28.03.2024

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, The Year in Review

Go behind-the-scenes with images from a year in the life of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

For two years, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been one of the world’s favorite power couples. From Harry’s commitment to raising awareness about mental health, to Meghan’s advocacy for women’s rights, this royal pair has educated the public about the issues closest to their hearts, all while building their own unique love story across the Atlantic.

“They’re very touchy feely, they hold hands all the time, so they’re very affectionate. They’re very relaxed with each other,” said Shutterstock Staff Photographer, Tim Rooke, who photographed the couple during the year.

In May, 29 million people watched on television as the Prince of Wales and the American actress married, stepping into the roles of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. They’ve just recently returned home from their first major royal tour, and they are expecting their first child in the Spring of 2019. Let’s take a look back at the public events they’ve attended so far this year. For even more of the Royal Family, take a look at our best photos from 2018.

January 9

Meghan and Harry head to Reprezent Radio, an underground music station in Brixton presented by young people and devoted to social causes like mental health, employment, and more.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Reprezent

Photo by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Meghan at Reprezent

Photo by Shutterstock

January 18

The royal couple travels to Cardiff, Wales.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Meghan and Harry Fans

Photo by Frank Augstein/AP/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Visit to Cardiff, Wales

Photo by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock


February 1

Harry and Meghan present at the Endeavour Fund Awards at Goldsmith’s Hall, honoring wounded or ill servicemen and women who have participated in extraordinary sports and adventure challenges as part of their rehabilitation.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Endeavor Funds Awards

Photo by Beretta/Sims/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Attending Endeavor Funds Awards

Photo by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Meghan at Endeavor Funds Awards

Photo by Shutterstock


February 13

For the royal couple, it’s a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland.

“I know she has experience with fame, but I imagine it must be strange to constantly be surrounded by security,” Rooke said. “I think Meghan is doing well with adapting to the Royal family traditions,” Rooke told news.com.au.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - A Visit to Edinburgh

Photo by Frank Augstein/AP/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Harry Pets a Pony

Photo by Frank Augstein/AP/Shutterstock


February 28

Meghan and Harry join Kate and William at the inaugural Royal Foundation Forum, where they discuss their philanthropic goals and interests.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Royal Foundation Forum

Photo by REX/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Royal Foundation and Prince WilliamPhoto by Shutterstock


March 8

Meghan and Harry come out for International Women’s Day in Birmingham. There, Meghan encourages one young woman to follow her dreams of becoming an actress.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - BirminghamPhoto by Matt Dunham/AP/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Meghan Hugging a GirlPhoto by Pressphoto/Shutterstock


March 12

On the second Monday of March, the royal couple attends the multi-faith Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Commonwealth DayPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Meghan on Commonwealth DayPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock


March 23

Meghan and Harry arrive in Belfast in Northern Ireland for a surprise visit in honor of Amazing the Space, an initiative that empowers young people to promote peace in their own communities.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Harry in BelfastPhoto by Paul Mcerlane/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Meghan in Belfast fansPhoto by Press Eye Ltd/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Harry and Meghan in BelfastPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock


April 6

Meghan and Harry make their way to the University of Bath Sports Training Village for the UK team tryouts for the fourth annual Invictus Games, a sporting tournament created by Harry for wounded or sick servicemen and women.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Bath UniversityPhoto by Neil Munns/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Trials for the Invictus GamesPhoto by Shutterstock


April 18

The royal couple attends the Commonwealth Youth Forum at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings in London.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Commonwealth Heads of Government MeetingPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Commonwealth, Harry and MeghanPhoto by Shutterstock


April 19

As part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings, Meghan and Harry also join host Boris Johnson at the Women’s Empowerment Reception at the Royal Aeronautical Society, where they meet with members of organizations supporting equality and educational opportunities for girls and women.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Women's Empowerment Reception Photo by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Sharing a Glance at the Commonwealth ReceptionPhoto by Shutterstock


April 21

The royal couple meets with servicemen and women from both the UK and Australia during an Invictus Games reception at Australia House before heading to a concert to honor the 92nd birthday of Queen Elizabeth II at Royal Albert Hall later in the evening.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Commonwealth Heads of Government Invictus GamesPhoto by Ella Pellegrini/Pool/EPA-EFE/hutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Meghan in a Green DressPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Queens 92nd Birthday Photo by Shutterstock


