Meghan Markle reportedly gave King Charles a surprising response when he offered to walk her down the aisle ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, according to a royal author.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex married on May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in a ceremony watched by millions worldwide. Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, did not attend due to health issues and family tensions, leaving her without anyone to walk her down the aisle a week before the big day.
King Charles steps in
Her future father-in-law, now King Charles, offered to step in, saying he would be honoured to walk her to the altar. However, in the book Queen of Our Times, author Robert Hardman wrote that the reply was not what he expected.
Hardman wrote: “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.”
Prince Harry's gratitude
Prince Harry praised his father for stepping in during a documentary marking his 70th birthday in 2018.
Harry 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.”
