Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle smile during their wedding ceremony in St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor. Photo / AP
Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle smile during their wedding ceremony in St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor. Photo / AP
They met in the only way you'd expect two people from Hollywood and Home Counties to, through a mutual friend.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's unlikely love story is thought to have started in a private dining room of the exclusive private members' London bar, Soho House.
The American actress had been in the UK for a publicity day on June 30, 2016 for Suits, the US drama she starred in.
Violet von Westenholz, the public relations director for Ralph Lauren, was working with Markle for the event, and the former Canadian-based star later thanked her in an Instagram post, dressed head-to-toe in clothes from the fashion giant.
She is a family friend of Harry and brother Prince William and a regular on the royal family's annual skiing trip to Klosters.
Harry and Meghan attend the Invictus Games trials in Bath in April this year. Photo / AP
Her father, Baron Piers von Westenholz, a friend of Prince Charles, is an antiques dealer and interior designer, and a former Olympic skier, competing for Britain at the winter games in Innsbruck in 1964.
It is thought von Westenholz is the royal matchmaker in chief who is to thank for putting a smile on the nation's collective face.
Harry and Markle's first date must have taken place at some point between July 1, when the prince flew back to the UK, having attended a memorial service to mark the battle of the Somme, and July 5 when Markle flew back to Canada where Suits was filmed.
"It was definitely a setup. It was a blind date," Markle said during the couple's televised interview to mark their engagement in November.
Things moved quickly.
"We met for a drink and then very quickly into that, we said, 'Well what are we doing tomorrow? We should meet again,'" Markle said.
Despite living in different countries, Harry took the "bold step" - according to royal commentator Katie Nicholl - just weeks later and invited Markle on a trip to Botswana.
"I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana and we camped out with each other under the stars," Prince Harry told the BBC.
The couple tried to keep their relationship under wraps but after about four months of privacy, the British tabloids caught wind of their budding romance.
The Sunday Express published a story on October 3 claiming Harry was besotted with Markle.
Other publications started connecting the dots - one magazine noted that the pair sported matching bracelets and others synced up Markle's Instagram posts with Harry's travel schedule.
Eventually, the paparazzi attention got too much and Harry was forced to confirm the relationship in a statement released by Kensington Palace.
He alleged "a wave of abuse and harassment" against his girlfriend and racial undertones of comment pieces written about Markle.
Harry and Meghan announce their engagement in London, November 2017. Photo / AP
He said her mother, Doria Ragland, had to struggle to get past photographers to get to her front door, that bribes were being made by the press to Markle's ex-boyfriend, and nightly legal battles had occurred to keep defamatory stories out of papers.
"Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed he has not been able to protect her," the press release read.
The first official photographs of the couple together were in December during a trip to pick out a Christmas tree before they attended a West End show.
Markle even started wearing a gold necklace with the letters M and H on it.
By May last year, the couple were ready for their first public event together. Markle cheered on Harry at a charity polo match.
And Harry showed his devotion to his new girlfriend that month after Pippa Middleton's wedding ceremony.
The prince watched Middleton - sister of Harry's sister-in-law Kate - and financier James Matthews tie the knot in Englefield before travelling back to London to pick up Markle for the wedding reception in Bucklebury.
Another public appearance followed in September, with the couple attending the Invictus Games, in Toronto. Harry had by that stage met Markle's mother as she accompanied the pair.
Markle was slowly preparing for a life in the royal family, announcing her departure from Suits, closing her lifestyle blog, and her personal social media accounts.
But in October she was open about her growing love in October in an interview with Vanity Fair.
"We're two people who are really happy and in love," she told the magazine.
"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."
The press had already started reporting that the couple had the Queen's support to marry.
Then in November, while roasting a chicken at Nottingham Cottage, Kensington Palace, where Prince Harry lives, he got down on one knee - 16 months after they met.
"It was so sweet and natural and very romantic," Markle said.
She was so excited, Prince Harry could barely finish proposing before she said, 'Can I say yes now?'
