Meghan Markle marked seven years of marriage with a touching tribute featuring baby bump moments, rare family snapshots, and unseen wedding pictures—yet, to many, the post was oddly missing a key figure: Prince Harry.
To celebrate their wedding anniversary on May 19, the Duchess of Sussex posted a curated pinboard of personal memories on Instagram. The images spanned the couple’s early courtship, engagement, wedding, and private family life with their children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 3.
“Seven years of marriage. A lifetime of stories,” Meghan wrote. “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!”
But the post quickly drew criticism for its tone. While packed with affectionate memories, Meghan didn’t actually mention Harry by name. “Is she wishing happy anniversary to herself?” one person asked online. Another pointed out, “In every photo she is the centre of focus, while he is just … well … there.”
Many found the post “strange” or “bizarre,” especially given its lack of direct acknowledgment of Harry. “It’s such a strange post, as though she is wishing everyone happy anniversary because she doesn’t want to say Harry’s name,” said one commenter. Others went further, speculating about the state of their marriage: “Poor Harry. His marriage is failing, and his native country is also failing…”
Still, the photos offered a deeply personal look at their relationship. One corner of the board revisited their early days in 2016, including their first date, which Harry recalled in Spare as being nerve-wracking and late. “I apologized. Profusely,” he wrote, calling Meghan “heart-attack beautiful.”
Among those moments were photos from a trip to Botswana, where they camped under the stars. “Spend your life with me? Make me the happiest guy on the planet?” Harry recalled asking when he proposed in 2017 in the garden of Kensington Palace, surrounded by electric candles. Meghan’s answer came before he could finish: “Can I say yes? Can I say yes?” she said, according to both Spare and their Netflix series.
The pinboard also featured moments from their 2018 wedding at St. George’s Chapel. Harry remembered watching Meghan “floating” down the aisle as he stood at the altar. Despite behind-the-scenes tension, he recalled her being moved when King Charles walked her “down the last part of the aisle.”
Lyrics from Stand by Me, performed at their wedding, appeared handwritten on the board. The couple reportedly turned down multiple versions of the song before finding the right one. “They were lovely, smiley, warm, welcoming and very much in love,” said choir conductor Karen Gibson.
One black-and-white photo showed them sharing a kiss in the kitchen of Frogmore Cottage, their former home before relocating to California. Other photos revealed rare family moments: Archie giving Lilibet a Christmas kiss in 2022, and the family enjoying arts and crafts in their Montecito backyard.
To commemorate the anniversary, Meghan’s lifestyle brand As Ever also posted an image captured by photographer Jake Rosenberg. It showed two palm trees on their property—an image Meghan once said symbolized their bond. “See how they’re connected at the bottom? He goes, ‘My love, it’s us,’” she recalled in an interview with The Cut. Their son, Archie, reportedly greets the trees daily with, “Hi, Momma. Hi, Papa.”
While the tribute sparked affection from some fans, others viewed it as another sign of growing distance between Meghan and Harry. Still, the post succeeded in what it seemed designed to do: keep their story—and conversation around it—alive.
