Happy anniversary to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle! The couple is celebrating two years of marriage today. Life has changed drastically for Harry and Meghan in the last two years. The two have become parents to adorable 1-year-old Archie. They also made the monumental decision to step away from their roles as senior royals.
Since trading London for Los Angeles, Harry and Meghan seem happier than ever. While they may have settled down far from the UK, it's hard to ignore how radiant the two were on that May afternoon in 2018. There were so many magical moments on the couple's special day. They've even shared their own favorites.
Harry and Meghan's trajectory has been unusual, even for a royal couple. The controversy that has constantly followed them is truly heartbreaking. On the bright side, it's allowed us to see how deep their devotion to each other runs. The foundation of their little family is a strong one as they move onto their next chapter.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding day was a monumental event for many people. The public's love of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana's youngest child has always been immeasurable. He's grown up before the very eyes of many royal family devotees.
For many people, Harry and Meghan's relationship showed progress in the royal family. The same people who once shunned Camilla Parker Bowles as unmarriageable for not being a virgin were welcoming a woman of color who is also a divorcée into their midst. What's more, a woman like Meghan whom society so badly wanted (and still wants) to dismiss could own her happiness on a world stage.
The day is even more special when you consider all the drama we now know was going on behind the scenes. Meghan managed to be radiant and charismatic despite being stressed about the state of her relationship with her father. Harry managed to charm everyone, including his bride, while knowing his family wasn't 100% behind his decision.
Later in the year, Harry and Meghan's wedding outfits were put on display to the public at Windsor Castle as part of a Royal Wedding exhibition. The couple recorded audio for the exhibit, and she shared some of her favorite details from the day.
"I wanted a female designer, that was very important, I wanted a British designer because I wanted to embrace my new home in that way," she said of her gorgeous wedding dress by Clare Waight Keller, artist director at Givenchy.
"I wanted something that felt reflective of the world in a way."
When Meghan walked down the aisle, the song was custom-chosen by Harry. "[It] was actually Harry's choice entirely and I think a really beautiful piece," she said of his selection. The song was George Frideric Handel's "Eternal Source of Light Divine" and it was performed on the day by Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas.
"I was looking for something completely different," Harry explains in his recording.
"I ended up stumbling across this piece of music, something that epitomizes the whole day, the whole feeling that I have for her, and this incredibly impactful music with no organ whatsoever, with a soloist who actually did the most incredible job."
"Wherever we are, whatever we’re doing, we can close our eyes, listen to that music and take ourselves straight back to that moment; it's a beautiful thing for both of us."
Harry and Meghan are spending their second wedding anniversary at home, where the couple has been isolating. They've only been spotted out and about while volunteering.
"Today the family is spending a quiet day together," a source told People magazine.
"The day will simply be quality time with one another and as a family," another source told Harper's Bazaar.
"They're not going to be doing any work and made sure they have no meetings or calls in the diary. Like everyone else, they are in lockdown at the moment, so they will just be hanging out together at home, but it will still be a lovely day."
None of the royal family social media accounts posted a tribute to Harry and Meghan. It's understandable on one hand, as the family has expressed a desire for privacy. On the other, the event meant as much to the British public as to anyone, and it wouldn't feel wrong if they had commemorated it either.
Instead, the Royal Family account lamented that the Queen's famous garden parties would have began today. " Every year, The Queen welcomes over 30,000 guests to Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse," the caption read.
"The Garden Parties are an important part of Her Majesty’s diary when she can meet people who have made a positive impact in their community. Today would have been the season's second Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, and guests invited this year will be welcomed in 2021."
One of the charities Harry is a patron of, WellChild, shared well-wishes for the Sussexes. "Happy 2nd wedding anniversary to our Patron The Duke of Sussex & The Duchess of Sussex," the charity wrote.
"Some WellChild Families & WellChild Nurses had the honour of attending the big day. WellChild is forever grateful for the support from The Duke and Duchess. #RoyalWedding."
Many fans of the couple have shared warm wishes for Harry and Meghan online. "It was the first royal wedding I watched and the last," tweeted one Sussex fan.
"I was happy that day cos Harry & Meghan's wedding was so refreshing and seeing so much love btw them was/is so beautiful Happy 2nd anniversary to The Duke and The Duchess of Sussex."
We may learn some more details about Harry and Meghan's lives during their engagement, wedding, and more in a new book about the couple due out this summer. Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family is due out in August. The book promises a unique perspective on the couple's journey, with access to some of the closest people to them.
Harry and Meghan have come a long way in their relationship. The two have found true understanding and genuine dedication in one another. Their family is just setting out on their own journey, and we can't wait to see where it takes them.