April 23

Meghan and Harry honor the life and legacy of Stephen Lawrence, who was brutally murdered at the age of 18 in a racially-motivated attack, as part of a 25th-anniversary memorial service at London’s St. Martin-in-the-Fields church.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Stephen Lawrence Memorial Photo by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Lawrence MemorialPhoto by Matt Dunham/AP/Shutterstock


April 23

The royal couple observes Anzac Day at Westminster Abbey in remembrance of fallen servicemen and women from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Anzac Day ServicePhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock


May 19

His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales weds American actress and philanthropist Meghan Markle inside St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Wedding KissPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Wedding DayPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Eye of Diana PhotoPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Royal WeddingMandatory Credit: Photo by REX/Shutterstock (9685471ae)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - After the WeddingPhoto by Shutterstock


May 22

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex come out for a garden party at Buckingham Palace in honor of Prince Charles’s charitable works in anticipation of his 70th birthday.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Prince Charles' 70th BirthdayPhoto by Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock (9688571ao)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Prince of Wales' BirthdayPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock


June 9

The Duke and Duchess join the parade at Trooping the Colour before heading to the balcony at Buckingham Palace in celebration of the Queen’s 92nd birthday.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Trooping the ColourPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Trooping the Colour Royal FamilyPhoto by Frank Augstein/AP/Shutterstock


June 16

The royal couple attends the wedding of Harry’s cousin, Lady Celia McCorquodale, and her groom George Woodhouse in Stoke Rockford, Lincolnshire.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Wedding of CeliaPhoto by Geoff Robinson Photography/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Hugging at the Wedding of CeliaPhoto by Geoff Robinson Photography/Shutterstock


June 19

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with the Queen, head to the races for the first day of the Royal Ascot in Berkshire.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Royal AscotPhoto by David Hartley/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Royal Ascot QueenPhoto by Shutterstock


June 26

At Buckingham Palace, the royal couple makes an appearance at the Queen’s Young Leaders award ceremony, with honors given to 61 members of the commonwealth.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Queens' Young Leaders Awards Ceremony Photo by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Meghan at Queen's Young LeadersPhoto by Shutterstock


June 30

Harry plays alongside his brother Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, in the Audi Polo Challenge in Ascot, with Meghan and friend Serena Williams there to watch and cheer.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Tusk Audio Polo ChallengePhoto by Shutterstock


July 5

The royal couple head to Marlborough House for the “Your Commonwealth” Youth Challenge Reception. There they connect with young movers and shakers and hear about their initiatives within their communities.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Yellow DressPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Commonwealth Youth ChallengePhoto by Shutterstock


July 9

In London, Meghan and Harry celebrate the christening of Prince Louis as aunt and uncle.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Christening of Prince LouisPhoto by Shutterstock


July 10

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, along with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Queen, and Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla, head to Westminster Abbey for a service, followed by a flypast at Buckingham Palace.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - 100th Anniversary Royal Air Force Photo by David Fisher/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Royal Family Air Force AnniversaryPhoto by Matt Dunham/AP/Shutterstock


July 11

After arriving in Dublin on the 10th, the couple continues their royal visit to Ireland. Their visit includes a meeting with the Irish President and Taoiseach, a sports festival, and trips to important cultural sites.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Ireland VisitPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Ringing Irish BellPhoto by Shutterstock


July 17

At Queen Elizabeth Hall in the Southbank Centre, Meghan and Harry attend the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibition and remember the life and work of the South African revolutionary and Nobel Peace Prize recipient. While there, they meet Mandela’s granddaughter Zamaswazi Dlamini-Mandela and others close to him.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Nelson Mandela Centenary Launch Photo by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Applauding at the Mandela Centenary LaunchPhoto by Shutterstock


July 26

At the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club, Harry plays in the 2018 Sentebale Polo Cup to benefit the organization he co-founded. Sentebale promotes the mental and physical wellbeing of children in Botswana and Lesotho whose lives have been affected by HIV. Meghan was there to support the cause.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Polo Benefit KissPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Holding HandsPhoto by Matt Dunham/AP/Shutterstock


August 4

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the wedding of Harry’s childhood friend Charlie van Straubenzee, and Daisy Jenks, taking place at St. Mary the Virgin Church in Surrey.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Daisy Jenks' Wedding Photo by Geoff Robinson Photography/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Jenks Van Strauber's WeddingPhoto by Beretta/Sims/Shutterstock


August 29

Harry and Meghan spend the evening at a gala performance of Hamilton to raise funds for Sentebale and their life-changing work.

