Harry and Megan Markle: full relationship timeline from when they first met to now

It’s hard to remember what things were like before Prince Harry met, fell in love with and married Meghan Markle - here’s a breakdown of their relationship timeline
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been in the public eye since they first met in 2016. The public has followed their relationship, which started in a ‘fairytale’ fashion after being introduced by a mutual friend.

It’s hard to remember what things were like before Prince Harry met, fell in love with and married Meghan Markle. The pair have been in the public eye ever since they first met in ‘fairytale fashion’ after being introduced by a mutual friend.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Meghan Markle was an American actress who was known for starring as a paralegal turned lawyer in the US series Suits. Meanwhile, Prince Harry has grown up in the Royal spotlight and is the younger son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. The pair met in 2016 and say they knew ‘almost nothing’ about each other before they met.

Here’s a timeline of the royal couple’s time together so far.

Here’s a timeline of the relationship between Prince Harry and Meghan MarkleHere’s a timeline of the relationship between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Here’s a timeline of the relationship between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship timeline

  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement in 2017. Harry met the Suites actress in July 2016 after being introduced by a mutual friend. The couple says they knew little to nothing about each other before their first date.
  • In February 2018 Harry and Meghan appeared alongside Kate and William to discuss Heads Together, a mental health initiative to unite groups.
  • The media was dubbing them ‘the Fab Four’ and expected they would do many events and back causes as a four.
  • Harry and Meghan married in May 2018 at Windsor Castle in front of hundreds of guests and TV cameras for a global audience.
  • Meghan had mental health struggles during her first pregnancy, later revealed in an interview with Oprah.
  • The couple’s first child, Archie was born in May 2019. They were living at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor at this time. 
  • Harry and Meghan decided to exit Royal duties in early 2020, and they moved to Canada and then the US.
  • They did an interview with Oprah in March 2021 to share their reasons for moving. Meghan was pregnant with their second child, Lilibet.
  • Harry detailed strained relations with his family and why they felt it was necessary to leave the UK and royal life.
  • The last public outing between Harry and his brother Prince William was in September 2022 after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
  • This was before the release of Harry’s book ‘Spare’, a memoir detailing altercations between the brothers and possible feuds over wedding details between Meghan and Kate.
  • Meghan and Harry appeared in December 2022 at the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Foundation event to accept an award recognising their activism.
  • Harry’s last words on his family rift were delivered in TV interviews with ITV’s Tom Bradby as well as in US interviews
  • Meghan has been absent during the PR for the memoir. The couple have been spotted on a date night in February 2023.