Inside Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's anniversary scrapbook: Unseen photos and royal flashbacks

West Australian

20-05-2025

Seven years, one royal exit, two kids and a cross-continental relocation later, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is reflecting on it all with a heartfelt anniversary post on Instagram that's part love letter, part personal scrapbook.
To celebrate her seventh wedding anniversary with Prince Harry, Meghan took to Instagram with a nostalgic tribute to the couple's journey, sharing a curated mood board filled with previously unseen photos, handwritten lyrics, and milestone memories from their relationship.
Alongside the memory board post, Meghan wrote, 'Seven years of marriage. A lifetime of stories.'
She continued by writing, 'Thanks to all of you (whether by our side, or from afar) who have loved and supported us throughout our love story — we appreciate you. Happy anniversary!'
The memory board was filled with photographs marking milestones of the royal couple's love story dating from 2016.
Here's what she shared — and what it reveals about how far the Sussexes have come.
The memory board begins with a throwback selfie from London in 2016, when Meghan and Prince Harry had just started dating. Prince Harry smiles over Meghan's shoulder, a glimpse into the private beginnings of what would become a globally scrutinised romance.
Another snap shows the couple in Botswana, on their second date, shirtless Prince Harry, safari vibes, and the kind of early adventure that would later shape the symbolism of Meghan's engagement ring.
Meghan included a set of candid 'engagement photos' marked 2017. A nod to the roast-chicken dinner gone down in royal history. The
Daily Mail
reported that Prince Harry popped the question at Nottingham Cottage, surrounded by candlelight and their rescue beagle, named Guy.
His proposal?
Prince Harry got on one knee and said, 'Spend your life with me? Make me the happiest guy on the planet?'
Her answer?
'Can I say yes? Can I say yes?'
One photo from their 2018 wedding at St George's Chapel shows the Sussexes in full fairytale mode.
But tucked into the collage is a more personal touch: the handwritten lyrics of Stand By Me, the gospel version of which played during the ceremony, after ten rejected arrangements.
Yes, ten. According to choir conductor Karen Gibson, it took a face-to-face meeting at Kensington Palace and an eleventh attempt to get it 'just right.'
Among the romantic visuals is a quieter, more symbolic yet controversial choice: Meghan's personal coat of arms.
Designed in partnership with the College of Arms and approved by the late Queen Elizabeth II, it features nods to Meghan's Californian roots, golden poppies, blue skies, and rays of sunshine, alongside a crown and quill symbols representing communication.
It's a reminder of a different chapter, one that began with royal titles and ended with a cross-Atlantic reset.
One unexpected inclusion? A kiss in the kitchen of Frogmore Cottage, the Windsor home gifted by the Queen and later paid back by the couple after public scrutiny over renovations.
Though they haven't lived there since 2020, the image is a throwback to their final UK chapter and perhaps a quiet acknowledgement of where it all changed.
Meghan also shared a shot from the 2020 Mountbatten Festival of Music, where she wore a striking red gown next to Prince Harry in military dress.
It was one of their last public outings as senior royals before stepping down, and the matching scarlet outfits were as coordinated as their united front.
Among the most intimate photos were glimpses of Archie and Lilibet, a rare occurrence, given how tightly the Sussexes guard their children's privacy.
One beachside photo shows Prince Harry with both children in sunset light; another captures a sweet backyard arts-and-crafts session at their Montecito home.
In another, Archie flashes his face to the camera, a tender update on the now six-year-old who's largely grown up out of the public eye.
A throwback to their 2018 tour of Australia also made the board, a rain-drenched appearance in Dubbo, where Prince Harry addressed drought-stricken farmers and reflected on his own mental health journey.
'I've been there,' he said at the time.
'You need to talk about it.'
One photo seems to show Meghan and Prince Harry walking the sands of Holkham Bay, a location with royal ties, often frequented by Princess Catherine and previously loved by Queen Elizabeth II.
It's a subtle blend of the old and new, of monarchy and Montecito, all rolled into a windswept beach moment.
True to form, Meghan's handwritten touch was everywhere — from date labels to quotes like 'Love wins' in her signature cursive.
She's long championed the art of handwritten notes, once teaching calligraphy and gift wrapping at a Beverly Hills boutique before her acting career took off.
The sentiment? Personal, polished, and unmistakably Markle.
This wasn't just an anniversary post.
It was a curated reminder of everything the couple has shared and a gentle message that their story, for all its public twists, is still being written.