Looking to leave his Playboy reputation behind, Prince Harry was on a quest for love when a mutual friend sent him on a blind date. 

Although regarded as the nation’s most sought-after bachelor, the Prince’s romantic endeavors were marked by multiple unsuccessful relationships with various heiresses, socialites, and aristocrats.

Royal author Christopher Andersen notes that Michelle Obama jokingly inquired about Harry’s plans to settle down— a subject she had addressed previously.

Andersen details in his 2021 book, Brothers and Wives, how the Prince, displaying an unexpected sense of self-assurance, maturity, and tranquility, seemed sincere in his response.

‘Just have to find the right person,’ he told Michelle with a smile.

In May 2016, Harry was at a birthday party with TV personality Denise van Outen when he said, according to the author, ‘I want to find a wife.’  

Just two months later, British fashion designer Misha Nonoo proposed setting Harry up on a blind date with her friend, Meghan Markle.

Andersen wrote that Harry was sceptical of the idea.

In May 2016, at a birthday party with TV personality Denise van Outen, Prince Harry expressed his desire to find a wife. Harry and Meghan Markle are seen here during their engagement announcement in November 2017.

According to Harry, ‘I knew she was the one the very first time we met’

Christopher Andersen, author of Brothers and Wives, reports that Michelle Obama humorously questioned Harry about settling down, a topic she had previously mentioned.

In an interview with BBC’s Mishal Husain in 2017, Harry revealed that before meeting Meghan, he had never heard of her before. 

‘I had never even heard about her until this friend said “Meghan Markle”. I was like “right, okay, give me a bit of background!”’

Andersen added: ‘Somewhat disingenuously, Meghan would claim later that she was just as unfamiliar with the Prince.’

‘The only thing I had asked her when she said she wanted to set us up was “was he nice?” If he wasn’t kind, it didn’t seem like it would make sense,’ Meghan previously told a publication.

‘Harry later said that, at least for him, it was love at first sight,’ wrote Andersen.

According to the Sussexes’ Netflix docuseries, Harry was late to their date at the exclusive Soho House, where Meghan’s friend Markus Anderson was brand ambassador.

In Andrew Morton’s Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, he wrote: ‘The scene was set and Cupid’s arrow was aquiver.’ 

‘I was beautifully surprised when I walked into that room and saw her,’ Andersen wrote that Harry said of Meghan.

In Andrew Morton’s Meghan: A Hollywood Princess, he wrote: ‘The scene was set and Cupid’s arrow was aquiver’

‘I was beautifully surprised when I walked into that room and saw her,’ Andersen wrote that Harry said of Meghan

According to Harry, ‘I knew she was the one the very first time we met.’

Eagerly recalling their love story, Meghan revealed in part two of her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, that it was Harry who uttered the three special words – ‘I love you’ – first, shortly after they began dating in 2016.

As for Meghan herself, she confessed she knew Harry was a keeper on just their third date – a week-long safari trip to Botswana.

In the third episode, Meghan was joined by Queer Eye presenter Tan France to make apple pies and vegetable stamps. He also asked her if there was a specific moment she knew ‘I love this guy’.

Meghan said: ‘Yes, that was on our third date,’ before France gushed: ‘You fell in love on your first date?’

‘We met in Botswana and we camped for five days together,’ the Duchess recalled. ‘You really get to know each other when you’re in a little tent together and it’s like – what is that outside the tent?’

‘That’s an elephant. Are we going to be safe? Yeah, you’re safe. OK.’

France then asked who said the ‘L word’ first – and the Duchess once more reminisced about their early days together.

Meghan revealed who said ‘I love you’ first when she met Harry (pictured in season two of With Love, Meghan)

As well as sharing cookery tips, Meghan gave a glimpse into her relationship with the Duke of Sussex (pictured in season one)

‘He told me,’ Meghan confessed. And when France noted, ‘Oh that’s nice. You’re starting to blush, I’ll stop this line of questioning!’, Meghan flicked her ponytail and joked: ‘She’s still got it.’

