Times Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Seemed Like Just A Normal Couple
Couples in the royal family have standards to uphold and rules to follow. Most couples adhere to these rules — Prince William and Princess Catherine are a great example. They make their appearances, dress the part, and act how they're supposed to. However, we know there are a few members of the royal family who chose to go against the grain, like Princess Diana and Prince Harry. However, of all the royal couples we've seen over the years, Harry and Meghan Markle are the most relatable by a mile.
In the almost seven years they've been together, Harry and Meghan have engaged in PDA, gone on many dates, and done plenty of other things that normal couples do together. In 2022, the couple dropped a bombshell Netflix documentary, "Harry & Meghan," where they delved deep into how they met and the early stages of dating, sharing moments where they appeared like a normal couple, at least in those regards. That being said, the Netflix doc is full of surprising revelations and is definitely worth watching if you haven't already. So, let's get into all the moments that made Harry and Meghan seem like a normal couple.
When a mutual friend set them up
Surely many of us grew up with fairytales of princes and princesses, daydreaming of meeting our own prince in some magical way. Well, Meghan and Harry met under probably the least "magical" and most normal circumstances as any of us — a mutual friend set them up. The couple met in July 2016 after Harry saw a Snapchat of Meghan and a mutual friend posted on the mutual friends' Instagram. "I was like 'Who is that?" he said in "Episode 1" of their Netlifx doc "Harry & Meghan."
From there, the mutual friend emailed Meghan, letting her know a friend was interested. Meghan did a little Instagram stalking on Harry's private Instagram and was impressed with what she saw. From there, they began texting. The next thing you know, the two went on their first date, and Harry showed up late. "I was panicking. I was freaking out. I was, like, sweating." Harry shared. But things went well on the date. "He was just so fun, just so refreshingly fun," Meghan recalled. Things went well enough that Meghan asked him if he wanted to grab dinner the following night. After that second date, the two knew they wanted to give things a shot. They even snapped a cute photo to capture the moment. They both texted their friends, gushing over the two dates and how much they liked each other. The rest is history. What a modern-day fairytale — a love story initiated on Instagram.
When they had a long-distance relationship
We realize long-distance might not be considered the norm for many people, but there are plenty of people out there who are in long-distance relationships. At the beginning of their relationship, Harry and Meghan made things work long-distance. "Everything was just texts and Facetimes. We just talked for hours, and it just felt exciting," Meghan recalled in "Episode 1" of "Harry & Meghan." She said despite the distance, everything felt relaxed and easy. They just focused on getting to know one another.
After about a month of not seeing each other, Meghan joined Harry on a trip to Botswana. The two had a blast on the trip, bringing them much closer. However, Meghan developed a "two-week rule," meaning they would make plans to see each other roughly every two weeks. For them, this was a much better way to maintain their long-distance relationship. So, Meghan flew to see Harry every two weeks, as it was much easier for her to fly to him. She stayed with him on the Kensington Palace grounds. After all, they were still dating under the radar and wanted their relationship to remain private for as long as possible.
On their recent date night
Before leaving the royal family, Harry and Meghan went on a number of outings together. Of course, there are plenty of photos out there. After all, the couple clearly values spending quality time together and going on dates. However, during the early stages of the relationship, Meghan and Harry went on private dates together. In "Harry & Meghan," during the first episode, the couple talked about walking on Kensington Palace grounds together and going on other dates under the radar.
Now that the couple has left the royal family, they seem to be going on more standard dates together. In fact, recently, the couple was spotted at a Los Angeles Lakers game together without their little ones, according to People. The two were even put on the kiss cam spotlight during the game. Although they didn't share a kiss on camera, they looked smitten with each other, smiling and leaning in close to one another. Looks like a successful date night to us.
Every time they showed a little PDA
When we're smitten with someone, many of us love showing a little PDA, like holding hands, sharing a quick kiss, and hugging each other. Since their first appearance at the Invictus Games, a sporting event founded by Harry for wounded and injured service men and women, in 2017, it was clear the couple wouldn't shy away from public affection as they were seen holding hands. In fact, throughout their time in the royal family, they continued to hold hands at many public events and shared a few on-camera kisses, too.
Many speculate on whether or not sharing a kiss or holding hands is a violation of royal protocol. However, there are technically no specific rules preventing royals from engaging in PDA, according to royal etiquette expert Myka Meier via People. Nonetheless, all royal family members are expected to use their judgment and act accordingly, depending on the event. Meier spoke to People on Harry and Meghan's PDA, "There is no protocol that says they can not show affection on official engagements, and this gesture makes them relatable and lovable to the public."
When Harry proposed to Meghan
When Harry and Meghan announced their engagement, the entire world was buzzing. This announcement was a big deal for many reasons, which the two discuss in "Episode 2" of "Harry & Meghan." In that regard, the announcement of their engagement was anything but ordinary. However, the actual proposal was quite normal. Still sweet, of course, but very relatable to everyday couples.
