Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
She just tripped & fell into my life...
Prince Harry to wed ‘beautiful’ Meghan after 18-month romance He surprised her on one knee as he cooked her roast chicken He chooses Di’s diamonds for ring & says: ‘She’s a part of this’
LOVESTRUCK Prince Harry could hardly contain his joy yesterday as he raved about fiancee Meghan Markle and revealed he had fallen for her instantly.
He said he had known the US actress was The One the “very first time we met”.
As the besotted couple posed in the Kensington Palace gardens, Meghan showed off her priceless engagement ring which was designed by the prince using diamonds that had belonged to his late mother Diana.
Harry got down on one knee and popped the question a few weeks ago while the couple made a roast chicken dinner at Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of the Palace.
It is around 18 months since they were introduced by a mutual friend in London.
Ending days of speculation, the engagement was announced at 10am yesterday by Prince Charles. The statement said: “The wedding will take place in Spring 2018.”
In an interview later the couple revealed they feel sure Diana is “with us”.
Harry added “you know, jumping up and down somewhere else”.
With their intense romance still making him giddy, he also said falling for Meghan so quickly was proof it was meant to be.
He added: “It was this beautiful woman just sort of literally tripped and fell into my life.”
They said they hope to have children in the “near future”. Meghan revealed she has met the Queen “a couple of times”, adding the corgis took to her straight away.
Harry, 33, and Meghan, 36, also talked about camping under the stars on holiday in Botswana a few weeks after they met. Harry and Charles said they are “thrilled” about the engagement. Meghan’s parents Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland said: “Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person.
“To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents. We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together.” Harry’s grandparents the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh said they were “delighted”.
Prince William and wife Kate said: “We are very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”
And Diana’s brother Earl Spencer said: “Nothing better than seeing a thoroughly lovely man truly happy.”
March has been suggested as the most likely month for the wedding before the April due date of William and Kate’s third child.
St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle is the most likely venue for the wedding.
Harry would become the first person in the Royal Family to marry a divorcee in church. The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will perform the service.
Members of the public hoping for an extra day off work were disappointed as Downing Street said there were “no plans” for an extra bank holiday to mark the event.
Harry, in a blue suit and dark tie, and Meghan hugged before, during and after their official photocall yesterday.
Meghan – whose fashion choices caused brand websites to crash – looked chic in a white coat by Canadian brand Line the Label and a dress by P.A.R.O.S.H, along with strappy Aquazzura Matilde Crisscross Nude Suede Pumps. Mixed-
race Meghan was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1981 to former yoga instructor Doria, 60, who is of Africanamerican heritage, and Thomas, 72, a cinematographer, with British, Dutch and Irish roots.
Harry called Doria “amazing” but said he has not yet met Meghan’s dad. Royal Family superfan Margaret Tyler said she was “over the moon” about the engagement.
Margaret, 73, of Wembley, North West London, added outside Kensington Palace: “I think Diana would have really warmed to Meghan... That’s the biggest sadness, really – that his mum’s not here to see it. I think they will go for children straight away.
“Harry... will make a devilish dad – giving them sweeties when mum’s not around.”
Bernard Donoghue, director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, said that with Meghan being American interest in the US could be even greater than when William and Kate tied the knot in 2011.
He added: “This is the first time an American actress has married a prince since Grace Kelly.”
PRINCE Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle told yesterday how romance blossomed through transatlantic trips and holidays as “all the stars were aligned”.
In a 20-minute television interview, the couple gazed into each other’s eyes and revealed their excitement at their future together.
Covering everything from how the very low-key proposal took place to their hopes of starting a family, the couple opened up about their so far very discreet relationship.
ON DIANA
Harry: “Oh, they’d be thick as thieves, without question. I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me. But then, as I said, she would have probably been best friends with Meghan.
“So it is days like today when I really miss having her around, and miss being able to share the happy news.
“But with the ring and everything else that’s going on I’m sure she’s…”
Meghan: “... She’s with us.”
Harry: “I’m sure she’s with us, yeah, you know, jumping up and down somewhere else.”
THE RING
Harry: “The ring is yellow gold because that’s her favourite, and the main stone I sourced from Botswana. “The little diamonds either side are from my mother’s jewellery collection, to make sure that she’s with us on this crazy journey together.”
Meghan: “It’s beautiful, and he designed it. It’s incredible...”
Harry: “Yeah, make sure it stays on that finger.”
Meghan: “... I think everything about Harry’s thoughtfulness is.
“And the inclusion of [the diamonds] and obviously not being able to meet his mum, it’s so important to me to know that she’s a part of this with us.
