Meghan Markle's 37th birthday last weekend was a day to remember. Not only was it the Duchess' first birthday as a member of the royal family, but she also happened to be attending the wedding of Prince Harry's childhood friend, Charlie van Straubenzee, in Surrey. Harry and Meghan were pictured arriving at the church separately, and were only seen together after the ceremony, when they were reunited and held hands tightly. Many royal watchers were left speculating as to why they hadn't been together all day.
And now we know! Because Harry was acting as best man on the day, he was involved in the pre-wedding celebrations with groom Charlie and his fellow ushers. The all-male group enjoyed a lunch at The Anchor Inn in the quaint Hampshire village of Lower Froyle. An onlooker confirmed to HELLO! that Harry and about ten others "had a couple of drinks each and then had lunch".
Meghan arrives without husband Harry at friend's wedding:
The onlooker said: "It was all very relaxed. They were in a private dining room off the restaurant, so Harry stayed there the whole time. He kept a very low-profile. He didn't actually walk through the restaurant – they all came around the back. He seemed very relax and looked like he was having a good time. Everybody was very nice, they all seemed very pleasant."
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Prince Harry arrived with the other ushers at his friend's wedding
It's thought that Harry and his party had a bespoke menu made for them – a popular option at the quaint country pub. The Anchor Inn serves typical British gastropub food from lamb rump, rib eye steak and beef burgers to beer battered haddock, lemon sole and cod in Parma ham. Their private dining area, the State Room, can seat up to 30 people and is decorated in regal shades of coffee and caramel, with walls covered in portraits. The room also has access to an outdoor private terrace.
Meanwhile, Harry's wife Meghan, who was marking her 37th birthday, was a 20-minute drive away in Churt village. An insider confirmed to HELLO! that she too enjoyed a pre-wedding lunch at Bel & The Dragon, presumably with her husband's female friends who she has grown to know.
The Duke and Duchess were reunited after the wedding
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The Duke and Duchess arrived at the wedding separately at around 3pm on Saturday. Meghan was pictured chatting to her friends outside the Frensham village church, looking as stunning as ever in a colour-blocked pastel midi dress by Canadian fashion label Club Monaco. The birthday girl was later reunited with Harry once inside the church, and the royals were pictured leaving together after the service, holding hands and looking very much in love.