Later in the series, Meghan said she’s now more in love than ever with her husband – at the same time as she appeared to give a subtle dig at the Royal Family.

‘You have to imagine, at the beginning it’s all butterflies – but then we immediately went into the trenches together,’ she said.

‘Right out of the gate, like six months into dating. 

‘So now seven years later, when you have a little bit of breathing space, you can just enjoy each other in a new way. And that’s why I feel like it’s more of a honeymoon period for us now.’

Meghan also spoke of how she and Harry will be married ‘forever’ and called her husband a ‘fox’ – because of how ‘very very handsome’ he is, although his ‘heart is even more beautiful’.

But it seems the Queen’s famous phrase ‘recollections may vary’ applies to the story of how Meghan and Harry first met. 

During the first episode of their Netflix docuseries, Harry and Meghan, released in 2022, the couple claimed that they first connected on Instagram.

Netflix said Harry & Meghan, which came out in 2022, was a huge success with a total of 23.4million views, making it the most viewed documentary ever through its first four days 

Later in the series, Meghan said she’s now ‘more in love than ever’ with her husband

‘I was scrolling through my feed and one of my friends and someone who was a friend had this video of the two of them, like a Snapchat,’ Harry said. ‘I was like, ‘Who is that?’

Meghan said that their mutual friend Violet von Westenholz told her that ‘Prince Haz’ had asked about her, suggesting that she meet up with Harry. The next day they exchanged numbers.

The pair began texting and eventually set up a first date at Soho House while Meghan was in the city to watch the Wimbledon tournament.

For their third date Harry took Meghan away on a romantic trip to Botswana where the pair camped under the stars.

‘It was three, maybe four, weeks later that I managed to persuade her to come join me in Botswana, and we camped out with each other under the stars,’ Harry explained during their engagement interview.

‘She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic. 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.’

Harry later said it was during this trip that he knew Meghan was his ‘soulmate’ – and now Meghan seems to have agreed that this marked the turning point for them as a couple.

On November 8, 2016, Kensington Palace released a statement confirming Harry and Meghan’s relationship and, in May 2017, they attended their first public outing together at a polo match in honour of his former charity, Sentebale.

Harry took Meghan away on a romantic trip to Botswana where the pair camped under the stars for their third date

Going from strength to strength, in November 2017, the couple announced their engagement, before tying the knot in May 2018

Meghan spoke openly about her relationship with Harry for the first time in an interview with Vanity Fair for the October 2017 issue.

‘I can tell you that at the end of the day I think it’s really simple. We’re two people who are really happy and in love,’ she said.

‘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. Nothing about me changed. I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship,’ Meghan added.

‘I’m 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. This is for us. It’s part of what makes it so special, that it’s just ours. But we’re happy. Personally, I love a great love story.’

Later that month, Harry and Meghan made their official debut as a couple at the royal’s Invictus Games in Toronto, the actress’s home turf.

Going from strength to strength, in November 2017, the couple announced their engagement, before tying the knot in May 2018.

Since returning to Instagram in January this year, Meghan has been more vocal about her relationship with Harry than ever.

For Valentine’s Day, Meghan shared a black-and-white photograph kissing her husband after they attended the Invictus Games together.

Harry and Meghan are pictured on their wedding day on May 19, 2018 after their wedding ceremony

For Valentine’s Day, Meghan shared a black-and-white photograph kissing her husband after they attended the Invictus Games together

‘Back home taking care of our babies, and missing my Valentine, as he continues on at the Invictus Games, changing lives and reminding all of us of the power of healing and resilience through these incredible veterans and their families,’ Meghan said at the time.

She added: ‘Beyond proud of my husband and what he’s created. My love, I will eat burgers & fries and fish & chips with you forever. Thank you for you. As ever, M.’

To mark their seven-year anniversary in May, Meghan shared a picture of her mood board, featuring snippets of them throughout their relationship, with a handwritten note reading: ‘Our love story’.