Meghan’s reply when King Charles offered to walk her down the aisle | Royal | News
Meghan’s father Thomas Markle was not on her side of the family (Image: Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding ceremony nearly eight years ago looked picture perfect, but behind-the-scenes preparations were anything but simple.
The pageant was characterized by disputes over tiaras, run-ins with the Princess of Wales over bridesmaids’ dresses and numerous logistical hurdles that caused organizers to work around the clock. When that fateful day finally dawned on May 19, 2018, the royal family gathered at St George’s Chapel to witness the couple exchange vows, with Meghan wowing onlookers in her sophisticated Givenchy wedding gown.
But one notable absence was impossible to ignore; Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, was not on her side of the family. Less than a week before the ceremony, she confirmed she would not be attending, leaving her daughter with no one to accompany her down the aisle.
Luckily, Meghan’s soon-to-be father-in-law Charles offered to intervene, telling his bride-to-be that he would be honored to accompany her to the altar. But according to one report, his response to the good-hearted offer surprised the then-Prince of Wales.
In The Queen of Our Time, author Robert Hardman writes: “According to a friend, the answer wasn’t quite what she expected: ‘Can we meet halfway?’ “This was an indication that she was not a shy bride, but a confident, independent woman determined to make a grand entrance of her own.”
Since then, Harry and Meghan’s lives have undergone a dramatic transformation, from welcoming their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to stepping back from royal responsibilities and moving to California. Throughout this period, relations with the King, Prince William and Princess Kate became increasingly strained.
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The rift between Harry and his royal relatives is thought to have deepened following the publication of his contentious memoir Spare, in which he described a physical fight with William and Charles’ alleged failure to embrace him after Princess Diana’s death.
Harry also criticized his family in his and Meghan’s explosive Netflix docuseries.
Last year, Harry said he would not meet with the King over his legal battle over security arrangements in the UK, despite expressing a desire to ‘reconcile’ with his family.
In an interview with BBC television following his defeat at the final stage of his trial, Harry described the situation as “at its core, this is a family dispute”.
Meghan’s soon-to-be father-in-law Charles offered to step in (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
He said: “Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. Of course, they will never forgive me for many things. But, you know, I would love to make peace with my family.” He also said that “there is no point in continuing to fight anymore.”
Harry’s security provisions changed in 2020 when he and Meghan relinquished their duties in the royal family and moved to California seeking financial and personal autonomy. He hinted that the Royal Family and officials expected that awareness of increasing security threats would “force us to turn back”.
Following his unsuccessful legal battle to reinstate his security team in 2025, it was revealed that he contacted Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood shortly after his appointment and formally requested a risk assessment from the Executive Committee for the Protection of the Royal Family and Public Personalities (Ravec).
This evaluation is reportedly ongoing; Reports earlier this year suggested Harry was nearing the reinstatement of armed police protection during his visits to the UK and remained hopeful about the outcome of the review.
Since then, Harry and Meghan’s lives have undergone a dramatic transformation. (Image: Getty Images)
This evaluation is reportedly ongoing; Reports earlier this year suggested Harry was nearing the reinstatement of armed police protection during his visits to the UK and remained hopeful about the outcome of the review.
The nature of Harry’s relationship with his father remains mostly unclear. While the pair met privately for tea at Clarence House last September while the Duke attended the WellChild awards, father and son have not been together since.
Charles had just completed a brief state visit to the United States, but his East Coast commitments meant he was unable to see his son, daughter-in-law, or grandchildren, who reside on California’s West Coast.
