Prince Harry, Meghan Markle ‘obliged’ to follow Pippa Middleton’s unusual rule

Pippa Middleton became a household name when she served as the maid of honour at her sister Kate Middleton’s royal wedding to Prince William in April 2011.

Six years later, it was Pippa’s turn to be a bride when she married Eton-educated hedge fund manager James Matthews.

Notably, Pippa had an unusual seating arrangement for her reception, as she did not want couples sitting together. This rule also applied to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were not yet engaged at the time. 

Harry sat next to ITV presenter Tom Bradby, while Meghan was seated with Roger Federer’s wife, Mirka.

In their book Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand wrote: “Sitting together in the custom glass marquee that had been erected on the 18-acre property should have been a fun night for the couple, but, per Pippa’s request, no couples sat together.”

Despite spending the meal apart, Harry and Meghan reportedly reunited near the dance floor later in the evening.

It is also noteworthy that Meghan did not attend the church ceremony due to concerns that the presence of the future Duke and Duchess of Sussex might overshadow Pippa’s big day.