Getty Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle will walk down the aisle with Prince Harry on May 19, 2018 in a highly anticipated wedding. How old is Meghan Markle, though? Is she older than Prince Harry?
Meghan Markle is 36-years-old. She was born on August 4, 1981. Prince Harry was born on September 15, 1984. That means he is 33-years-old. And that means that Meghan is three years older than Prince Harry.
Is that unusual for a British royal pairing? Somewhat. However, it’s not the first time that a royal bride has been older than her husband. Here are some of the other age gaps:
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh attend a National Service of Thanksgiving in 2016.
Queen Elizabeth II is 92-years-old. Her husband, Prince Phillip, is 96-years-old, making him four years older than his wife.
Princess Diana was born on July 1, 1961, and she was 36-years-old when she died – the age that Meghan Markle is now. Prince Charles was born on November 14, 1948, making him currently 69-years-old. There was a big age gap between Charles and Diana that might have contributed to their marital problems; he was 13 years older.
Prince Edward is 54-years-old. Sophie, Countess of Wessex and his wife, is 53-years-old.
GettyPrince William and his wife, Kate.
However, Markle is not the first royal bride to be older than her soon-to-be husband. Sarah Ferguson is 58-years-old. Prince Andrew is the same age. He was born in February 19, 1960, and she was born on October 15, 1959, meaning that she is a few months older than he is. Prince Anne is 67-years-old. Her husband, Tim Laurence, is 63. That’s about the same age gap as exists between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Prince William is 35-years-old. He was born on June 21, 1982. His wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, was born on January 9, 1982, so she is a few months older.
Meghan Markle has revealed that agents told her to lie about her age in Hollywood out of fear she wouldn’t get any roles after age 30.
GettyMeghan Markle
In 2015, she said, “I think that as women actors, the industry can assume they have a shelf life. I’m always told, ‘Don’t say your age’. I’m 33 and I’m really comfortable with that. I think if anyone has a problem then it’s their problem, not mine.”
According to Uk Express, Markle “will be the oldest royal bride in British history when the pair get married.” That doesn’t necessarily bode poorly for the marriage as Harry saw his parents’ marriage fail when Diana was much younger than Markle at the time she wed – and much younger than Charles.
The relationship between Meghan and Prince Harry was confirmed in November 2016, and they didn’t waste much time in walking down the aisle. The couple is marrying at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and will reside at Kensington Palace nearby William and Kate. They have a cottage on the grounds there called Nottingham Cottage.
Age isn’t the only way in which the Meghan-Harry union is defying tradition, as she is also a divorced American actress, a prospect that wouldn’t have been possible in England a few generations back.