“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. Nothing about me changed. I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship,” Meghan told Vanity Fair.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Charity PerformancePhoto by Dan Charity/AP/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Hamilton PerformancePhoto by Dan Charity/AP/REX/Shutterstock (9826948f)


September 4

The royal couple heads to London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel for the WellChild Awards. These awards are given to courageous young people across the UK dealing with illnesses.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Wellchild AwardsPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - At the Wellchild AwardsPhoto by Victoria Jones/AP/Shutterstock


September 6

To mark the 100th anniversary of World War I, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex make an appearance at Westminster Central Hall in London for the 100 Days to Peace concert, a gala fundraiser for three organizations supporting the mental and physical health of veterans: Help for Heroes, Heads Together, and Combat Stress.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - 100 Days of Peace GalaPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Peace Gala Music EventPhoto by Shutterstock


September 20

Meghan hosts a party at Kensington Palace for the launch of her charity cookbook Together: Our Community Cookbook. The book highlights recipes from the Hubb Community Kitchen, cooked up by a group of local women to feed families in the wake of 2017’s Grenfell Tower fire.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Together: Our Community CookbookPhoto by Ben Stansall/AP/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Hubb Community Kitchen Photo by Shutterstock


September 24

At Loughborough University, the royal couple joins the honorees of Coach Core-a program that trains, empowers, and provides opportunities for young people to create positive change within their communities-for some athletic drills.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Coach CorePhoto by DAVID HARTLEY/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Coach Core in Action Photo by Eddie Mulholland/AP/Shutterstock


October 3

The Duke and Duchess take their first trip to Sussex, their namesake county.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Sussex VisitPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Visiting SussexPhoto by Shutterstock


October 12

Meghan and Harry return to St. George’s Chapel for the wedding of Princess Eugenie and her groom Jack Brooksbank.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Princess Eugenie's WeddingPhoto by WILL OLIVER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Attending Princess Eugenie's WeddingPhoto by Shutterstock


October 15

With the Invictus Games coming up in Sydney, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex embark on a 16-day tour through Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga. The same day, Kensington Palace makes a big announcement: the royal couple is expecting their first child. In Australia, they receive their first gift for the baby: a stuffed toy kangaroo and a pair of Uggs.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - First Baby PresentsPhoto by Phil Noble/AP/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Australia VisitPhoto by Phil Noble/AP/Shutterstock


October 16-31

Harry and Meghan continue their royal tour through the end of October, with stops in Dubbo, Melbourne, Fraser Island, Suva and Nadi, Nuku’alofa, Wellington, Abel Tasman National Park, Auckland, and Rotorua.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - In the RainPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Colorful Group PhotosPhoto by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Flower Necklace Photo by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Holding Hands In Australia Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Australia Photo by Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Australia Invictus GamesPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Waving in SydneyPhoto by Rick Rycroft/AP/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Touching NosesPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Together in AustraliaPhoto by Shutterstock


November 11

Harry and Meghan looking classy as they pay their respects during the WWI Centennial in London.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - WWI CentennialPhoto by Alastair Grant/AP/Shutterstock


November 19

The Royal Variety Performance was a black tie event for Harry and Meghan as the holidays roll around.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Royal Variety PerformancePhoto by Matt Frost/ITV/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Royal Variety Performance ShowPhoto by Matt Frost/ITV/Shutterstock


November 21

Meghan makes a visit to the Hubb Community Kitchen to volunteer serving food to the needy.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Hubb CommunityPhoto by REX/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Hubb Community HugPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock


December 18

Meghan shows off her baby bump during a visit to Brinsworth House, Twickenham, London.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Baby BumpPhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - At Brinsworth HousePhoto by Tim Rooke/Shutterstock


December 19

Harry and Meghan are spotted on their way to the Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Christmas BrunchPhoto by FACUNDO ARRIZABALAGA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock


December 25

Meghan and Harry joined Prince Charles, Prince William and Duchess Kate for Christmas services in London.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: The Year in Review - Christmas Service

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