupcakes on their second date, July 4, 2016, to celebrate the American holiday.
Three to four weeks after that first meeting, Harry invited Meghan on a camping trip to Botswana. They spent five days under the stars. This early adventure became a defining moment, with Harry later describing it as the place where they could “really get to know each other” without outside interference. The location mattered so much that Harry later chose a stone from Botswana for Meghan’s engagement ring.
By late October 2016, media outlets discovered the relationship. Close friends confirmed they’d been “dating seriously for around two months.” On November 8, 2016, Kensington Palace took the rare step of issuing a public statement condemning the “wave of abuse and harassment” Meghan faced from tabloids and social media. The statement noted that “Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle’s safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.” This early warning about media treatment foreshadowed tensions that would define their entire relationship with the press.
2017: Public Appearances and Engagement
The couple made their first public appearance together in December 2016, photographed shopping for a Christmas tree at Pines and Needles in London. They were also spotted attending a West End performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, starting their transition from complete privacy to cautious public visibility.
Their first official public outing came at the Invictus Games opening ceremony in Toronto in September 2017. They held hands at a wheelchair tennis event on September 25. Meghan appeared alongside her mother, and when asked about her experience, Harry said simply, “She loves it, she’s loving the games.” The appearance sent a clear signal that their relationship was serious and permanent. Earlier that year, Meghan had attended her first event with Harry at Coworth Park Polo Club in Ascot, England, in May. Later that month she went to Pippa Middleton’s wedding reception (though not the ceremony itself, to avoid upstaging the bride). In a September Vanity Fair interview, Meghan confirmed publicly what had been obvious for months: “We’re a couple. We’re in love… This is our time.”
On November 27, 2017, after roughly 15 months of dating, Kensington Palace announced the couple’s engagement. Harry had proposed outside Kensington Palace with 15 electric candles creating an intimate setting. The engagement ring featured diamonds from Princess Diana’s brooch collection flanking a stone from Botswana, physically connecting Harry’s past, present, and the place where their relationship deepened.
2018: Royal Wedding and Newlywed Year
The royal wedding took place on May 19, 2018, at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. It drew a global television audience of 29 million viewers and 600 guests in attendance. Meghan wore a Givenchy dress designed by Clare Waight Keller with Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara. The ceremony blended traditional royal elements with personal touches, including a gospel choir and a passionate sermon by Bishop Michael Curry.
| Detail | Specifics |
|---|---|
| Guests | Serena Williams, George Clooney, James Corden, and Meghan’s Suits costars Patrick J. Adams, Gabriel Macht, and Sarah Rafferty |
| Reception entertainment | Idris Elba deejayed and played Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” for their first dance |
| New titles | Duke and Duchess of Sussex |
| Ceremony style | Gospel choir performed “Stand By Me”; Bishop Michael Curry delivered an animated sermon about love |
| Global reach | Most-watched royal wedding globally |
After the wedding, the couple embarked on their first major royal tour in October 2018, visiting Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand over 16 days. During this tour, they announced Meghan’s first pregnancy, beginning their transition into the next chapter of royal life.
2019: Birth of Archie and Royal Duties
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born on May 6, 2019, weighing 7 pounds 3 ounces. The couple kept the birth location undisclosed at the time, breaking with royal tradition of posing for photographs on the hospital steps hours after delivery. When they did present Archie to the world two days later, it was in a private photo call at Windsor Castle, signaling their desire for more control over their family’s privacy.
The year brought increasing tension between the couple and the British tabloids. In September 2019, they embarked on a royal tour of South Africa with baby Archie. Harry gave an emotional interview stating, “I will not be bullied into playing a game that killed my mum,” directly connecting media treatment of Meghan to Princess Diana’s death. By year’s end, the couple spent the holidays in Canada rather than at Sandringham with the royal family. Speculation mounted about their future within the institution. In October, Meghan filed a lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday for publishing a private letter she had written to her father, and Harry sued two tabloids over phone hacking, making their battle with the British press a legal matter.
2020: Stepping Back From Royal Roles
On January 8, 2020, Harry and Meghan posted an Instagram announcement that stunned the world and reportedly caught the royal family off guard. They would step back as senior members of the royal family to become financially independent. The statement explained they planned to split their time between the United Kingdom and North America while continuing to support the Queen.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| January 8, 2020 | Public announcement of intention to step back from senior royal duties |
| January 13, 2020 | Emergency meeting at Sandringham with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Prince William to discuss terms |
| March 2020 | Final round of official royal engagements in the UK before transition |
| March 2020 | Moved permanently to Montecito, California, purchasing a home in an affluent community |
The couple secured deals that would provide their financial independence. In September 2020, they announced a multi-year Netflix deal through their production company to create documentaries, docuseries, feature films, scripted shows, and children’s programming. Two months later, in December 2020, they signed a multi-year deal with Spotify through their Archewell Audio company. These agreements represented a complete departure from traditional royal income sources and set them on a path as content creators and media personalities.
