Meghan Markle reveals she planned every detail of her 'dream wedding' as a teenager

Meghan Markle wedding day
(Image credit: Aaron Chown via Getty Images)

While her wedding to Prince Harry was watched by millions across the globe, Meghan Markle has revealed that she had actually planned her big day down to the smallest detail as a teenager - and it turned out to be a very different affair to the one that her fourteen year old self dreamed about.

In the most recent episode of her Archetypes podcast, the Duchess of Sussex spoke to guest Mindy Kaling about how she had imagined her wedding and the pair discussed the unfair stigma around being single.

Meghan recalled a school assignment in which she planned her big day - and she put in so much effort that she received top marks from her teacher.

She said: "When I was 14, I planned my wedding. Not my actual wedding, that would have been a bit harder to imagine!"

Assigned a task during her religious schooling, Meghan explains that over 20 years later she can still recall every detail.

"I remember everything little thing about it. I wanted it to be at the Bel Air Hotel, there was a Swan Lake, I wanted the cake to be from Hansen's bakery"

Of course, the perfect dress was picked out too, as she added: "Oh my goodness, the dress, strapless and pouffy and I'd seen it in a bridal magazine."

But, of course, Meghan's wedding to Harry turned out to be quite different.

The pair said 'I do' at St George's Chapel in Windsor in 2018, and instead of a 'strapless and pouffy' dress she opted for a stunning slightly off the shoulder Givenchy gown designed by Clare Waight Keller (and she actually only saw the finished dress on her wedding day).

Harry and Meghan wedding

The Duchess took her wedding planning school project very seriously, receiving an A- for her effort, but shared that she can not understand why the assignment ever existed, saying: "At no point can you say 'Nope. My dream for the future is to be single'.

"The message even at my feminist all-girls school was as traditional as it gets. First comes love. Then comes marriage."

Meghan explained to her audience how she had romanticised relationships, and following her parents separation at a young age she "always wanted this cookie-cutter looking, perfect life."

Archetypes is available to stream on Spotify. 

Dionne Brighton

Dionne Brighton is a writer at Marie Claire UK, specialising in all things shopping, beauty and fashion. Born and raised in North London, she studied Literature at the University of East Anglia before taking the leap into journalism. These days, you can find her testing out the latest TikTok beauty trends or finding out what the next full Moon means.