See How Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Spent Their First Date Night Back in London

Julie Sprankles
·7 min read

Click here to read the full article.

What a difference a few months can make! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have returned to the U.K. to wrap up their official duties as senior royals, and they managed to turn their first public engagement together into a pretty dreamy date night. From a show-stopping photo in the rain to witnessing a milestone romantic moment, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoyed a grown-ups-only (sorry, baby Archie!) evening in each other’s company.

It had previously been reported that Harry and Meghan would be leaving baby Archie with a trusted caregiver at their new home in Canada while they honor their final royal appearances in the U.K. This makes sense from a practical standpoint since they’ll undoubtedly have a slammed schedule as they wrap everything up. Can you imagine how much they’re trying to squeeze in during this visit?

More from SheKnows

But also, it allows Harry and Meghan to get in some quality time together — and judging by the photos and video from their date night, time together is something they truly relish. Anyone who has a little one at home can attest to the fact that date nights can become few and far between in those first years of baby’s life. While Harry and Meghan’s parents’ night out in London wasn’t exactly a traditional date night, they definitely made the most of it.

Here are some of the highlights.

Pre-Date Extracurriculars

View this post on Instagram

🏎💨💨💨 • This morning, The Duke of Sussex raced up to Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix to open the The Silverstone Experience, a brand-new immersive museum that tells the story of the past, present and future of British motor racing. Joined by six-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton MBE, The Duke of Sussex and Lewis toured @thesilverstoneexperience, where they viewed the various components of the museum, met with volunteers, and chatted with the next generation of engineers and racing drivers. The museum brings the extensive heritage of Silverstone and British motor racing to life, celebrating the circuit and the country’s position at the heart of the global motorsport industry. It showcases the rich history of the sport, highlights amazing stories of many whom have been part of what makes Silverstone so special – which we hope, will inspire future generations to come. Photo © PA

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Mar 6, 2020 at 5:39am PST

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? Meghan and Harry struck out separately prior to their big date night. The Duke “raced up to Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix, to open The Silverstone Experience, a brand-new immersive museum that tells the story of the past, present and future of British motor racing.”

View this post on Instagram

Yesterday, The Duchess of Sussex, Royal patron of the National Theatre, visited the Immersive Storytelling Studio in London, where emerging technology like Virtual Reality is being used to develop new forms of emotive storytelling. Recently, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also visited Stanford University where part of their learning journey included a virtual reality presentation that allows the user to experience life through another person’s point of view. The goal of this method of virtual reality is to enable us to better connect and empathise with each other as people, regardless of race, age or nationality. The Duchess is pictured here with Nubiya Brandon and her hologram, featured in the National’s exhibition ‘All Kinds of Limbo’, which is currently being presented at the Tate Modern. Photo © The Duke and Duchess of Sussex / Chris Allerton

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Mar 6, 2020 at 7:31am PST

The Duchess enjoyed an immersive experience of her own. “Yesterday, the Duchess of Sussex, Royal patron of the National Theatre, visited Immersive Storytelling Studio in London, where emerging technology like Virtual Reality is being used to develop new forms of emotive storytelling,” read the couple’s joint Instagram feed, accompanied by photos of Meghan observing exhibits at the theatre.

Smiling in the Rain

Not even a little inclement weather could dull Harry and Meghan’s shine as they made their way into the Endeavour Fund Awards — a ceremony that celebrates the achievements of wounded servicemen and women. As the rain poured down around their umbrella, the couple beamed at each other. And photographer Samir Hussein captured the moment in what may be the most magical royal photo ever.

Mature Mingling

View this post on Instagram

Tonight in London, for their third consecutive year, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the annual Endeavour Fund Awards, which celebrates the achievements of those veterans injured in service who have taken part in remarkable sporting and adventure challenges over the last year. By choosing to take on what seems impossible, these men and women not only set goals for themselves but have also inspired millions of people around the world. These annual awards bring together The Duke and The Duchess alongside wounded, injured and sick Service personnel and veterans as well as their families, friends and supporters of the military community. The Duke, who founded the @EndeavourFund, spoke on the night: • “The Endeavour Fund came from seeing the gaping hole that can be left after taking off that uniform. The power that sport and adventurous challenge plays in recovery, yes; but most of all – the chance to be part of a team again while attempting to achieve unthinkable challenges – as if being shot or blown up wasn’t enough, you guys continue to impress, inspire and challenge what it means to have a life changing injury.” • Since its launch in 2012, the Endeavour Fund has supported 108 projects that have directly assisted over 6,000 of those injured in service. Congratulations to all those who participated in endeavours over the last year and inspired others to push the boundaries of what’s possible! #EndeavorFundAwards

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Mar 5, 2020 at 2:34pm PST

Hello, grown-up conversation! When you have a toddler in the house, you can start to feel like you’ve lost your ability to form full sentences with other adult humans. Fortunately for Harry and Meghan, they certainly seem to have retained every bit of their eloquence and charmed. The couple shared a montage of their evening mingling on Instagram.

A Show of Support

It’s no secret that Harry and Meghan’s split from the royal family has been the subject of constant public fodder and scrutiny. But Harry alluded to his love for the monarchy — and, more pointedly, to the soldiers who serve in the U.K. — during a speech he made at the award ceremony.

“Meghan and I are so happy to be back here with you. Being able to serve Queen and country is something we all are rightly proud of, and it never leaves us. Once served, always serving,” he said, adding to the troops, “Many of you have told me tonight that you have my back. Well, I’m also going to tell you that I will always have yours.”

A Surprise Proposal

One of the most touching moments of Harry and Meghan’s date night came when they witnessed a major milestone in the life of one of this year’s Endeavour winners. After Danny Holland accepted the Recognizing Achievement Award, he asked his girlfriend to join him on the stage… and he proposed! The tender moment was captured on video, including Harry and Meghan’s adorable reaction to it.

Click here to see more romantic photos of Harry & Meghan.

Launch Gallery: The All-Time Most Romantic Pictures of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle

Best of SheKnows

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.