Daily Mirror

I suppose we’re the family that Meghan never had..she really enjoyed it all

MAKES HER MARKLE WITH ROYALS

- BY STEPHEN WHITE and NICOLA BARTLETT S.white@mirror.co.uk

PRINCE Harry has revealed that he and Meghan Markle had a wonderful first Christmas as an engaged couple and said the royals are the family the actress “never had”.

The Prince said fiancee Meghan had a “fantastic” time with his relatives over the festive season, adding: “She’s getting in there and it’s the family, I suppose, that she’s never had.”

He was quizzed about his festive break with Meghan during his guest editorship of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, aired yesterday.

Asked about how the US star coped meeting his relatives, the prince, 33, said: “It was fantastic, she really enjoyed it.”

The couple stayed with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children at Anmer Hall in Norfolk over Christmas. And, while visiting the Queen at her nearby Sandringha­m estate, walked to church with the family.

Harry said: “The family loved having her there. We had an amazing time. We had great fun staying with my brother and sister-in-law and running round with the kids. Christmas was fantastic.”

BBC presenters Justin Webb and Sarah Montague asked the prince if there were any family traditions that had to be explained to his fiancee, 36.

He replied: “Oh, plenty. We’ve got one of the biggest families that I know of, and every family is complex. She’s done an absolutely amazing job.”

Harry’s comments led many listeners to question Meghan’s relationsh­ip with her family. Her parents Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle married in 1979. They had Meghan in 1981 and divorced when she was six. Meghan lived with her mum, a yoga instructor and social worker, after the split.

The two are still close and were together at this year’s Invictus Games, when Harry reportedly asked for permission to propose. Earlier this month, the Mirror tracked down her dad Thomas to Rosarito Beach in Mexico, where he told us he would “love to” give his daughter away on her wedding day.

Meghan also has two half-siblings from her dad’s previous marriage: Thomas Markle Jnr, 51, and Samantha Grant, 53. Grant, who is estranged from the family, is said to be writing a tell-all book, which will

She’s been amazing. They loved having her there, it was great fun PRINCE HARRY ON MEGHAN MEETING ROYALS

apparently allege that Meghan always wanted to marry into royalty.

Back on the BBC Harry was quizzed about his wedding guest list but remained tight-lipped about whether he would invite former US president Barack Obama to the ceremony on May 19 at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, after interviewi­ng him for the radio programme. Government sources have reportedly said Harry inviting the statesman would infuriate US President Donald Trump.

But Harry said: “We haven’t even put the invite or the guest list together. Who knows if he’s going to be invited or not? I wouldn’t want to ruin that surprise.” Harry, who stunned listeners by kicking off the show with a Grime song backed by a Nottingham-based charity, also interviewe­d Prince Charles, offering an insight into their relationsh­ip. He told his father: “I end up picking your brains more than I ever have done now.”

Charles replied: “Darling boy, that makes me very proud.”

Harry continued: “We’re really looking forward to 2018. I will continue to play my part in society and do my job to the best of my ability, so that I can wake up in the morning and feel energised and go to bed fully knowing that I have done the best that I can.”

Asked by his son to pick an issue to focus on next year, Charles, 69, chose sustainabi­lity. He said: “Climate change is causing untold horrors in different parts of the world.”

He said it would be an “unutterabl­e tragedy” and an “inexcusabl­e one” if we “destroyed this quite remarkable planet and ecosystem”.

Fellow guest, world heavyweigh­t champ Anthony Joshua, jokingly offered to be Harry’s best man.

The prince, who boxed during his time in the Army, has previously said he used the sport to deal with the death of his mother Princess Diana.

Anthony later tweeted a picture of himself and the prince, with the caption: “Back to work this morning! Congrats on everything this year & no pressure on the R4 guest edit! P.s. Need a best man?”

It is expected that Harry will choose his older brother as his best man, as Harry did the job for Prince William when he married Kate Middleton in 2011.

 ??  ?? GLOVES ARE OFF Harry with champ Anthony Joshua
GLOVES ARE OFF Harry with champ Anthony Joshua
 ??  ?? LETTER Prince Philip
LETTER Prince Philip
 ??  ?? JOB WELL DONE Harry on Radio 4. Right, couple at church on Xmas Day
JOB WELL DONE Harry on Radio 4. Right, couple at church on Xmas Day
 ??  ?? IN CONTROL Intense prince during the show
ALL SET With hosts Justin and Sarah
IN CONTROL Intense prince during the show ALL SET With hosts Justin and Sarah

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom