Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave Windsor Castle in Windsor on May 19, 2018 after their wedding to attend an evening reception at Frogmore House.
Image: Steve Parsons / AFP
Meghan Markle surprised royal fans by dropping a collection of never-before-seen photos from her royal wedding to mark her eighth wedding anniversary with Prince Harry.
Eight years ago today, an estimated 1.9 billion people watched the Duke and Duchess of Sussex tie the knot at Windsor Castle, but the public only saw what television cameras allowed.
To celebrate their marriage, the couple shared 24 behind-the-scenes pictures captured by their personal photographer, Chris Allerton. The digital photo album was split into two Instagram carousel posts.
The first batch covers the evening celebration at Frogmore House, offering a look at the newlyweds on the dancefloor.
One shot catches Harry spinning his wife around, while another captures a quiet kiss during the party. The images show the couple dancing with guests, with Meghan wearing her halter-neck Stella McCartney reception dress.
The second post focuses on the daytime ceremony and the formal afternoon reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at St. George’s Hall.
This collection features a mix of colour and black-and-white photography, starting with moments of the couple in the chapel cloisters right after exchanging vows.
One picture shows Harry pointing out specific blooms in Meghan’s bouquet. Harry handpicked these flowers from their private garden at Kensington Palace as a tribute to his mother, Princess Diana, including her favourite white Forget-Me-Nots.
The daytime photos also include the afternoon reception, featuring a shot of Sir Elton John seated at a grand piano performing for the guests.
The post includes behind-the-scenes angles of the couple posing for their formal portraits, Harry delivering his speech from the podium, and family moments.
One photo shows Meghan holding hands with her mother, Doria Ragland, while another frame shows King Charles standing nearby in the Great Hall, watching Harry chat with guests.
Both posts were captioned simply, "Eight years ago today..." accompanied by a sun emoji for the daytime memories and a crescent moon for the evening party.
By opening their personal archives, Harry and Meghan have shared a candid glimpse into one of the most heavily televised events in modern history.