'He was hot, sweaty and embarrassed!': Meghan lifts the lid on Harry showing up half an hour late to their first date

8 December 2022, 10:25 | Updated: 8 December 2022, 10:30

Prince Harry turned up half an hour late to his first date with Meghan Markle, and arrived in a "red, hot, sweaty ball of mess", the couple has said.

The pair first met over Instagram in the summer of 2016, when Ms Markle was planning her "single girl summer" - but Harry was her "plot twist".

The first picture Harry saw of his future wife with a dog Snapchat filter over her face while she was in the UK.

Prince Harry was late to his first date with Meghan Markle

They talked over FaceTime before Harry asked her out for an evening in Soho, in London.

Meghan said: "We met at 76 Dean Street. You were late. And I couldn’t understand why you would be late.

"But he was texting, he was like I’m in traffic, I’m so sorry.

Harry interjected, saying: "I was panicking, I was freaking out, I was like sweating.

Meghan said that because she didn't know Harry, she thought: " Oh is this what he does?’ Got it."

When Harry asked what that meant, Meghan said: "Like you’re one of those guys who has so much of an ego… that any girl would sit waiting for half an hour for you. I was just not interested in that.

Harry added: "And then when I walked in, I was a hot red, sweaty ball of mess.

Meghan said: "You were just so sweet... That’s not what you are. So embarrassed and late."

Meghan had to leave for a dinner after an hour, but asked Harry out for another date the next day.

She said: "And I’m sure he thought it was so forward and American. I’m sure he told me it was so forward and American."

The couple took a selfie in the restaurant in their second date, which is shared in the documentary.

"I just wanted to capture the feeling of just sitting in that little restaurant and going ‘Oh my gosh. I think we’re going to give it a go.

"That was when it hit me, I was like ‘Okay, this girl, this woman is amazing, is everything that I’ve been looking for.

"And she’s so comfortable and relaxed in my company."

Read more: Harry and Meghan's 'truth' about the royals and the media unleashed as bombshell Netflix docuseries released

Harry added that the relationship was difficult right from the start, because of his family's unique status.

He said: "Dating became a combination of car cashes, multi surveillance driving and disguises which isn’t particularly a healthy way to start a relationship."

The first three episodes of the documentary were published on Netflix on Thursday.

The first episode details how Harry and Meghan met and dated before explaining the background to Harry’s life, including the press interest in Harry during his childhood and the period when Charles and Diana divorced.

It has been claimed the royals will not watch it but officials at Buckingham and Kensington Palace will.

Reports say the royals will probably try and avoid responding to the show, but are prepared to rapidly hit back if anything they consider to be “unjust accusations” emerges.The documentary also starts with Netflix saying the royals declined to comment on the show.

Read more: Harry and Meghan release new photos of Archie and Lilibet in Netflix docuseries

The second episode shows Harry criticising the media for the intense attention he and Meghan received after their relationship went public, with the prince comparing the press treatment to Princess Diana's experience.

That instalment also shows Ms Markle's mother Doria Ragland describing how her daughter told her about Harry, and her first meeting with her future son-in-law.

She said: "He was this 6'1 handsome man with red hair, [he had] great manners. He was just really nice. They look really happy together.

"He was the one."

Ms Markle and her mother also revisit their old Los Angeles neighbourhood of Miracle Mile.

Ms Ragland: "We were close to my mom, her grandma, and my sister was close by, and my girlfriends were close by, so we had a nice network of women who really helped me raise Meg.

"She was always so easy to get along with, very congenial, making friends.

"She was a very empathic child, very mature. I remember asking Meg if I feel like her mom. And she told me that I felt like her older controlling sister. I never forgot that."

Nick Ferrari and Amanda Platell dissect Harry and Megahn's series

Ms Markle described how the family endured racism in her childhood.

She recalled an incident where someone said: "'You must be the nanny, where’s her mom?' because I was really fair-skinned and she was darker."

They also visited Ms Markle's old school where they met one of her former teachers 'Ms Debby', in an emotional reunion.

The teacher read out a note Ms Markle wrote as a child.

She said: "Dear Ms Debby, you’ve helped me so much since I was 2 years old. I knew I could count on you to be there for me as a principal and also a friend. I can’t thank you enough.

"Even though I was at this school for ten years, I wish I could have stayed for ten more. This school will always have a special place in my heart. Much love, Meghan.

"PS When I am rich and famous and I write my life story, I will talk about you and the school, so you will be known worldwide."