WHEN HARRY MET MEGHAN’S MUM
Mum joins them at Invictus ceremony
‘Happy memories’
AFTer months of avoiding being seen together, a besotted Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have offered a very public display of their affection.
The couple cosied up in a private box at Saturday’s closing ceremony of the prince’s remarkable Invictus Games in Miss Markle’s home city of Toronto, with Harry seen planting a tender kiss on his girlfriend’s cheek.
And – further cementing the growing seriousness of their relationship – the pair were joined by 36-year-old Miss Markle’s mother, Doria ragland.
Harry, 33, had begun the evening in a VIP box in the Air Canada Centre along with Canadian first lady Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and other dignitaries.
Meanwhile on the other side of the stadium, his US-born girlfriend of 14 months was watching from a darkened private box.
The couple had earlier been seen together at the opening ceremony, where they were seated in the same section but in different rows, with Miss Markle sat with close friend, Markus Anderson.
She was joined again on Saturday by Soho House members club executive Mr Anderson, who is widely believed to have introduced her to the prince.
More notable, however, was the presence of her mother Miss ragland, a yoga teacher and therapist. The 60-year-old was dressed in a floaty lilac chiffon blouse and jeans with her hair pulled back in an elegant ponytail.
Miss ragland is extremely close to her daughter and her appearance suggests Harry is very much part of the family.
After leaving the VIP box to join Miss Markle, Harry was seen kissing and cuddling his girlfriend, standing with an affectionate arm around her waist.
He was also spotted chatting animatedly with his potential future mother-in-law, as Miss Markle lovingly wrapped her hands around his arm. During the ceremony, Miss ragland could be seen dancing as Bruce Springsteen performed – however Harry and Miss Markle were too engrossed in one another’s company to join her.
Shortly before the ceremony’s end, Harry himself appeared on stage where he was greeted with a standing ovation before delivering a passionate speech.
In it he declared: ‘Don’t just move on from these games with happy memories. Instead, make an Invic- tus goal for yourselves. Let the examples of service and resilience...inspire you to take action to improve something – big or small – in your life.’
As he spoke, Miss Markle and her mother could be seen clapping enthusiastically from their seats.
The event marked the third time the couple appeared in public together in the last week.
Following the opening ceremony, last Monday they turned up together to watch a wheelchair tennis match in full view of the public and photographers, seeming apparently unconcerned by the attention they received. Sources said the appearance was carefully choreographed by Kensington Palace after Harry decided he wanted to end speculation as to whether they would be seen together and focus on the games.
It is widely expected, given their very public declarations of love, that the couple’s much-talked about engagement will be announced by the end of the year, followed by a summer wedding.
The Mail understands that Miss Markle, the star of legal drama Suits – which is filmed in Toronto, is making plans to move to London permanently, cancelling her VIP car lease and discussing her departure with television bosses.