Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have finally ticked off yet another, important task on their wedding to-do list: introduce the in-laws.
Ahead of the royal wedding, the bride and groom-to-be enjoyed afternoon tea on Wednesday with the Suits star’s mother, Doria Ragland, and Prince Harry’s father and stepmother, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, reports E! News.
The one-hour meeting took place at Clarence House, Charles and Camilla's official residence in London, marking this the first time the in-laws have met since their children began dating in the summer of 2016.
The publication reports Harry’s parents have met Meghan several times over the years, with the Duchess of Cornwall even meeting the American beauty privately for lunch in the days leading up to the wedding.
The afternoon tea comes amid news Markle’s father, Thomas Markle Sr, will be unable to attend the nuptials following heart surgery earlier this week.
Yesterday, the 36-year-old confirmed the devastating news her father would be unable to walk her down the aisle via Kensington Palace’s Twitter account.
The statement read:
‘Sadly, my father will not be attending our wedding. I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health.
‘I would like to thank everyone who has offered generous messages of support. Please know how much Harry and I look forward to sharing our special day with you on Saturday.’
The preparations for the wedding are well underway, with Meghan, Harry, Kate Midleton, Prince William and their children spotted arriving at Windsor Castle yesterday afternoon for a wedding rehearsal.
The Queen was also seen leaving Buckingham Palace and arriving in Windsor. Later today, Meghan’s mother will meet the Queen just hours before the nuptials.
Let the wedding festivities commence!
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
