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Prince Harry 'thrilled' after announcing he is to marry Meghan Markle Prince Harry 'thrilled' after announcing he is to marry Meghan Markle
(about 3 hours later)
Prince Harry has said he is “thrilled” after announcing that he is to marry the American actor Meghan Markle next spring. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are to marry in the spring after announcing their engagement and admitting they were “totally unprepared” for the media storm that surrounded the first months of their relationship.
Congratulations have flooded in for the couple, who appeared in public for a photoshoot at Kensington Palace on Monday afternoon, hours after making their engagement public. The prince said he was “thrilled” to be marrying the US actor after an 18-month romance, and the couple presented themselves to the world with a photocall and 20-minute television interview at Kensington Palace.
Holding hands, the couple spoke briefly. Harry, wearing a navy blue suit and matching tie, said he was “thrilled, over the moon”. He declined to give details about the engagement, which happened this month in London, but joked: “Of course it was romantic.” Asked when he knew Markle was “the one”, he said: “The very first time we met.” On Tuesday, Palace aides are expected to announce the venue for the wedding and details of the first royal engagements that Markle will undertake with the prince as she is quickly assimilated into the royal household.
Markle, wearing a white wrap coat, displayed her engagement ring and said she was “so very happy”, rubbing Harry’s arm affectionately as the couple smiled for the cameras. In the TV interview, conducted by Mishal Husain, they revealed how the prince proposed to his future bride at his Nottingham Cottage home in the grounds of Kensington Palace on what was “a standard typical night in for us” while they were roasting a chicken for dinner.
The couple will move into a two-bedroom Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace after the wedding. Markle said it was “just an amazing surprise, it was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee ... I could barely let you finish proposing. I said, ‘can I say yes now?’”
Markle, whose mother is African American and father is white, also described as “disheartening” and “discriminatory” some of the media coverage she received as Prince Harry’s girlfriend because it centred on her racial background.
Markle admitted that even though she had starred in TV drama Suits, the media coverage had been a learning curve and said, “I did not have any understanding of what it would be like”.
That coverage forced the prince to take the rare step last year of publicly attacking the British press for introducing “racial overtones” into the reporting of their relationship.
Among the headlines that were believed to have angered the palace was one on Mailonline.com that read: “Harry’s girl is (almost) straight outta Compton”, referring to the city in Los Angeles that has become known for gang violence.
The announcement of their engagement was made by Clarence House on behalf of Prince Charles earlier on Monday. Later, the Prince of Wales, speaking for himself and the Duchess of Cornwall, said: “We’re both thrilled. We hope they’ll be very happy indeed.”The announcement of their engagement was made by Clarence House on behalf of Prince Charles earlier on Monday. Later, the Prince of Wales, speaking for himself and the Duchess of Cornwall, said: “We’re both thrilled. We hope they’ll be very happy indeed.”
The Queen, Prince Philip, the prime minister, Theresa May, and Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, were among others who offered their congratulations.
Downing Street moved quickly to dampen speculation that there would be a bank holiday to celebrate the wedding. The prime minister’s spokesman said: “There are no plans for a bank holiday. There isn’t precedent in this area. There was no bank holiday for Prince Andrew’s wedding in 1986 or Prince Edward’s in 1999.”
However, the wedding of Princess Anne, the Queen’s second-eldest child, and Mark Phillips in 1973 was marked by a bank holiday.
The ceremony is likely to be conducted by Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, who said he was delighted by the news and had been impressed by Harry’s “immense love for his family”.
Harry’s brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate, said: “We are very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”
Details of the venue and timing of the wedding are expected to be released on Tuesday, with aides saying only that it will be “a happy church wedding”. March is the most likely month, leaving enough time to ensure Kate is not about to give birth to her third child.
Meghan Markle is an American actor, best known for her role in the hit series Suits. She has described herself as “an actress, a writer, the editor-in-chief of my lifestyle brand the Tig, a pretty good cook, and a firm believer in handwritten notes”. She has also campaigned for humanitarian causes.Meghan Markle is an American actor, best known for her role in the hit series Suits. She has described herself as “an actress, a writer, the editor-in-chief of my lifestyle brand the Tig, a pretty good cook, and a firm believer in handwritten notes”. She has also campaigned for humanitarian causes.
