Prince Harry opens up about asking Prince Charles to walk Meghan Markle down the aisle

‘I’ll do whatever Meghan needs,’ Prince Charles said

(Getty Images)

Prince Harry has revealed the heartwarming response that Prince Charles had when he was asked to walk Meghan Markle down the aisle, saying that his father agreed without hesitation.

Prior to the royal wedding in May, Kensington Palace announced that the Duchess of Sussex would begin the bridal procession at St George’s Chapel in Windsor on her own, before being joined by her future father-in-law.

When the Duke of Sussex asked if his father would escort Meghan down the aisle, Prince Charles apparently had no reservations about taking on the responsibility in Thomas Markle’s absence.

“I asked him to and I think he knew it was coming, and he immediately said ‘yes, of course, I’ll do whatever Meghan needs and I’m here to support you’,” Prince Harry says in a BBC documentary being released to mark Prince Charles’ 70th birthday.

“For him that’s a fantastic opportunity to step up and be that support, and you know he’s our father so of course he’s gonna be there for us.”

On the day of the nuptials when Meghan joined Prince Harry at the end of the bridal procession, the groom could be seen mouthing words of gratitude to his father.

“I’ve been brought up well, you’ve gotta say thank you,” Prince Harry says in the documentary.

“Just because he’s my father that doesn’t mean I can just sort of go, ‘OK, that’s all, I’ll take it from here.’ Err, no!

“Though that is what I wanted to say but I was very grateful for him to be able to do that.”

The original plan for the royal wedding was to have Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, walk his daughter down the aisle.

However, Mr Markle was unable to attend the wedding after reports emerged that he'd undergone heart surgery in the US following an alleged heart attack.

The statement released by Kensington Palace in May explained that Meghan had personally requested that Prince Charles walk her down the aisle following the news of her father's ill health.

"Ms Meghan Markle has asked His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to accompany her down the aisle of the Quire of St George's Chapel on her wedding day," it read.

"The Prince of Wales is pleased to be able to welcome Ms Markle to the royal family in this way."

Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70 will be showing on BBC One on Thursday November 8 at 9pm.