Idris Elba Reveals The Surprising Song Meghan Markle Requested At Her Wedding Reception

Meghan Markle went from actor to British royal on May 19, 2018, when she married Prince Harry in a magisterial ceremony watched by hundreds of millions of spectators around the world, The Guardian estimated. In the St. George's Chapel, attendants celebrated Harry and Meghan's wedding to the sound of religious hymns performed by choirs and an orchestra. Among them was Princess Diana's favorite, "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer," which was also played at her funeral in 1997, making Harry emotional as he earnestly sang along, according to CBS News.

The solemn service was followed by two receptions, one offered by Queen Elizabeth II, featuring Elton John as the main performer, and a second, more private event held at Frogmore House in the evening, Vogue noted. The latter offered Harry and Meghan an opportunity to let loose and enjoy an informal setting to celebrate their union. The party even featured an illustrious DJ: Idris Elba.

Elba and Harry go way back, as the actor is involved with Prince Charles' The Prince's Trust charity and has worked with both Harry and Prince William, he said on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2019. "Harry came to a couple of parties that I DJed, and he was like, 'Hey, man, what are you doing on [May 19],'" Elba explained. As it turned out, he had no plans. After ensuring Harry wasn't pulling his leg, Elba accepted to DJ for Meghan and Harry. After years of mystery, Elba is finally revealing the surprising song Meghan requested.

In 2019, Idris Elba noted Meghan Markle asked him to play "some West Coast" at the reception following her wedding to Prince Harry, he said on the BBC Radio 1Xtra. Did that mean Tupac or Dr. Dre? He wouldn't elaborate. "I'm not gonna put their business out like that, that's not fair. Ask Meghan and Harry," Elba responded. But, on April 2, Elba gave a concrete answer while co-hosting BBC Radio 1Xtra's "Rap Show" with Tiffany Calver, according to Independent. "'Still D.R.E.' by Dr. Dre went off!" he said, referring to the biggest hit of the night. "It was Meghan's choice."

Elba previously revealed Meghan had given him a playlist, according to Harper's Bazaar. It included Whitney Houston's "I Want to Dance with Somebody," which served as backdrop for her first dance with Harry. The inclusion of Houston and Dr. Dre suggests in itself Meghan likes a wide range of musical styles, but other indications strengthen the hypothesis. During an appearance on the "Get Lit" online poetry class in 2021, Meghan showed she also appreciates folk rock. "Meghan mentioned Joni Mitchell and one of them kids gave her a song recommendation, it was cool," the class' teacher said, according to People.

Before she married Harry, Meghan was also the blogger behind "The Tig," on which she shared a 2017 playlist that included Crystal Fighters, Maggie Rogers, and Janelle Monáe, Elle noted. Meghan is definitely on top of her music game.