The 36-year-old grew up in Los Angeles. She studied at a girls’ Roman Catholic college there before attending Northwestern University. Recently she has lived in Toronto. She is the daughter of a clinical therapist and a TV lighting designer. Markle has written about her mixed heritage, describing herself as “a strong, confident mixed-race woman”. She was married once before, to film producer Trevor Engelson, but the pair were divorced in 2013. The 36-year-old grew up in Los Angeles. She studied at a girls’ Roman Catholic college there before attending Northwestern University. Recently she has lived in Toronto. She is the daughter of a clinical therapist and a TV lighting designer. Markle has written about her mixed heritage, describing herself as “a strong, confident mixed-race woman”. She was married once before, to film producer Trevor Engelson, but the pair were divorced in 2013. 
Since news of her relationship with Prince Harry broke in 2016, she has closed her blog and given an interview in which she described the couple as “really happy and in love”. She said: “Nothing about me changed. I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.” She will become a duchess or princess when the couple wed.Since news of her relationship with Prince Harry broke in 2016, she has closed her blog and given an interview in which she described the couple as “really happy and in love”. She said: “Nothing about me changed. I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.” She will become a duchess or princess when the couple wed.
News of the wedding will prompt a media frenzy that is likely to further test Harry’s relationship with the press. The prince, 33, spoke out about the way Markle, who is divorced, was portrayed when news of the relationship became public just over a year ago. Prince Harry said he designed her engagement ring himself using a stone sourced from Botswana, where the couple went camping in the first weeks of their relationship, and two smaller gems from Princess Diana’s jewellery collection “to make sure that she’s with us on this crazy journey together.”
He condemned some of the newspaper reports and comment pieces as racist Markle, 36, is of mixed race and sexist. His spokesman criticised the “racial undertones of comment pieces” and referred to “the nightly legal battles to keep defamatory stories out of papers”. Markles parents, Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland, said: “We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry. Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents. We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together.”
Among the headlines that were believed to have angered the palace was one on Mailonline.com that read: “Harry’s girl is (almost) straight outta Compton”, referring to the city in Los Angeles that has become known for gang violence. Thomas Markle is a former Emmy award-winning television lighting director who worked on shows including Married With Children and General Hospital. He married Ragland, a yoga instructor, in 1979 and they divorced in 1988.
Harry also complained of “a smear on the front page” of the Sun, which ran still images of Markle in the television drama Suits appearing on Pornhub, an adult website. It was headlined “Harry girl’s on Pornhub” even though what was posted were clips of intimate scenes from the programme, and not pornography. The Queen, Prince Philip, the prime minister, Theresa May, and Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, were among others who offered their congratulations.
The news sparked a torrent of vitriol against Markle on Twitter and other social media platforms as well as in public comments below online news stories. Downing Street moved quickly to dampen speculation that there would be a bank holiday to celebrate the wedding. The prime minister’s spokesman said: “There are no plans for a bank holiday. There isn’t precedent in this area. There was no bank holiday for Prince Andrew’s wedding in 1986 or Prince Edward’s in 1999.”
Markle has spoken of her heritage as a source of pride. “My dad is Caucasian and my mom is African American,” she has said in the past. “To say who I am, to share where I’m from, to voice my pride in being a strong, confident mixed-race woman.” However, the wedding of Princess Anne, the Queen’s second-eldest child, and Mark Phillips in 1973 was marked by a bank holiday.
Harry is understood to have told his close staff two weeks ago that he wanted to make the engagement public, and planning has been under way since then. The wedding ceremony is likely to be conducted by Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, who said he was delighted by the news and had been impressed by the prince’s “immense love for his family”.
The delay in announcement was partly due to Markle needing to finish filming on Suits, which she completed the week before last. A royal source said it would be “a happy church wedding”, although the date is yet to be fixed. The Duchess of Cambridge is due to give birth to her third child in April.
Like her fiance, Markle has been involved in humanitarian work. She has travelled to Rwanda as a global ambassador for World Vision Canada and has worked as a women’s advocate for the UN. Locals in the View Park-Windsor Hills suburb of Los Angeles where Ragland lives were also upbeat. Mike Young, 56, out walking his pitbull Tipper,
Her parents, Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland, said in a statement on Monday: “We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry. Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents. We wish them a lifetime ofhappiness and are very excited for their future together.”
