How Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s Lives Have Changed Since First Anniversary

It’s safe to say a lot can happen in a year, especially for a married couple. However, most probably haven’t had the same year that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have had.

The (formerly) royal couple are celebrating their second wedding anniversary on May 19, and while their first year of marriage was also one that saw them whether quite a lot of attention, their second year was one that was certainly marked by more drama. Take a look back at the couple’s controversial second year of marriage.

Archie’s Christening

After welcoming their first child together just shy of two weeks before their first anniversary, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex found themselves criticized often when it came to the decisions they made for young Archie Harrison. The pair held strong with their decision to not give their son any royal titles, and as such, opted to break from tradition when it came to his Christening, by closing it to the public and refusing to release the names of his godparents. The decisions were met with uproar, as was the fact that they didn’t consult the Queen’s calendar when choosing a date—which led to her Majesty—Archie's great-grandmother—to be absent from the event.

A Successful Tour

After being hit with negative press and attention for months, the couple headed to Africa in September to complete their royal tour. For the first time in a while, they seemed to attract positive attention, with many praising their actions while there, including Harry’s walking across a minefield, imitating a move his mother, Princess Diana, had also made.

A Controversial Lawsuit—And Documentary

However, any positive momentum the tour gave the couple seemed to go out the window after it ended. Not only did the couple use the event to announce their plans to sue several publications over what they called harassment and invasion of Markle’s privacy for publishing excerpts of a letter she wrote to her father, Thomas Markle, but the entire trip was also the subject of a documentary about the couple.

The documentary wound up being controversial due to comments both made on-camera, including Harry’s hinting that he and Prince William were, in fact, engaged in a rift, as well as Meghan’s comments where she stated that she had “tried” to adapt to life in Britain.

Stepping Back As Royals

After the tour, the couple continued to battle controversy, leading to a six-week break from their duties at the end of the year—which also saw them miss Christmas with the rest of the royal family. However, it was their announcement in January that they wanted to step back as senior members of the royal family which shocked the world and seemingly shook the royal family to its core. After agreeing to no longer use their titles, the couple finished fulfilling their duties in March and took up residence in Canada.

Move To Los Angeles

In perhaps what was seen as their most controversial move, following their step back, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle then moved to Los Angeles, California, where they are now living a new life.