“And I think in being able to meet his aunts and... just different people who were so important to his mum, I’m able to, in some way, know a part of her through them and of course through him.
“And it’s incredibly special. And to be able to have this, which sort of links where you come from and Botswana, which is important to us, it’s perfect.” THE PROPOSAL
Harry: “It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage – just a standard, typical night for us.”
Meghan: “Just a cosy night, what were we doing? Just roasting chicken...” Harry: “Trying to roast a chicken.”
Meghan: “Trying to roast a chicken, and it was just an amazing surprise.
“It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee. I could barely let you finish proposing. I said, ‘Can I say yes now?’”
Harry: “She didn’t even let me finish, she said, ‘Can I say yes, can I say yes?’ And then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger and I was like, ‘Can I give you the ring?’ She goes, ‘Oh yes, the ring.’
“So no it was... it was a really nice moment, it was just the two of us and I think I managed to catch her by surprise as well.”
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Harry: “We were introduced actually by a mutual friend.”
Meghan: “It was definitely a set-up. It was a blind date.
“It’s so interesting because we talk about it now and even then... because I am from the States, you don’t grow up with the same understanding of the Royal Family.
“While I now understand very clearly there is a global interest there, I didn’t know much about him, and so the only thing that I had asked when she said she wanted to set us up was... ‘Well, is he nice?’
“Because if he wasn’t kind, then it didn’t seem like it would make sense.
“We went and met for a drink, then very quickly into that we said, ‘What are we doing tomorrow? We should meet again.’”
Harry: “I’d never even heard about her until this friend said Meghan Markle. I was like, ‘Right, give me a bit of background, what’s going on here?’ I had never watched Suits. I was beautifully surprised when I walked into that room and there she was sitting there. I thought, ‘I am really going to have to up my game here, sit down and make sure I have got good chat.’
“And then it was, I think, about three, maybe four weeks later that I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana.
“And we camped out with each other under the stars, she came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic.”
Meghan: “Just to take the time to be able to go on long country walks and just talk.”
DATING
Harry: “We had to sort of reverse the whole process – cosy nights in, in
She didn’t even let me finish, she said, ‘Can I say yes, can I say yes?’ PRINCE HARRY ON POPPING THE QUESTION
front of the television, cooking dinner just the two of us in our little cottage, rather than going out for dinner and being seen in public.
“It has provided different opportunities. And it has made us a hell of a lot closer in a shorter space of time.
“If there is anyone at home listening, maybe slow down on the dates and maybe spend more time at home.
“For us, it’s an opportunity to really get to know each other without other people looking or trying to take photos on their phones and all that kind of stuff. That comes with the job, comes with the role.”
LOVE
Harry: “The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was sort of confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned, everything was just perfect.
“It was this beautiful woman just literally tripped and fell into my life, I fell into her life.”
Meghan: “Very early on when we realised we were going to commit to each other, we knew we had to invest the time and the energy and whatever it took to make that happen.”
Harry: “Trying to stay as close as possible but on two different time zones, and five hours apart, does have its challenges. But we made it work and now we’re here, so we’re thrilled.
“I know, at the end of the day, she chooses me and I choose her, and therefore whatever we have to tackle together or individually, it will always be us together as a team.”
THE QUEEN
Meghan: “It’s incredible to be able to meet her through his lens; not just with his honour and respect for her as the monarch, but the love he has for her as his grandmother. All of those layers have been so important so that when I met her, I had such a deep understanding and, of course, incredible respect for being able to have that time with her. She’s an incredible woman.”
THE CORGIS
Harry: “The corgis took to you straight away. I’ve spent the last 33 years being barked at; this one walks in, absolutely nothing.”
Meghan: “Just laying on my feet during tea, it was very sweet.”
HER DOGS
Meghan: “I have two dogs I’ve had for quite a long time, my rescue pups. One is staying with close friends, my other little guy... he’s been here a while.”
HIS FAMILY
Meghan: “His family has been so welcoming, on both sides of his family. On his mum’s side as well, which has been really important to me, too.
“The family has been great, and over the past year and a half we’ve just had a really nice time getting to know them, and progressively helping me feel a part of not just the institution but also part of the family, which has been really special.
Harry: “Tracking them down to make sure they are around at the same time she is popping in without telling too many people; we’ve actually done incredibly well to ensure you’ve met all the key people.”
HER FAMILY
Meghan: “I’m sure at the onset, both my parents and my close friends were concerned because we got very quickly swept up in a media storm that was not part of my life before. But they also had never seen me so happy.
“And I think also once my friends were able to really meet Harry, and my mum, who we’ve spent a lot of time with, who is so much fun...”