Thomas Markle is a former Emmy award-winning television lighting director who worked on shows including Married With Children and General Hospital. He married Ragland in 1979, but they divorced in 1988. Tennessee-born Ragland is a former TV makeup artist and lives in Los Angeles.
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Markle and Harry were reportedly introduced by the consultant Markus Anderson in 2016. Their relationship became public after about six months. said: “I think they’re a respectable family,” he said, referring to the Windsors. “I’d be excited to meet Prince Harry.”
As well as the tone of the coverage of Markle, there have been complaints of harassment, a sensitive subject for Harry given the circumstances of his mother Princess Diana’s death 20 years ago. Kensington Palace protested last year at the “bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in [Markle’s] life”. The couple said they were set up by a friend on a blind date and about a month after two dates in London in summer 2016 they went camping in Botswana.
In September this year, in an interview with Vanity Fair, Markle spoke about her relationship with Harry, saying: “We’re two people who are really happy and in love. We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people’s perception.”
In the same month, the couple made their first public appearance, at the Invictus Games in Toronto.
The pair meet in London through friends and begin a relationship.The pair meet in London through friends and begin a relationship.
News breaks that the prince and Markle are dating. News breaks that the prince and Markle are dating. 
Kensington Palace confirms in an unprecedented statement that they are dating. The prince attacks the media over its “abuse and harassment” of his girlfriend. Kensington Palace confirms in an unprecedented statement that they are dating. The prince attacks the media over its “abuse and harassment” of his girlfriend. 
Markle is spotted in London amid unconfirmed reports she is enjoying her first stay at Kensington Palace since the relationship was made public. Markle is spotted in London amid unconfirmed reports she is enjoying her first stay at Kensington Palace since the relationship was made public. 
Markle reportedly meets the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte for the first time in London. Markle reportedly meets the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte for the first time in London. 
The engagement looks set when Markle graces the cover of US magazine Vanity Fair and speaks openly about Harry for the first time, revealing: “We’re two people who are really happy and in love.” The engagement looks set when Markle graces the cover of US magazine Vanity Fair and speaks openly about Harry for the first time, revealing: “We’re two people who are really happy and in love.” 
Markle makes her first appearance at an official engagement attended by the prince when she attends the Invictus Games opening ceremony in Toronto, Canada – although the pair sit about 18 seats apart. Markle makes her first appearance at an official engagement attended by the prince when she attends the Invictus Games opening ceremony in Toronto, Canada – although the pair sit about 18 seats apart. 
It emerges that the prince has taken Markle to meet his grandmother, the Queen, whose permission they need to marry. They met over afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace. It emerges that the prince has taken Markle to meet his grandmother, the Queen, whose permission they need to marry. They met over afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace. 
The prince’s aides are reported to have been told to start planning for a royal wedding, with senior members of the royal family asked to look at their diaries to shortlist a series of suitable weekends in 2018. The prince’s aides are reported to have been told to start planning for a royal wedding, with senior members of the royal family asked to look at their diaries to shortlist a series of suitable weekends in 2018. 
Markle is spotted in London, prompting speculation she is preparing for an engagement announcement. Markle is spotted in London, prompting speculation she is preparing for an engagement announcement. 
Clarence House announces the engagement, and the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh say they are “delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness”.Clarence House announces the engagement, and the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh say they are “delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness”.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh “are delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness”. “I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana,” the prince said. “And we camped out with each other under the stars. She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic.
May offered her “very warmest congratulations” to the couple. The prime minister said in a statement: “This is a time of huge celebration and excitement for two people in love and, on behalf of myself, the government and the country, I wish them great happiness for the future.” “It was hugely refreshing to be able to get to know someone who isn’t necessarily within your circle, doesn’t know much about me, I don’t know much about her. So to be able to start almost afresh, right from the beginning, getting to know each other, step by step and then taking that huge leap of only two dates and then going effectively on holiday together in the middle of nowhere and you know sharing a tent together and all that kind of stuff. It was fantastic.”
Corbyn said: “I hope they have a great time and great fun together, and having met Harry a couple of times I’m sure they’re going to have a great deal of fun.” He added that he thought Markle and Diana would be “as thick as thieves, without question, I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, you know so excited for me. It is days like today when I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news,” he said.
The wedding will be the first involving a senior royal since William married Kate at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011. Republic, the anti-monarchy campaign for an elected head of state, issued a one word statement: “Congratulations”.