A Look Back At Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's Wedding Shows How Much Their Lives Transformed

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It's safe to say that life has changed for all of us since 2018. Yet, for Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, there have been some major changes the average person doesn't face. The couple's 2018 wedding was a massive event that had the whole world watching. And it didn't take too long after their nuptials for their lives to branch onto an entirely unexpected path. Looking back at photos of the big day years later is certainly interesting. And, it puts just how different their lives are today into perspective.

So much happened in a matter of just a few years after Harry and Meghan tied the knot. They welcomed two children to the family, made history by leaving royal life behind, moved to a new country, lost some beloved relatives, and became estranged from many others. These days, the couple seems to be enjoying life in California, taking on different business ventures, raising their young family, and enjoying a balance between public life and privacy that seems to make them feel safer and more at ease than the pressures the world of royalty presented. But there are plenty of downsides for the couple, too. Looking back on the history-making royal wedding really puts a spotlight on just how much has changed for this couple and how surprising the events that followed have really been.

These days, it's hard to imagine the feud between Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and William, Prince of Wales, coming to an end. Yet seeing William by his brother's side on his wedding day, it's surprising that the pair wouldn't be on speaking terms just years later. Ahead of the nuptials, Buckingham Palace announced that William was Harry's best man. The same happened a few years prior when Harry was announced as William's best man. Interestingly, though, things weren't as cut and dry as they looked.

In his 2023 memoir "Spare," Harry revealed behind-the-scenes details of his life as a royal. And apparently, William and Harry weren't actually the best men at each other's nuptials, despite what the public was told. Instead, each prince chose an old friend to fill the important role. Harry didn't seem to think that this would cause hurt feelings between him and his brother, since William had done the same to him. Still, William was a no-show when Harry and pals went out for drinks the night before the "I do"s. 

"Was he feeling bad about not being my best man? Was he upset that I'd asked my old mate Charlie? (The Palace put out the story that Willy was the best man, as they'd done with me when he and Kate married.) Could that be part of it?" Harry wrote in "Spare." Evidently, while things looked happy between the brothers at the time, the storm was already brewing.

When it comes to the royal family feud, there is quite a bit of "he said, she said." Yet, most can agree that the royals have always had a bit of trepidation about Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, joining the family. It's safe to assume that King Charles III is not a fan of his daughter-in-law, and the feeling is almost certainly mutual. But Meghan once asked Charles to be a special part of her wedding day. Meghan's estranged relationship with her father inspired quite a bit of chatter leading up to the big day about whether he would be in attendance and who might walk the duchess-to-be down the aisle. Ultimately, Meghan chose to walk down the first portion of the aisle by herself, and it was her new father-in-law who walked her the rest of the way.

In the documentary, " Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70," Prince Harry recalled presenting his dad with the hefty ask. "I asked him to and I think he knew it was coming and he immediately said, 'Yes, of course, I'll do whatever Meghan needs and I'm here to support you,'" he recalled. It's hard to imagine either party agreeing to this arrangement now. And, while it wasn't apparent to the many folks watching the royal wedding live on TV, Queen Elizabeth II was reportedly not particularly keen on the idea of Charles playing this role in the ceremony.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were, of course, VIP guests at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. As such, they were seated in the section of St. George's Chapel closest to where the newlyweds said their vows. It was surely special for Harry to have his grandparents there on his big day. And, it was probably particularly special, since both royals died just a few years later. In 2021, Philip died just a month ahead of Harry and Meghan's three-year wedding anniversary at the age of 99. A year and a half after that, Elizabeth died at the age of 96.

When he was saying "I do" with his grandparents watching from so close by, Harry surely couldn't have anticipated how he would find out about his grandmother's passing less than five years later. In his memoir "Spare," Harry recalled the upsetting series of events that were set into motion, in large part, due to his estrangement from his family. According to Harry, his father told him that Elizabeth was struggling with her health. Harry flew to see her, but he was instructed to leave Meghan at home. "When the plane started to descend I saw that my phone lit up. It was a message from Meg: 'Call me when you get this,'" he wrote, adding, "I looked at the BBC website. My grandmother had died."

No matter what family you're marrying into, most folks choose to abide by certain traditions on their wedding day. For Meghan Markle, though, there were traditions she had to honor that aren't the norm for others. The Duchess of Sussex has been outspoken about how obeying royal rules relating to fashion wasn't easy. And, on her wedding day, there were extra outfit restrictions in place. She wasn't permitted to show cleavage or have her shoulders exposed. Long sleeves are another feature that royal brides are expected to wear. Even her bouquet had rules. Queen Victoria started the tradition that brides in the royal family have myrtle in their bouquets. Meghan had an iconic bridal look, and she clearly made many choices that stayed true to her unique style. If she were getting married today, though, she would surely make some different choices without royal restrictions in place.

She isn't the only one who would almost surely be donning a different ensemble if the wedding was today. Harry wore a Blues and Royals military uniform for the big day, which required special permission from Queen Elizabeth. As a veteran, Harry likely considered this a special honor. Later, though, he was stripped of his military titles after stepping down as a senior royal. As a result, he wasn't allowed to wear military garb while attending Elizabeth's funeral events, so he probably wouldn't be allowed to walk down the aisle in it today, either. 

Tiaras are another non-negotiable part of a royal bride's wedding day look. Meghan Markle walked down the aisle in a particularly stunning one: Queen Mary's diamond bandeau tiara. Since the headpiece is such an important part of a bridal ensemble, many people were curious about which historical piece Meghan would don for the big day. This one, which was nearly 90 years old, was lent to her courtesy of Queen Elizabeth. These days, Meghan probably wouldn't be permitted to wear an important part of royal family history. And, even in the few years that followed the wedding, Elizabeth likely wouldn't have been keen on the idea of Meghan borrowing any family jewels.

It's worth noting that even though things were hardly as contentious between the Sussexes and the rest of the royals as they would soon become, Elizabeth was clearly already feeling uneasy about her grandson and his new bride on the wedding day. And, apparently, no amount of royal rule-following could save Meghan from that fate. In her book, "My Mother and I," royal biographer Ingrid Seward wrote, "Lady Elizabeth told me that the Queen had made only one remark to her about Meghan and Harry's wedding, which was that the bride's Givenchy wedding gown was 'too white'. In the monarch's view, it was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church to look quite so flamboyantly virginal." Commentary like that certainly indicates that there was resentment growing among the royals.