Harry: “Her mum’s amazing.”
Meghan: “And he’s talked to my dad a few times. He hasn’t been able to meet him just yet, but it’s all been worth every effort.”
GIVING UP ACTING
Meghan: “I don’t see it as giving anything up, I just see it as a change. I thought, you know what, I have ticked this box, and I feel very proud of the work I had done there, and now it’s time to work as a team with you.”
CHILDREN
Harry: “Of course... one step at the time and hopefully we will start a family in the near future.”
ROYAL DUTIES
Harry: “I know she’ll be unbelievably good at the job part of it as well. [That] is obviously a huge relief to me because she will be able to deal with everything that comes with it.
“We’re a fantastic team, we know we are. And we hope over time to try and have as much impact for the things we care about as possible.”
Meghan: “I think what’s been really exciting as we talk about the transition of this out of my career but into the role is that, as you said, the causes that have been really important to me I can focus even more energy on.
“You realise once you have access or a voice people are willing to listen to, with that comes a lot of responsibility, which I take very seriously.
“And at the same time, in these beginning few months and now being boots on the ground in the UK, I’m excited to really just get to know more about the different communities here, smaller organisations working on the same causes I have always been passionate about, and also going around to the Commonwealth.”
Harry: “She is capable of anything.”
FAME
Meghan: “I think I can very safely say, as naive as it sounds having gone through this learning curve in the past year and a half, I did not have any understanding of just what it would be like. I don’t think either of us did.”
It’s so important to me to know his mum’s a part of this MEGHAN ON HARRY USING DIANA’S DIAMONDS IN RING
HARRY knew he had found someone special when he and Meghan bonded over a passion close to his own heart.
The pair shared a bottle of rosé wine at London private members club Soho House in July last year as she told him about her campaign for clean water in Rwanda.
The royal has travelled the world, and Africa in particular, helping others. And from the moment he sat listening to Meghan speak he was smitten, bombarding her with texts asking to see her again.
They kept their relationship a secret until the actress broke her silence in a Vanity Fair interview.
“I think it’s really simple,” she said. “We’re two people who are really happy and in love. We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news and the only thing that changed was people’s perception. I’m still the same person and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.”
Meghan could not be more different to the women Harry, once known as the Party Prince, dated in the past, typically a blonde society girl, model or TV presenter. She is also divorced – from producer Trevor Engelson, who she wed in 2011 and split from in 2013.
In a chat with Hello! Canada before she got together with Harry, she was asked to pick between him and brother William. Thankfully, after first saying “I don’t know” she said: “Harry? Harry, sure.”
The couple said yesterday they were introduced by a mutual friend who effectively set up a blind date – but would not reveal who it was. Meghan’s pal, Irish broadcaster Ryan Tubridy, said Harry had found what he was looking for in her.
He said: “Harry seems to have decided, ‘I don’t need a society type, I just want somebody fun’.”
And Harry’s pal, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, said: “[Harry] has always been a happy guy but I’ve not seen him so happy since he’s been with Meghan.
“We were at a wedding earlier this year. You have never seen a
man with such a smile – and it wasn’t my jokes that put it there.”
Harry and Meghan kept thing low-key. After a month in London, she returned home to Toronto. They met up again in the Cotswolds and their relationship was very much under wraps, only close family and friends knowing.
However, the lid came off at Halloween last year after rumours of them being together at a party, and Harry confirmed the relationship. There was then a noticeable shift in the way he was behaving. They enjoyed private tours of the Natural History Museum and romantic trips away – all with the eyes of the world on them.
A month later they were snapped in Battersea buying a Christmas tree. On December 14, they were pictured hand-in-hand on a visit to a West End show.
The lovebirds spent New Year in London then jetted off to Norway, to camp under the Northern Lights. Another sign things were getting serious was Harry asking Meghan to the wedding of pal Tom Inskip in March. The world was desperate to see a public display of affection and, in May, they delivered with a kiss in the car park at a polo match.
Harry pulled out all the stops for Meghan’s 36th birthday in August as they celebrated in a £650 a night hotel in Botswana.
Then the following month she finally opened up as Vanity Fair published its candid interview on her need for privacy.
Meghan said: “We’re a couple. We’re in love. I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to present ourselves and have stories to tell but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time.”
Echoing her, Harry said yesterday that privacy was crucial to “have a chance to get to know each other”.
Weeks after her interview, they made their first official appearance at his Invictus Games in Toronto.
A day later, their body language at a tennis match told the world how deeply in love they were.
And that same magical body language was there as they revealed their engagement yesterday.