Why Harry and Meghan are actually 'Henry and Rachel'

We may know them as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle but as the Queen reminded us in her formal blessing, those aren't actually their real names at all.

The 33-year-old prince and his 36-year-old actress fiancée were in fact born with completely different names to the ones they use today, and it's only in formal proceedings such as the recent Queen's letter of consent to the Privy Council, that we hear their real names being used.

Ironically, Meghan’s real name is actually Rachel Meghan Markle – the same moniker as her famous Suits character Rachel Zane.

Many assume the Canadian actress decided to use her middle name Meghan as a stage name, following the likes of Katy Perry, Demi Moore, Olivia Wilde and Helen Mirren.

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But it has also been reported that she has been using the name Meghan since before her acting days.

Meanwhile Prince Harry’s real name is in fact Henry, but it is thought his parents Princess Diana and Prince Charles, decided to shorten it.

They announced after his birth that he will be referred to as 'Harry', which is of course a popular derivative of the name 'Henry' and is believed to be the name Diana initially wanted to call her son.

The duo are set to tie the knot on May 19 and despite their real names being no secret, we think there’ll still be a few double takes when the celebrant asks if Henry will take Rachel.

Or as the queen herself put it, “my most dearly beloved grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales and Rachel Meghan Markle."

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