Prince Harry makes 100-mile dash to fetch Meghan Markle and whisks her to Pippa’s Middleton’s wedding reception
The Suits actress, who has been in a relationship with Prince Harry since last year, did not attend the wedding so she didn't upstage the bride on her big day
LOVED-UP Prince Harry arrived with girlfriend Meghan Markle at Pippa’s wedding last night after he made a 100-mile dash to collect her.
The pair were grinning broadly as their car pulled up for the evening bash at the Middletons’ home in Bucklebury.
The actress sported a pair of dazzling jewel earrings which caught the evening light as the motor passed. They joined guests partying inside the £100,000 rented woodland theme marquee.
Their arrival had been eagerly awaited by guests after she stayed away from the wedding - which cost an estimated £700,000 - to avoid upstaging the bride.
Instead Harry, 32, left the afternoon celebration early to collect his sweetheart from Kensington Palace where she had been holed up all day.
Royal watchers say seeing Harry and his Canadian lover, 35, walk hand-in-hand into church would have sent feverish speculation about an imminent engagement into overdrive.
And it might have stolen the headlines on a day when Pippa, 33, was meant to be centre stage.
Harry had arrived at the wedding ceremony at St Mark’s Church in Englefield in a Range Rover alongside Prince William and Kate.
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He stayed briefly at the champagne reception which followed at grand Englefield House before slipping away at the wheel of a dark grey Audi with a security guard in the passenger seat.
The prince headed along the M4 to fetch Meghan from the palace in West London, before returning a couple of hours later.
A source said: “Harry is extremely fond of his sister-in-law. They had a wonderful time at Kate and William’s wedding.
“He knew this was all about Pippa’s big day and he and Meghan jointly decided they didn’t want to upstage her.
“Harry went all the way back to London to get Meghan and bring her to the party.
“He was determined not to upstage Pippa but also really wanted them to enjoy the wedding together.
“He left as discreetly as possible and travelled with her all the way back up, showing just how serious he is about her.
“He didn’t want Meghan having to arrive alone, without him alongside her, at the reception.”
The party was into full swing as the royal lovebirds arrived.
Guests were treated to a dazzling purple light show that lit up the sky above the Grand Orangery. Later, a World War Two Spitfire also flew overhead. It performed acrobatic manoeuvres for ten minutes, banked across the sky several times and carried out a victory roll over the village.
Earlier, smiling best man Spencer Matthews, 27, greeted guests including Roger Federer, Princess Eugenie and celebrity Donna Air at the church entrance.
The Made in Chelsea reality TV star, who was banned from bringing his girlfriend Vogue Williams, and the ushers wore dusty pink ties with matching pocket squares as they shook hands with arrivals.
Groom James Matthews also greeted friends and family warmly, at one stage sharing a joke with his brother.
Mother of the bride Carole Middleton, 62, looked glamorous in a peach Catherine Walker ensemble as she arrived with son James, 30.
He hugged and kissed his girlfriend, former Byker Grove star Donna, 37, as they met. “Black sheep” of the Middleton clan, uncle Gary Goldsmith, was in good spirits, tweeting throughout the day, as he turned out with his daughter.
At one stage he posted a snap of himself grinning from ear to ear with the message: “Current mood.”
Princess Eugenie shone in a navy blue dress and cream pillbox hat with boyfriend Jack Brooksbank on her arm.
ITV news anchor Tom Bradby and his jewellery designer wife Claudia were among the first celebrity guests to arrive.
Prince Michael of Kent’s daughter Gabriella Windsor and TV presenter Ben Fogle were also among the 200-strong congregation.
But some guests made the ultimate faux pas at the wedding — they arrived late and had to be ushered in a side door by security staff.
About 100 villagers also turned out to watch the guests arrive.
Local Marylyn Elsie said: “We have all looked forward to the wedding and it has been really exciting. The local people who have been invited to get a little bit closer, were overjoyed. We felt very privileged.
“Pippa’s dress looked very beautiful, very classic. There was no panty line. It’s just lovely having a ‘royal’ wedding, and having royalty on our patch.”
After the church service and the champagne reception at Englefield, the guests had a break where some returned to hotel rooms.
But Harry, who shared his first public kiss with Meghan at a polo match two weeks ago, had more romantic matters on his mind as he headed off on his dash to London.
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