Happy anniversary to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex!
Prince Harry, 36, and the former Meghan Markle, 39, are celebrating their third wedding anniversary on May 19. They tied the knot in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2018.
It’s safe to say these past three years have been eventful ones for the royal couple, between the birth of their first child, Archie, the announcement of their second baby on the way and, of course, their new chapter in California after stepping down as senior members of the British royal family.
While life has definitely changed for the couple, one thing has remained constant: their sweet displays of affection for each other. Ever since they went public with their relationship in 2017, it has been clear that they are head over heels in love.
Their romance has played out in photos showing them holding hands and exchanging loving glances during events — as well as in moments when they've stood up for each other and defended their values in the face of harsh public scrutiny.
In honor of their anniversary, here’s a look back at some of the duke and duchess' most loving moments and the sweet things they've said about each other through the years.
- Watch TODAY All Day! Get the best news, information and inspiration from TODAY, all day long.
- Sign up for the TODAY Newsletter!
'The stars were aligned'
The chemistry between Harry and Meghan was clear as they shared the details of their engagement in a BBC interview in late 2017. The couple held hands throughout the interview as Harry described how he had fallen in love "so incredibly quickly."
“(It) was sort of confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned,” he said at the time. “Everything was just perfect. It was this beautiful woman just sort of literally tripped and fell into my life.”
Meghan also spoke lovingly as she recalled how her then-fiancé popped the question during a "cozy" night at home when they were roasting a chicken.
“It was just an amazing surprise. It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee,” she said.
“As a matter of fact, I could barely let you finish proposing," she went on. "I said, ‘Can I say yes now?’”
Their romantic engagement photo shoot
The couple celebrated their engagement during an appearance before the media at Kensington Palace in November 2017.
Asked when he knew Meghan was "the one," Harry was quick to answer, “The first time we met.”
They also released a few romantic engagement photos, including this black-and-white snapshot that revealed their affection for each other, without any hint of formality.
They may be a royal couple, but their candid and intimate engagement photos reminded everyone that they are, first and foremost, two people in love.
Harry's sweet words at the altar
The couple's wedding was closely watched by people around the world, and its star-studded guest list included the likes of Oprah Winfrey, George and Amal Clooney, and David and Victoria Beckham.
But despite the epic scale of the ceremony and the media frenzy that accompanied it, the duke and duchess managed to share sweet, private moments of affection throughout the day.
They exchanged warm glances during the ceremony in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, and when the former Meghan Markle arrived at the altar, the prince was seen saying to her, "You look amazing."
Just all their loving glances
There are too many examples to name of the duke and duchess being generally adorable together. Whenever they appear in public, their affection for one another is clear to see, thanks to their loving body language and all the sweet glances and smiles they exchange.
They shared one such cute moment when they attended an MLB game in London in 2019.
They also beamed at each other in this gorgeous photo from the Endeavour Fund Awards in London back in March 2020. It was their first royal event since announcing their plan to step back from the royal family.
Introducing baby Archie
The couple was all smiles when they introduced their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world in May 2019.
After Archie was born, Harry also gushed about the experience of becoming a dad — and watching his wife become a mom — in a surprise interview outside the couple's home at Frogmore Cottage.
"It was amazing. Absolutely incredible. I'm incredibly proud of my wife," he said. "As every father and parent would ever say, your baby is absolutely amazing, but this little thing is absolutely to die for so I'm just over the moon."
Harry stands up for Meghan
The duke and duchess have always been each other's fiercest defenders. Back in 2016 when they were still just dating, Harry issued a rare statement via his spokesman condemning racist and sexist press attacks on Meghan.
“The past week has seen a line crossed,” read the Kensington Palace statement. “His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment. Some of this has been very public — the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments.”
"(The prince) knows commentators will say this is ‘the price she has to pay’ and that ‘this is all part of the game.' He strongly disagrees," the statement also said. “This is not a game — it is her life and his.”
Harry once again stood up for himself and his wife in January 2020, when he spoke during an event about their decision to step back from the royal family.
He noted that his wife "upholds the same values as I do" and that "she's the same woman I fell in love with."
"Once Meghan and I were married, we were excited, we were hopeful, and we were here to serve," he continued. "For those reasons, it brings me great sadness that it has come to this."
"It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges," he added. "And I know I haven't always gotten it right, but as this goes, there really was no other option."
Another sweet pregnancy announcement
The royal couple melted hearts with a beautiful photo celebrating the duchess' second pregnancy.
Similar to their black-and-white engagement photo, this image captured the couple in a sweet, candid moment, with Harry sitting barefoot in the grass and the duchess resting her head on his lap and cradling her baby bump.
“With the tree of life behind them and the garden representing fertility, life and moving forward, they didn’t need any direction, because they are, and always have been, waltzing through life together as absolute soulmates,” photographer Misan Harriman said in an interview with British Vogue.
'Love always wins'
The duke and duchess finished 2020 with a message of hope and optimism, joining forces for a holiday podcast honoring health care workers and all those affected by the pandemic.
"From us, I’ll say no matter what life throws at you guys, trust us when we say, love wins," Meghan said during the podcast.
"Love always wins," Harry agreed.
Related video: