Meghan Markle surprised King Charles with an unusual four-word response to his kind wedding day gesture, a new book claims. The former Suits actress tied the knot with Charles' youngest son Prince Harry in 2014 in a fairytale Windsor wedding.
All of the royals watched on in St George's Chapel as the couple exchanged vows while Meghan wowed in her stunning Givenchy wedding gown. Despite the day being absolutely stunning, there had been tension leading up to the wedding due to Meghan's dad Thomas Markle.
With less than a week to go before the big day, he announced he would not be attending, leaving the bride with nobody to walk her down the aisle, according to The Mirror. Meghan's future father-in-law Charles then offered to step in telling his daughter-in-law he would be honoured to escort her to the altar of the chapel.
But according to a book, her reply to this gesture was somewhat unexpected by the then-Prince of Wales. Writing in Queen of Our Times, author Robert Hardman says: "The reply, according to one friend, was not quite what he was expecting: 'Can we meet halfway?' Here was an indicator that this was no blushing bride, but a confident, independent woman determined to make a grand entrance on her own."
Since that day, a lot has happened for Harry and Meghan from welcoming their two children Archie and Lilibet to quitting their royal roles and leaving the UK for California. However, last month they were reunited with their royal relatives - with whom they have a rocky bond - in the wake of the sad death of the Queen aged 96.
During their time in the UK, they attended the Queen's state funeral and even joined Prince William and wife Kate for a walkabout in Windsor in the days after the late monarch's death to view floral tributes and meet wellwishers. However, now they've returned to California, attentions have turned to what might be included in Harry's upcoming memoir and his and Meghan's reported new Netflix documentary show.
And now royal expert Duncan Larcombe has said it's now the time for Harry and Meghan to decide whether they want to be in or out when it comes to royal life.
He told OK! magazine : "Charles, Camilla, William and Kate are entering a new era of the institution. It's up to Harry and Meghan whether they want all or nothing. When William and Kate became the Prince and Princess of Wales, one of their first jobs was to reach out to Meghan and Harry, and Charles explicitly affirmed their relationship in his speech, no matter what has been said and done.
"In my opinion, it's only Meghan and Harry who can decide what they want. Do they want to forgive and forget, creating unity with the royal family? Or do they want a wholly separated life in California? They cannot have both."
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