When they attended Pippa Middleton’s wedding in 2017, Harry and Meghan couldn’t sit next to each other due to a strict seating plan – and Meghan didn’t attend the church service

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry faced a tricky situation when they attended Pippa Middleton’s wedding back in 2017.

The couple, who had been dating for less than a year and weren’t engaged yet at the time, were hoping to spend the day together – but due to Catherine’s sister’s unusual request, they had to sit at separate tables. Pippa had a strict seating plan when she married her husband James Matthews and didn’t want couples to be seating together.

This meant that Harry sat next to ITV News at Ten presenter Tom Bradby while his then-girlfriend Meghan shared her table with Roger Federer’s wife Mirka. The move was meant to encourage guests to know each other better.

In their book Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand wrote: “Sitting together in the custom glass marquee that had been erected on the 18-acre property should have been a fun night for the couple, but, per Pippa’s request, no couples sat together.” Harry and Meghan then reunited near the dance floor after the meal – and at the end of the evening, they spent time together.

But apart from the seating challenge the couple faced, Meghan also didn’t attend the church ceremony since there were concerns that the presence of the future Duke and Duchess of Sussex might overshadow Pippa’s big day. It was agreed that Harry and Meghan came up with a plan for the big day, which saw them drive to Berkshire on the day of the wedding.

The former Suits actress stayed in an Airbnb that a close friend had rented on her behalf, while Harry attended the church service in Englefield. In the meantime, Meghan did her own make-up and put on a black dress while waiting for Harry to come back, have some lunch together and then they both headed to the reception at the Middleton’s Bucklebury home.

Omid and Carolyn claimed a headline which ran on the day of the wedding, comparing Pippa and Meghan’s bottoms, was the final straw. In their book Finding Freedom, they said: “Harry and Meghan agreed that she couldn’t possibly turn up at the church, only fifty metres away from a specially arranged media pen, after such a crass cover story.

“If they worried their arrival might create a media circus despite taking every precaution, now they had no doubt that it would. Meghan’s church outfit and Philip Treacy hat would have to be worn another time.”

Once guests arrived at the wedding reception, they had their photo ID checked and their own password to get in. They were greeted by a 140ft glass marquee in the garden, which had been decorated in an enchanted forest theme. Guests took part in a number of fun games and watched an excellent light show before they were served food and drink including mini haggis, deer carpaccio, langoustine claws and asparagus with Hollandaise sauce.