Throughout the second episode of the limited series, the two share the intimate details of how the night of their engagement went down and how Harry proposed. While cooking dinner back on the Kensington Palace grounds, Harry opened a bottle of champagne, which Meghan found odd. "I did pop a bottle of champagne while she was greasing the chicken, and that kind of slightly gave the game away," Harry explained. "She was like, 'You don't drink champagne. What's the occasion?' I was like, 'I don't know. Just had it laying around here, whatever.'" Harry then led Meghan out to the garden, where he had some electric candles set up around a blanket. Meghan's dog, Guy, was also there for the happy moment.
When they did an engagement photoshoot
One of the fun parts of getting engaged is taking engagement photos, and Meghan and Harry certainly didn't pass up on this engagement tradition. In December 2017, a few of the photos were released on the official Twitter account of the Prince and Princess of Wales. At the time, the account not only made announcements and updates regarding Prince William and Princess Catherine but also Prince Harry and Meghan. The original tweets also stated fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski took the photos at Frogmore House in Windsor Home Park. Lubomirski also shared a photo on his Instagram. "... Not only was it an incredible honour, but also an immense privilege to be invited to share and be a witness to this young couple's love for each other," he captioned his post.
The photos ranged from up close shots in color to black and white options. One shot shows off Meghan's engagement ring, which contains three stones. In their official engagement interview via BBC News, Harry shared that the center stone came from Botswana, where they spent their first week together. The other two stones came from his mother's jewelry collection. If that isn't the sweetest engagement ring, we don't know what is.
When they announced their second pregnancy on Instagram
Historically, most royal pregnancy announcements have been pretty low-key in how they're announced. Typically, the palace releases a formal statement announcing a royal pregnancy, and that's about it. The news is still exciting to the public, of course, but it isn't exactly personal or relatable. However, with the changes in technology and how we receive news, we're seeing some changes in the way royals announce pregnancies. Take Princess Eugenie, for example. She announced both her pregnancies on her Instagram accounts, sharing adorable photos.
When it came time to deliver the news of Prince Archie, an official announcement with a photo came to the public via Twitter. Their second pregnancy announcement with Princess Lilibet, however, really stood out. Meghan's long-time friend and photographer, Misan Harriman, shared a sweet black-and-white photo of the couple sitting under a tree on his Instagram. The announcement came almost one year after they stepped down as senior members of the royal family. Compared to other pregnancy announcements, it was very personal, making it extremely relatable to ordinary couples everywhere.
When they talked about parenting
Just like most parents out there, Meghan and Harry continue finding a balance with parenting two children. In an interview on The Ellen Show, Meghan talked about going from one child to two and its impact on not only their lives but Archie's too. Meghan told Ellen, "[Archie] loves being a big brother." A friend of the couple even told them, "When you have one kid it's a hobby, and two children is parenting," she said. And as most parents can relate, Meghan hadn't slept the night before the show, as Lilibet was teething at the time. During her interview, she also mentioned how sweet it was to watch Harry as a father to their children.
As for Harry, he discussed his two children on "60 Minutes" with Anderson Cooper saying he has a new appreciation for his mother. She did everything she could to shield William and Harry from the paparazzi while trying to raise them as normal as possible. It seems Harry has the same intentions for both Archie and Lilibet. While on Dax Shepard and Monica Padman's podcast, "Armchair Expert," Harry talks about the generational pain passed down in the royal family. " ... I'm going to make sure I break that cycle so that I don't pass it on." It's clear he wants to be the best father he can be.
When they sent out adorable family Christmas cards
Around the holidays, many families love sending out holiday cards to their loved ones, and so do Meghan and Harry. In December 2019, Harry and Meghan decided to share their own Christmas card. The digital Christmas card, shared on The Queen's Commonwealth Trust Twitter account, features a photo with Harry, Meghan, and baby Archie front and center. The tweet reads, "Just sharing the sweetest Christmas card from our President and Vice-President, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Very Merry Christmas, everyone!" Their 2021 Holiday card was just as sweet, if not more, and featured a photo of Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet. This is the first photo released to the public of Lilibet, according to People.
The couple also sent out a Christmas card in 2022. Although not as adorable as the first one in 2020, the card provided similar feelings of love and holiday cheer, featuring a black and white photo of the couple holding hands. Royal author Omid Scobie shared the Christmas card with the public on Twitter.
When they gave each other anniversary gifts
Whether a couple is dating or married, it's kind of important to get one another anniversary gifts. It's a nice way to show appreciation for one another. It seems that Meghan and Harry take the practice quite seriously. The couple loves to give each other traditional anniversary gifts, such as paper for their first anniversary, cotton for their second, and so on.
However, a source told People, "They love to do their own take on traditional wedding gifts." The source shared that Meghan's first-anniversary gift to Harry was a framed piece of paper with her handwritten vows on it. How sweet is that? For their first anniversary, Harry also gave Meghan an eternity ring to celebrate their first year together as well as the birth of little Archie. Meghan and Harry, just like many of us, love celebrating their love for one another by giving each other sweet, sentimental gifts.