Meghan Markle's Wedding Day Request To Prince Charles Is Still Causing A Stir

Has any wedding in the history of weddings ever caused more controversy or conversation than that of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry? Even four years later, details emerge every day that either reinforce or challenge our preconceptions of everyone involved. Royal biographer Robert Hardman's latest book about Queen Elizabeth goes into all the wedding day drama, including one request from the future duchess that the author said caught Prince Charles off-guard — but in a good way this time. 

In the weeks leading up to the May 2018 wedding, coverage on the planning, controversies, and interfamily feuding was nonstop. More recently, Meghan has addressed some of the most talked about headlines, like her clashes with sister-in-law Kate Middleton and where Harry's protective instincts kicked in. The way the British press reported on her at the time gave the impression that Meghan was "difficult" and "demanding," per The Sun. But Hardman's takeaway seems to tell a slightly different story.

Meghan Markle's fraught relationship with her father, Thomas Markle, was one story that dominated the tabloids in the days leading up to her wedding. Ultimately, he did not attend. According to Robert Hardman's new book "Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II" (via the Daily Mail), because Meghan's father would not be present to walk her down the aisle, her future father-in-law Prince Charles offered to walk her in his stead. Charles was apparently taken aback when she responded, "Can we meet halfway?"

Hardman claimed it wasn't just the fact that Meghan didn't immediately accept the Prince's offer that was surprising, it was that she was self-assured enough to walk at least part of the way on her own. "[It] was an indicator that this was no blushing bride, but a confident, independent woman determined to make a grand entrance on her own," Hardman wrote. 

Hardman isn't the first royal author to push back on the diva branding that Meghan was saddled with in the press. Another royal biographer, Andrew Morton, told ITV's This Morning in October 2021 (via Mirror) that even though Meghan was described as "Duchess Difficult," it was really Prince Harry who was throwing fits.