Many stories have surfaced about events which allegedly took place in the run-up to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018. Whether it is claims of blazing family rows, reports that the late Queen summoned Prince Harry for a dressing down or Meghan's dissatisfaction at many of the proposed plans, it was certainly a challenging period for royal staff behind palace walls.
While the days before the wedding were overshadowed by Thomas Markle's health troubles and how he could no longer fly to the UK, King Charles kindly offered to step in and walk his daughter-in-law down the aisle. However, he was ultimately left surprised by her response which offered a glimpse of what was to come.
The big day took place on May 19, 2018 at St George's Chapel in Windsor and saw the couple become The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, The Earl and Countess of Dumbarton and The Baron and Baroness Kilkeel.
With Thomas Markle unable to fly to the UK, only Meghan's mum Doria Ragland was in attendance from the bride's family. King Charles is said to have felt sorry for his daughter-in-law and said he would be honoured to escort her to the altar.
Writing in the Daily Mail, royal biographer Robert Hardman said: "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."
Speaking in a documentary to mark Charles' 70th birthday, Prince Harry praised his dad for stepping in. He said: “I asked him to and I think he knew it was coming and he immediately said ‘Yes, of course, I’ll do whatever Meghan needs, and I’m here to support you’.
“For him that’s a fantastic opportunity to step up and be that support, and you know he’s our father so of course he’s going to be there for us. I was very grateful for him to be able to do that.”
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Several stories have surfaced about the weeks leading up to the couple's wedding. One story about a "tense" exchange between Meghan and the late Queen was revealed by author Katie Nicholl in her book The New Royals.
She wrote that on one occasion in the run-up to Harry and Meghan’s wedding, the bride-to-be went to Windsor Castle for a menu-tasting and clashed with one of the caterers over a dish which was supposed to be vegan.
Nicholl wrote: “Meghan was at the castle to taste some of the dishes and told one of the caterers she could taste egg. She got quite upset, saying that the dish was meant to be vegan and macrobiotic, when suddenly the Queen walked in and said: 'Meghan, in this family we don't speak to people like that.'”
This isn't the only tension that came to light in the lead up to the couple's wedding as Tina Brown wrote in her book The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor, the Truth and the Turmoil that Meghan used the late Queen's trusted aide and close friend, Angela Kelly, like a Hollywood stylist.
She writes: " Meghan did not - or could not - perceive the difference between the Queen’s personal aide and a contract stylist at NBC Universal."
There have been numerous reports of a row over Meghan's wedding day tiara, with Harry reportedly saying "what Meghan wants, Meghan gets" after she was refused permission to wear her first choice.
