Meghan Markle Nearly Walked Away From Prince Harry on Their First Date After His 30-Minute Delay
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been married for eight years, but their relationship nearly got off to a disastrous start when the Duke of Sussex arrived half an hour late for their first date.
The couple began dating in 2016, meeting privately at Soho House in London. Although their romance eventually led to a royal wedding, Meghan initially feared Harry might be exactly the kind of man she wanted to avoid.
Both have since revealed how the awkward encounter unfolded, sharing their different perspectives in Harry’s memoir Spare and their Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan.
Prince Harry Feared Meghan Would Leave Before He Arrived
In Spare, Harry admitted that heavy London traffic left him running approximately 30 minutes late.
Making matters worse, he struggled to keep Meghan updated about his progress.
Aware that his lack of communication could make a terrible first impression, Harry became increasingly anxious that she would leave before he arrived.
He recalled apologizing for the delay and explaining that traffic was particularly bad.
Meghan’s brief response did little to reassure him.
Harry even told his bodyguards that he feared she was going to leave.
As his vehicle slowly approached the restaurant, he sent another message explaining that he was moving but still delayed.
Meghan suggested that he simply get out of the car.
However, Harry’s security arrangements meant the situation was not as straightforward as she imagined.
Meghan Thought Harry Might Be an Arrogant Date
Meghan later described the same encounter in the couple’s Netflix documentary.
At the time, she barely knew Harry and had no way of understanding whether his lateness was unavoidable or simply inconsiderate.
“I just couldn’t understand why he would be late,” she recalled.
Her initial reaction was far from encouraging.
“And I didn’t know him. So I was like, is this what he does? This I’m not doing.”
Meghan admitted that she began wondering whether Harry was the type of man who assumed women would wait for him because of his status.
“Like one of the guys who had so much of an ego that any girl would sit around and wait for a half hour for you,” she explained.
For Meghan, punctuality and consideration mattered, and Harry’s delayed arrival threatened to create the wrong impression before their relationship had even begun.
Harry’s Embarrassed Arrival Changed Everything
Fortunately for Harry, Meghan’s concerns disappeared when he finally arrived.
Rather than appearing confident or dismissive about keeping her waiting, the Prince was visibly flustered and deeply apologetic.
He had been caught in traffic and was clearly embarrassed by the situation.
Recalling the moment in their documentary, Meghan told him: “You were genuinely so embarrassed and late… you were a red hot sweaty mess.”
His genuine discomfort helped her realize that the delay was not a sign of arrogance.
Instead, Harry had been worried about disappointing her.
The awkward beginning soon gave way to a connection that developed into a serious relationship.
An Awkward Beginning to a Royal Romance
Harry and Meghan’s first-date story offers a revealing contrast to the carefully managed public appearances that later defined their relationship.
Before their engagement, wedding and eventual departure from royal duties, they were simply two people navigating the uncertainty of an early romantic encounter.
Harry feared that his lateness would ruin his chances, while Meghan questioned whether she should wait for someone she barely knew.
Their recollections show how easily the evening might have taken a different direction.
Instead, Harry’s apologetic arrival helped overcome Meghan’s initial doubts.
The couple announced their engagement in November 2017 and married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, in May 2018.
Eight years later, their story of a delayed first date remains an amusing reminder that even a royal romance can begin with an embarrassing misunderstanding.