Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in a lavish Royal wedding in 2018, but it was her second time saying ‘I do’ as she previously married Trevor Engelson in Jamaica in 2011

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry radiated joy on the day of their nuptials, celebrated in the presence of hundreds of friends and loved ones.

The happy couple, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were married on Saturday, 19 May 2018 at St George’s Chapel situated in Windsor Castle.

Meghan was a vision of elegance in a simple white Givenchy wedding gown as she gracefully made her way down the aisle towards her groom, Harry.

Millions across the globe tuned in for the spectacle which boasted a star-studded guest list including Victoria and David Beckham and Amal and George Clooney.

However, the ceremony starkly contrasted Meghan’s first marital union with Trevor Engelson.

Trevor Engelson and Meghan Markle

Inside Meghan’s two very different weddings before sixth anniversary with Harry (Image: GETTY)

The former Suits actress was in a relationship with film producer Trevor for a span of seven years until they wedded in Jamaica in 2011.

The pair exchanged vows in front of approximately 100 close family and companions, a stark difference to the sizeable 600 guests who attended the Royal wedding.

Post the Jamaica ceremony, claims emerged from Meghan’s father Thomas Markle Snr that the newlyweds had presented attendees with an unconventional gift – party bags filled with marijuana.

He alleged a petite bag of the illegal substance was handed to guests in a fabric pouch accompanied by a personalised message from the bride and groom.

“It’s illegal, but it’s no big deal in Jamaica. It’s almost customary down there. I don’t smoke weed and to the best of my knowledge neither does Meghan,” he revealed to the Daily Mail.

Meghan Markle and Trevor Engelson

Meghan and Trevor split after just two years of marriage (Image: GETTY)

Thomas is believed to have been present at his daughter Meghan’s first wedding to Trevor, where he walked her down the aisle on a Jamaican beach.

However, he was notably absent from Meghan’s Royal wedding to Harry due to health issues, as confirmed by an official statement.

The nuptials between Meghan and Trevor were held at the Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, with the couple reserving all 55 rooms of the luxury resort.

Their wedding invite charmingly read: “Cheers to love, cheers to laughter, cheers to happily ever after.”

At Meghan’s initial wedding, her childhood friend Ninaki Priddy served as Maid of Honour. The pair had been inseparable since they were two years old, but their friendship waned after Meghan secured her role on Suits.

Idris Elba and Prince Harry

Iconic actor Idris Elba DJ’d Harry and Meghan’s Royal wedding (Image: NETFLIX)

The rift between reportedly deepened over Ninaki’s disapproval of how Meghan ended things with Trevor. In a 2017 interview with The Daily Mail, Ninaki expressed her dismay, stating: “The way she handled it, Trevor definitely had the rug pulled out from under him.”

Meghan and Trevor’s love story ultimately came to an end after two years of marriage, largely due to the strains of a long-distance relationship. Following their separation, Meghan returned her rings to Trevor via post.

Trevor has since found love again with Tracey Kurland, a nutritionist and heiress.

When Meghan became royalty by marrying Prince Harry, she was bestowed with the title of Duchess of Sussex by the late monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Their nuptials reportedly racked up a staggering £32million bill, predominantly for security measures.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The Sussexes will be celebrating their sixth wedding anniversary on Sunday (Image: GETTY)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex offered fans a glimpse into their wedding day through their Netflix documentary series, Harry & Meghan. Reflecting on the moments before walking down the aisle, Meghan recounted entering a “really calm space”.

Meghan expressed her surprise at her own tranquillity, saying, “I don’t know how I was so calm,” and shared her simple pre-ceremony wishes: “All I wanted was a mimosa, a croissant and to play the song Going to the Chapel.”

She described the entire experience as utterly “surreal”.

The Royal couple’s ceremony featured performances by The Kingdom Choir and Elton John, with actor and DJ Idris Elba spinning tracks at the reception. The festivities were capped off with a spectacular fireworks display.

 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The Royal wedding in 2018 was a very different affair compared to Meghan’s first marriage (Image: GETTY)

In a bold move, Meghan also spoke about the speech she delivered at her wedding, which raised eyebrows. On her Netflix series, she divulged: “On to the crux of why I wanted to speak tonight. First of all, it’s been a while. But mostly I wanted to share a story, a story that I wrote about the man that I love and the way that we met. Let’s call this a modern fairy tale.

“Once upon a time there was a girl from LA, some people called her an actress, and there was a guy from London, some people called him a prince. All of those people didn’t fully get it, because this is the love story of a boy and girl who are meant to be together.

“They meet on July 3 2016 in London and they giggle endlessly, so the next day they have their second date and he brings her cupcakes because it’s the fourth of July, a bittersweet celebration he says, ironic really, her country’s independence from his country, yet in this moment they know they don’t want to be independent of each other.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

Meghan and Harry’s Netflix documentary shed more light on the happy day (Image: NETFLIX)

“And after a month of long-distance courtship, they settle into the quiet of Botswana, and amidst whatever momentary worries that creep in, they look at each other and think ‘Whatever world, we’re in’. They would love and garden and travel and laugh and rack up more air miles than any couple could have.

“And when the tides were rough, they squeezed each other tighter. ‘Nothing can break us’, they’d say, for this love, she was a fighter.”

Meghan added that “above all, love wins” as she described Harry as her “treasure”.

An AI tool was used to bring an extra layer to this story.