Meghan Markle concealed herself from Prince Harry at their cottage on the Kensington Palace estate to conduct a clandestine phone call a few minutes before his proposal in 2017.
In their 2022 Netflix docuseries, "Harry and Meghan," the Duchess of Sussex, now 43, recounted the events that transpired within minutes before the proposal.
Although she earlier described the experience as "romantic" during the official engagement interview with the BBC in 2017, it appears that the duchess was extremely flustered seconds prior to witnessing the impending event.
Despite the Duke of Sussex, 40, advising his then-girlfriend against looking out the windows of Nottingham Cottage, Meghan intuitively sensed an impending event as he uncorked the champagne.
She hurriedly contacted her former close friend Jessica Mulroney to inform her of the impending events.
"He told me not to peek," Meghan said, discussing the moment on their docuseries. A video was subsequently presented, featuring Meghan recording herself while conversing with her buddy Jess on the phone, saying, "It's actually happening! Oh my God Jess, Jess, it's happening, it's happening. He told me not to peek."
The duchess was whispering in the video to evade detection by Prince Harry, who had arranged a picnic blanket and electric candles outdoors to establish a romantic ambiance.
In the docuseries, the prince acknowledged that his behavior prior to the proposal, during which he knelt, revealed what was forthcoming.
"I did pop a bottle of champagne while she was roasting a chicken and that kind of slightly gave the game away. She was like, 'You never drink champagne, what's the occasion?' And I was like, 'I don't know, I just had it like, lying around," Prince Harry said.
Following their engagement in November 2017, the couple married in Windsor in 2018.
Fewer than two years later, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex resigned from their positions as senior royals and relocated to Montecito, California, where they currently reside with their children, Prince Archie, aged five, and Princess Lilibet, aged three, as per Express UK.
The recently revealed information has elicited varied responses on social media, with opinions polarized about Meghan's frank revelation.
“Meghan calling her friend during Harry’s proposal? It’s sweet, but also, keep it private next time!" an X user said. “Every little detail of their love story just shows how real and relatable they are. Love them!" another netizen added.
“Not everything needs to be shared in a docuseries. Some moments should stay between them," a third netizen shared. “This makes their story feel so human. Who wouldn’t call their best friend in such a moment?” a fourth X user commented.
“It’s no wonder people feel divided. Sharing personal moments like this can seem unnecessary," a critic stated. “Love them or hate them, Harry and Meghan know how to keep the world talking!" a fan suggested.
Business Times has reached out to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry for comments.
