This time three years ago, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were still strangers yet to be introduced by a mutual friend who thought they’d be perfect for each other.
One royal wedding and the arrival of Baby SusđâŻđ later, and life has changed quickly for the couple – who were once famed for their love of jet-setting and wild parties.
So as the Duke and Duchess of SusđâŻđ embrace a new chapter, we look back at their secret intercontinental hookups, wild parties and very British dates…
Within three years, Meghan and Harry have gone from secret lovers to delighted parents
Blind dates
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in London in July 2016 after a mutual friend set them up on a blind date.
“We met for a drink, and then I think very quickly into that we said, ‘Well what are we doing tomorrow? We should meet again,'” she revealed in their engagement interview.
Meghan pictured around the same time that she met Harry
However, she insisted she had no preconceived notion about his royal status.
“I didnât know much about him, so the only thing that I had asked [our mutual friend] when she said that she wanted to set us up, was, ‘Well is he nice?’ Because if he wasn’t kind, it just didnât seem like it would make sense,” she said.
Falling in love in Africa
Meghan Markle plays with a child during part of her outreach work in Africa in 2017Â (Â Image:Â PA)
After a second date, Harry convinced Meghan to join him on a trip to Africa three weeks later.
“I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana and we camped out with each other under the stars,” he said.
“Then we were really by ourselves, which was crucial to me to make sure that we had a chance to get to know each other.”
The pair were even spotted wearing matching bracelets and reportedly went on secret dog walks together.
Meeting the parents
Harry wasted no time introducing her to the Queen and Prince Charles
The stunning star was later introduced to Harry’s dad, Prince Charles, and his cousin Princess Eugenie as things started to get more serious.
They began dating, but Harry wanted to keep their romance secret – presumably after seeing how Kate Middleton was treated when she first got together with his older brother Prince William.
Meghan, 35, was reportedly struggling with a messy break up with an ex but has fallen for Harry.
“He’s head over heels and she feels the same,” a source also claimed.
The secret is out
News of Harry and Meghan’s relationship broke over Halloween weekend, when the pair were holed up in Meghanâs upscale Toronto apartment.
They spent a week alone with each other, making a low-key appearance at Soho House Toronto for a Halloween party, and the UK arm of the private members club is said to have been another of their favourite hotspots.
Meghan pictured with pal Millie Mackintosh at Soho House
Harry reportedly cancelled a secret trip to see Meghan over fears photographers would scupper their romantic break.
The Evening Standard reported he was booked on a British Airways flight but did not arrive at the airport.
A source told the Evening Standard: “The flight was booked last week but he was a no-show. The crew for the British Airways flight knew the Prince was booked to travel with them. It appears he pulled out at the last minute and decided not to travel.”
Trolls and statements
Prince Harry issued a furious statement
On November 8 Harry took the unprecedented step of releasing a statement pleading with social media trolls to stop the “waves of abuse and harassment.”
Rumours flew that his actions had angered big brother Prince William, but he silenced the talk with his own statement, which read, “The Duke of Cambridge absolutely understands the situation concerning privacy and supports the need for Prince Harry to support those closest to him.”
Meghan’s family
Meghan Markle pictured with her half-sister Samantha Markle
Meghan’s family started to crawl out the woodwork, with her half-sister claiming she’s nothing but a social climber.
Samantha Grant, 51, told The Sun: “Hollywood has changed her. I think her ambition is to become a princess⌠it was something she dreamed of as a girl when we watched the royals on TV.
“I am not sure how the Queen would feel about someone who shuns their own family. Meghan is narcissistic and selfish, I think the Royal family would be appalled.”
Career changes
Meghan Markle as Rachel Zane in Suits
In April 2017 Meghan announced she was shutting down her lifestyle website, The Tig, before quitting Netflix show Suits soon after.
“What began as a passion project (my little engine that could) evolved into an amazing community of inspiration, support, fun and frivolity,” she told her fans.
“Youâve made my days brighter and filled this experience with so much joy. Keep finding those Tig moments of discovery, keep laughing and taking risks, and keep being the change you wish to see in the world.”
Soon after she and Harry went public, attending the annual Audi Polo Challenge in Ascot, England, as a couple.
Meghan confirms the relationship
In October 2017, she hit the headlines by telling Vanity Fair, “Weâre a couple. Weâre in love.”
“Iâm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time,” she said, making it clear their romance was a private affair..
“This is for us. Itâs part of what makes it so special, thatâs just ours. But weâre happy. Personally, I love a great love story.”
Engaged!
They announced their engagement in November 2017
Harry got down on one knee and popped the question while she was making him roast chicken.
They confirmed their engagement on November 27, 2017 with a celebratory photoshoot and interview.
Wedding bells
It was a celeb-packed affair when Harry and Meghan tied the knot at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on May 19, 2018, with Oprah, David and Victoria Beckham and Elton John among the invitees.
The Duke and Duchess of SusđâŻđ on their wedding day in May 2018 ( Image: Getty Images Europe)
The bride stunned in a white Givenchy gown which she swapped for a halter-necked Stella McCartney dress for the evening reception at Frogmore House.
Baby on board
Five months later, Kensington Palace announced they were expecting their first child as they landed in Australia for their first joint royal tour.
And on May 6 it was revealed that Meghan had given birth to a bouncing đđđđ˘ boy.
Duke of SusđâŻđ spoke of his joy
In a gushing statement outside their Windsor home, Harry shared the happy news and said his wife was ‘amazing’.
âItâs been the most amazing experience I could ever imagine,” he said.
âHow any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension.â
“It was amazing, absolutely incredible. As I say, I am so incredibly proud of my wife and, as every father and parent would ever say your đđđđ˘ is absolutely amazing, this little đđđđ˘ is absolutely to die for.”
