In a revelation that shows how modern technology helped shape a royal love story, Prince Harry first laid eyes on his future wife Meghan Markle not through formal introductions but through an Instagram video featuring playful dog filters.
The Fateful Instagram Scroll
On July 1, 2016, while sitting in his Kensington Palace residence known as 'Nott Cott' (Nottingham Cottage), Prince Harry was casually scrolling through Instagram when he encountered a video that would change his life. The footage showed his childhood friend Violet von Westenholz alongside an unfamiliar woman, both sporting the popular canine cartoon filters that gave them dog ears, noses and long red tongues.
Despite the silly digital overlay, Harry immediately found himself captivated by the mystery woman. He described sitting up straighter upon seeing her, thinking 'my God' at her appearance even through the playful distortion. The prince admitted to watching the video 'several times', confessing he'd 'never seen anyone so beautiful.'
The Urgent Introduction
Overwhelmed by his instant infatuation, Harry sent an urgent message to Violet von Westenholz, demanding to know the identity of her companion. Violet responded almost immediately, revealing that the woman was Meghan Markle - and that six other men had already enquired about her that same day.
Fortunately for Harry, Violet agreed to connect them via Instagram direct message. Soon after, Meghan herself reached out to the prince, complimenting his 'beautiful photographs' from his travels to Africa. This initial exchange quickly evolved into a constant texting conversation, with Harry recalling his thumbs 'cramping' from the endless stream of messages.
The prince's obsession was so immediate that during a dinner engagement at the home of English entrepreneur Sir Keith Mills, Harry found himself texting Meghan throughout the long drive and immediately upon arriving, locking himself in the guestroom to continue their digital conversation like a 'teenager' until dinner forced him to pause.
From Digital to Real-World Romance
Despite coming from entirely different worlds, Harry found their differences 'organic' and 'energising'. He quickly asked Meghan on a date before she was due to return to Canada, where she was filming the legal drama Suits.
Meghan suggested meeting at Soho House, her preferred London venue, booking a table for July 3, 2016. Their first date nearly stumbled at the starting line when Harry arrived 30 minutes late due to bad traffic, arriving 'red-cheeked, puffing, sweaty' to find Meghan waiting patiently.
Despite the rocky beginning, the conversation flowed easily, with Harry describing Meghan as 'heart-attack beautiful'. When their first date concluded as Meghan had other dinner plans, they arranged a second date via FaceTime later that same evening.
The Whirlwind Escalation
After another successful meeting at Soho House, Harry took their budding relationship to the next level by inviting Meghan on a week-long safari in Botswana. This adventurous third date proved pivotal in their relationship, with both later describing it as the moment they truly fell in love.
During their engagement interview with the BBC's Mishal Husain, Harry revealed that he had no prior knowledge of Meghan's acting career on Suits when they first connected. Similarly, Meghan claimed she knew little about the prince beyond asking her friend the crucial question: 'Well, is he nice?'
When Harry proposed on November 4, 2017, the £126,000 engagement ring featured a blood-free diamond from Botswana, symbolising where their love truly blossomed. The couple later recalled in their Netflix series that camping together in the African wilderness allowed them to genuinely connect away from public scrutiny.
Their modern royal romance, sparked by a social media post and digital filters, culminated in a marriage that continues to capture global attention, proving that even in the digital age, love can find its way through the most unexpected channels.
