When Meghan Markle started dating Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in 2016, Meghan had two rescue dogs: Guy, a beagle, and Labrador-shepherd mix named Bogart, which became part of their family
Prince Harry enlisted Meghan Markle’s rescue dog Guy in his plans to propose to his partner, it has emerged.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, had the beagle “as hostage” when he prepared to pop the question to Meghan in 2017 – and images of the moment she said “yes” featured in one of the couple’s Netflix documentaries. The sweet moment resurfaced today after Meghan announced Guy had died.
Harry was confident Meghan, 43, would agree to his hand in marriage because she had moved both Guy from the US to the UK for their life as working royals. Harry said: “It wasn’t that I knew she was going to say yes, but she’d already moved Guy over, so I had Guy as a hostage.”
In a photo broadcast in a Netflix show, Meghan and Harry are seen smiling next to Guy. It is believed this is the moment after Harry popped the question, before which Harry sought the blessing of Meghan’s parents Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland.
Harry got down on one knee in the grounds of Kensington Palace in west London. They lived in a small home there called Nottingham Cottage, before they quit royal life in 2020.
Speaking previously about the proposal, Meghan, the former actress, said: “He’s down on one knee and I was just like, ‘Yes!’ We were so joyful and excited. I was like, ‘Ah, we’re doing this!’”
Harry had hoped to keep the moment a surprise but conceded Meghan became suspicious when he popped open a bottle of champagne – before he led Meghan outside to propose.
He had told Vanity Fair: “I did pop a bottle of champagne while she was greasing the chicken and that kind of slightly gave the game away… She was like, ‘You don’t drink champagne. What’s the occasion?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know. Just had it laying around here, whatever.'”
Since the engagement, the couple have had a third dog, a black Labrador called Pula. The Duke of Sussex had said: “Between the three of them, they drudged around chasing the squirrels every day, but they are also emotional support dogs when they’re behaving… I’ll tell you what, we all need a dog that keeps us calm.”