Meghan Markle has revealed that in the early days of her relationship with Prince Harry, the couple used secret “codes” to keep their romance private.
Speaking on The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast on April 28, the Duchess of Sussex shared how what began as a covert tactic has since evolved into a cherished tradition in their relationship, as reported by PEOPLE.
“Probably at the beginning of us dating, when everything was in code,” Meghan shared. “People didn’t know we were dating for, talk about memory lane, so long ago. I mean, it’ll be our seven-year wedding anniversary soon. I couldn’t tell anyone who I was dating, and who was keeping [the secret], so I think we were just on a letter basis.”
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That “letter basis” meant simply calling each other by their initials: “M” for Meghan and “H” for Harry. What started as a protective strategy soon stuck. “It stuck,” Meghan said with a laugh.
She added that the codes have become second nature, now used casually even during outings with friends or while on playdates with their children. “There’ll be tons of people there, and he’ll say ‘M,’ and you’ll say ‘H,’ and our friends say ‘M,’” Kern Lima said. “It just is a thing.”
And Meghan wouldn’t have it any other way. “I like it. I love nicknames,” she added.
Nearly seven years into their marriage, Meghan observed her relationship with Prince Harry is stronger than ever.
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“We’ve built a beautiful life and we have two healthy, beautiful children,” she said, referencing the couple’s son, Prince Archie, 5, and daughter, Princess Lilibet, 3.
Reflecting on their journey together, the Duchess of Sussex described Prince Harry as her real-life hero, likening him to a character from a video game.
“I always think about it like the end of Super Mario Brothers,” she said. “When you get to the final, final level, and what’s the goal in Super Mario? They’re like, ‘Slay the dragon, save the princess.’ I’m like, that’s my husband. He’s just out there constantly, doing whatever he can to make sure that our family is safe and protected and we’re uplifted — and still makes time for date nights.”
Meghan confirmed her enduring affection for Prince Harry, stating without hesitation that she is more in love with him now than ever before.
“You have to imagine, at the beginning, everyone is like butterflies,” she explained. “And then we immediately went into the trenches together — right out of the gate, like six months into dating. So now, seven years later, when you have a little bit of breathing space, you can just enjoy each other in a new way. And that’s why I feel like it’s more of a honeymoon period for us now.” Asked if she believes they’ll be married forever, she replied simply: “Yes.”
“He’s also a fox,” she said with a laugh. “If you haven’t noticed, my husband’s very, very handsome. But his heart is even more beautiful.”
