When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced they would be marrying at St George's Chapel, Windsor in May 2018, one of our first reactions (other than, 'Yipee!') was disappointment at the fact the couple would miss out on their wedding 'balcony moment' at Buckingham Palace.
After all, who can forget Kate Middleton and Prince William's double kiss on the balcony at their 2011 royal wedding? Or Prince Charles and Princess Diana's adorable waves to the crowds lining the Mall following their nuptials in 1981?
Fortunately, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have finally had their own 'balcony moment' during their first official royal visit to Fiji as a married couple.
Last night, Meghan wore a stunning ivory-hued Stephen Jones hat and matching coloured Zimmermann dress - which was reminiscent of her Givenchy and Stella McCartney wedding gowns - as she took to the balcony of the Grand Pacific Hotel with Prince Harry to wave to Fijan well-wishers.
Hundreds of people fathered to catch a glimpse of the royal couple - who are expecting their first child in Spring 2019 - who waved and smiled to onlookers.
The couple's appearance on the balcony is strikingly similar to the Queen and Philip’s balcony wave during their trip to Fiji in 1953 as part of the Queen’s overseas tour following her coronation. The monarch began her reign with a tour of Commonwealth nations, including Fiji.
Earlier in the day, Harry and Meghan attended a welcome ceremony which featured traditional chants and dancing.
Speaking to the crowd, the Duke said 'hello' in Fijian, sampled the local drink, Kava, and said: 'Bula venaka! The Duchess and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during the next two days and celebrating the links and close friendship between Fiji and the United Kingdom.'
The Duke and Duchess travelled by charter flight to Fiji’s capital of Suva on Monday, following the first leg of their 16-day overseas tour in Australia.
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.