2021: Oprah Interview and Birth of Lilibet
On March 7, 2021, Harry and Meghan sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a televised interview that generated global headlines. Meghan revealed she’d experienced suicidal thoughts roughly six months into her first pregnancy. She said she received no help from the institution when she asked for it.
The couple disclosed that an unnamed member of the royal family had expressed concerns about how dark Archie’s skin might be before he was born. This revelation sparked immediate controversy and forced Buckingham Palace to issue a statement saying “the whole family is saddened” and that “recollections may vary.”
Their second child, Princess Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, was born on June 4, 2021, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California. Named after Queen Elizabeth II’s childhood nickname and Princess Diana, the name choice showed their desire to honor Harry’s family heritage despite the physical and emotional distance. Meghan later revealed in a Netflix show that both children were born one week past their due dates. The birth represented the couple’s first major family milestone fully separated from royal protocol and British soil.
2022–2023: Projects, Public Appearances, and Ongoing Tensions
The couple’s Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan premiered on December 8, 2022, offering their most detailed account yet of their relationship, royal exit, and reasons for leaving. The six-part series featured personal videos, photographs, and interviews that painted their version of events. Moments of joy contrasted with clips of hostile tabloid coverage. The series became one of Netflix’s most-watched documentary releases.
Harry’s memoir Spare hit shelves on January 10, 2023, revealing intimate details that dominated headlines globally. He discussed losing his virginity, recreating his mother’s last moments in the Paris tunnel, and a physical altercation with Prince William that left him with a torn necklace and visible back injuries. The book also detailed Kate’s reportedly “icy reception” to Meghan and moments of tension within the family that contradicted the public image of unity. Meanwhile, Meghan launched her podcast Archetypes in 2022, which became an instant hit before Archewell Audio and Spotify mutually parted ways in June 2023. The couple returned to the UK twice in 2022. Once in June for Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrating her 70 years as monarch, and again in September following her death, reuniting with Prince William and Kate at Windsor Castle.
2024–Present: Recent Updates and Current Status
As of 2025, Harry and Meghan continue building their life in Montecito, California, where they work from home sharing an office and raise their two children. Archie’s now 6 years old, and Lilibet’s now 4. They’re “constantly learning something new” and described by their parents as “incredibly smart, articulate, and fun.” In August 2025, the couple was photographed watching Archie take a surf lesson at Santa Claus Beach in Carpinteria. Meghan’s Netflix lifestyle show With Love, Meghan premiered in March 2025. The couple celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary on May 19, 2025, sharing new photos of their children on Instagram.
Their public appearances have shifted toward selective events aligned with their values. They attended the first winter Invictus Games in Canada in February 2025, visited Nigeria in May 2024 where Meghan revealed she’s 43 percent Nigerian, and toured Colombia in August 2024. In October 2025, they received the Humanitarians of the Year award from Project Healthy Minds in New York City. At a December 2024 New York Times DealBook Summit, Harry addressed persistent divorce rumors with humor, saying they’ve “apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times” according to tabloids. In a November 2025 Harper’s Bazaar cover story, Meghan said Harry “loves me so boldly, fully,” while Harry expressed hope that Archie and Lilibet can “connect with their UK roots, experience their heritage, and build relationships with extended family.”
Final Words
They met in 2016 and quickly became one of the most talked-about couples.
We traced their path from private dates to marriage, parenthood, and a move to North America.
Key moments, the 2018 wedding, the 2020 step back, the Oprah interview, and later projects like Netflix and Harry’s memoir, shaped public view.
Each chapter shifted how the royal family and media covered them.
This Prince Harry and Meghan Markle relationship timeline sums up what happened and what to watch next — and it feels like their story is only just beginning.
FAQ
Q: How long did Harry date Meghan?
A: Harry dated Meghan for about two years before marrying her; they met in 2016, announced their engagement in November 2017, and wed in May 2018.
Q: What three words did Harry use to describe Kate Middleton?
A: Harry did not publicly describe Kate Middleton using exactly three words; there’s no widely circulated, verified quote of him summarizing her in that way.
Q: What does King Charles call Meghan?
A: King Charles calls Meghan by her first name, “Meghan”; no widely reported nickname or special term appears in official statements or major coverage.
Q: What did Gwyneth say about Meghan?
A: Gwyneth made generally supportive, friendly remarks about Meghan in interviews and social settings, but there’s no single, definitive public quote that sums up her view.