The woman who broke the news of their courtship reflects on the couple after a year of marriage. Photo / Getty Images.
The woman who broke the news of their courtship reflects on the couple after a year of marriage. Photo / Getty Images.
OPINION:
From the lovestruck look Harry gave Meghan as she was tenderly walked down the aisle by Prince Charles, to Bishop Michael Curry's exuberant speech about "the power of love", the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding remains one of the most memorable of modern times.
Having broken the story of their relationship in October 2016, this was the happy ending to the royal fairy tale I, along with royal watchers everywhere, was waiting for - the crowning glory of an extraordinary union between an American actress and a British prince.
Harry and Meghan wed in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
It also marked the start of a new dynamic for the monarchy, with Meghan the first mixed-race person to marry into The Firm - a paradigm shift symbolised by mother-of-the-bride Doria Ragland being so warmly welcomed by her new royal in-laws.
A year on from that sun-drenched day in Windsor, when royalty and celebrity collided at St George's Chapel, the couple are now not only parents to a newborn son but also a global brand on the world stage.
Twelve months ago, they were aligned with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Kensington Palace, but now Harry and Meghan have moved to Frogmore Cottage and established an independent court at Buckingham Palace and a project with US chat show host Oprah Winfrey already in the pipeline.
Gone are the Disney prince and princess of last May. Instead, they are replaced by a duke and duchess determined to do it their own way and bring an originality to a role steeped in protocol and tradition for centuries.
So what difference has a year made in the married lives of two of the Royal family's most talked-about stars?
Meghan is reportedly behind Harry and William repairing their rifts with their father Prince Charles. Photo / Getty Images.
The royal brotherhood appears back on track amid post-wedding reports of tensions, not only between William and Harry but also their wives.
According to one source: "Harry has always complained about being sidelined by William," but since the separation of powers between the two households, operation Brand Sussex seems to be well under way.
The Duke and Duchess recently raised eyebrows by releasing a series of wildlife photos taken by Harry on the same day the Cambridges released new images to mark Prince Louis's first birthday.
Both Dukes are also mindful of their improving relationship with their father after the commemorations to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales drove a wedge.
Although Meghan Markle remains estranged from her own father, she reportedly told Harry to "look after the family you've got".
Sources have revealed how Meghan has helped to repair Harry's relationship with his "darling Papa".
Although her own relationship with her father remains as estranged as ever, the Duchess is understood to have encouraged her husband to "look after the family you've got".
In turn, having seen the closeness between Meghan and Doria, Harry has been keen to strengthen ties with his late mother's side of the family.
Not only were the Spencers among the first to be informed of Archie's birth but, touchingly, Diana's older sister Lady Jane Fellowes was one of the first to meet the little bundle of joy.
Friendships
"Playboy" Prince Harry was known for his partying. Photo / Getty Images.
Once famed for his laddish nights out, Harry is said to be a reformed character, embracing yoga under Meghan's tutelage, along with healthy eating. In January, the 34-year-old former playboy prince told a Buddhist monk he meditated every day.
But Meghan's alleged curbing of Harry's wild-child ways has reportedly led to him seeing less of his friends.
Prince Harry has since transformed from his infamous "bad boy" ways. Photo / Getty Images.
In March, Tatler reported that he had ceased all contact with Tom "Skippy" Inskip, once his "wingman" after he supposedly advised him not to marry Meghan. Sources subsequently told The Telegraph that the pair, who went to Eton together, are back in touch.
The appearance of A-listers such as George and Amal Clooney and Oprah Winfrey at the couple's wedding set the tone for what appears to be the curation of a new Sussex jet set.
Meghan's star-studded baby shower in New York gave an insight into the new "court" with Amal joining Serena Williams, stylist Jessica Mulroney and CBS anchor Gayle King - who visited the couple before Archie was born.
Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian arriving for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. Photo / Getty Images.
Eyebrows were raised when CBS was the only US network allowed into the press conference when the Sussexes presented their son.
On Friday, a documentary entitled Harry and Meghan Plus One, was aired on CBS - presented by King.
Meghan Markle and her stylist best friend, Jessica Mulroney. Photo / Getty Images.
Meghan's make-up artist Daniel Martin, who also attended the baby shower, broke down during the filming, saying: "She doesn't deserve all this negative press."
Harry and Meghan's choice of godparents will provide the next clue as to where the closest friendships lie.
Packing an undisputed soft power punch, it is no wonder two of the most charismatic members of the Royal family sought to capitalise on their separation from Kensington Palace to promote their own charitable agenda.
Meghan immediately branched out on her own to launch the Grenfell cookbook last September, and Harry's forthcoming Apple TV initiative with Oprah Winfrey suggests they have set their sights on a transatlantic audience with the help of Sara Latham, the new communications secretary, who once advised the Clintons and the Obamas.
Keen to connect directly with the public, the @sussexroyal Instagram feed was launched in April, clocking up one million followers in a record-breaking five hours and 45 minutes.
Yet this move has been juxtaposed with a quest for privacy, exemplified by their attempt to keep secret the location of Archie's birth, until it was finally revealed that it took place at the Portland private hospital in London.
Indeed, the only official picture of Archie released so far showed just his tiny feet.
Last week, the Sussexes received substantial damages from the Splash picture agency for invading their privacy by taking aerial shots of their rented Cotswolds hideaway, forcing them to move out due to security concerns.
Although the Duchess, 37, is currently on maternity leave, the Duke returned to work three days after his "very healthy boy" was born to launch the 2020 Invictus Games in Amsterdam.
He followed this up by helping to launch the Royal Foundation's new Shout, a 24/7 texting helpline for people suffering mental health problems last week and visited Oxford on Tuesday, where he admitted to being "totally in love" with his son, even though he was giving him sleepless nights.
Harry and Megan welcomed their first child earlier this month. Photo / Getty Images.
By undertaking his second full day of engagements since the birth, Harry seemed to indicate it would be a case of business as usual - and even signed up to play in the Sentebale Polo Cup in Italy next month.
As with any new parents, the royal couple are working out how to strike the right balance between home and work life - but The Sunday Telegraph understands it is "very likely" they will undertake an overseas tour this year, following the success of their three-week trip to Australia and the South Pacific last October.
But will baby make three?
William and Kate famously took Prince George on their first "foreign" tour, but combining such a high-profile trip with a desire to shield Archie from the glare of the media could prove challenging as they grow into their role as one of the monarchy's most formidable families.
