Prince Harry ‘rushed’ to propose to Meghan Markle for one important reason

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were engaged after just a year of dating, a decision driven by a key factor, according to a royal author.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s romance began with a blind date in 2016, leading to an engagement announcement the following year and a star-studded wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018.

It’s reported that Prince William, who courted Kate Middleton for eight years before popping the question, was initially “nervous” about the speed of his brother’s relationship. He feared Meghan might find it challenging to adjust to royal life in such a short span.

However, Harry dismissed these concerns, stating he needed to marry Meghan quickly due to her “biological clock ticking,” as she was nearing 35, says author Tina Brown.

In her book, The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor, Brown writes that William feared Harry “was heading for trouble” Meghan had to overhaul her entire life, quit acting, and relocate from the US to the UK, where she had few acquaintances.

Brown, former editor of Tatler and The New Yorker, also suggests William was concerned that Meghan was ill-prepared for the “scorching scrutiny and harassment” that comes with being a royal family member.

However, the book reveals that Harry’s response to William’s concerns was to marry Meghan “as quickly as possible” so she could enjoy the same police protection he did as a working royal. It’s also claimed that Harry mentioned Meghan’s biological clock ticking as she was nearing 35, according to the Daily Mail, reports the Mirror.

In 2022, author Tom Bower made a similar claim in his book, stating that after her first date with Harry, Meghan expressed to a friend that her biological clock was ticking and she desired children. The couple, who relocated to the US in 2020 after stepping down as senior royals, are now proud parents to five year old Prince Archie and three year old Princess Lilibet.

Back in 2017, Harry confessed “the stars were aligned” when discussing his relationship with Meghan. During their first joint TV interview with BBC presenter Mishal Husain, he said: “The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned, everything was just perfect. This beautiful woman just tripped and fell into my life, I fell into her life.

Recalling the moment Harry proposed, Meghan shared: “Just a cosy night, it was – what we were doing just roasting chicken and having …” Interrupting Meghan, Harry added: “Roasting a chicken, trying to roast a chicken.”

Meghan recounted the heartfelt proposal, saying: “Trying to roast a chicken and it just – just an amazing surprise, it was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee.”