Did Prince Andrew and Meghan Markle ever meet in person or attend the same events?

1. A meeting at Royal Lodge that resurfaced in recent retellings

Contemporary accounts describe an early introduction of Meghan to senior royals that included a visit to Royal Lodge where she met Queen Elizabeth II and other relatives; several sources recount Meghan being puzzled about Prince Andrew’s relationship to the family during that encounter, an anecdote amplified in later reports and a 2025 retelling ^{[2] [1]}. The most concrete detail repeated across reporting is the Royal Lodge introduction itself and a claim that Meghan once asked if Andrew was a relative, a moment framed as an awkward faux pas. These retellings rely on memoirs and interviews rather than event schedules or formal guest lists, so they give plausible evidence of a face-to-face meeting but not of an ongoing relationship. The 2019 photograph of Harry and Meghan with Prince Andrew is often cited as corroboration that they share event space at least on that occasion ^[1].

2. Photographic evidence and the limits of a single image

One tangible data point in multiple analyses is a 2019 photo that places Harry and Meghan in proximity to Prince Andrew, which confirms they have appeared together publicly on at least one occasion ^[1]. Photographs establish co-presence but do not indicate the nature, duration, or intimacy of interactions. Subsequent reporting contrasts this singular photographic evidence with patterns of avoidance and selective attendance at royal gatherings in later years, arguing that after Andrew’s public controversies the Sussexes and Andrew avoided overlap whenever possible ^{[4] [3]}. That divergence in emphasis reflects different editorial aims: one strand highlights anecdotal early meetings, while another stresses deliberate separation driven by reputational risk and family decisions.

3. Conflicting narratives: investigations, rumours and journalistic caution

In October 2025 a royal biographer’s probe raised questions about a possible earlier connection in Thailand and referenced unsubstantiated rumours that drew sensational headlines, but investigators and mainstream reports cautioned that the claims remain unproven ^[5]. Responsible outlets presented the probe as exploratory rather than definitive, while tabloid and gossip-oriented coverage amplified speculative lines that lack corroborating documentation. The result is a layered narrative where investigative teasers coexist with mainstream denials of firm evidence, and readers should note that investigative intrigue does not equate to verified contact beyond the Royal Lodge meeting and the 2019 photograph referenced elsewhere ^{[5] [1]}.

4. The broader context: distancing, guest lists and property moves shaping interaction chances

Later 2024–2025 reporting on royal events, guest lists, and residence changes places Andrew and the Sussexes on different trajectories: Andrew frequently withdrew from public duties and was reported to be absent from certain family celebrations, while Harry and Meghan’s residence in California and selective returns to the U.K. reduced routine overlap ^{[4] [6]}. Coverage noting Meghan’s caution around Andrew—particularly in light of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal and sensitivities among York family members—frames the relationship as one of careful distance, even where individual friendships (for example between Meghan and Princess Eugenie) persisted. These operational decisions around appearances and property use matter more to ongoing co-presence than anecdotal early meetings.

5. Bottom line: verified co-presence, limited contact, and unresolved early allegations

The verifiable record supports that Prince Andrew and Meghan Markle have been in the same place at least once and were photographed together, and multiple later accounts describe an early Royal Lodge introduction that aligns with that evidence ^{[1] [2]}. Beyond those points, reporting diverges: investigative pieces have floated possible earlier contacts and sensational rumours without producing conclusive proof, while coverage of family event planning and reputational management emphasizes deliberate avoidance and limited interaction after Andrew’s scandals ^{[5] [3]}. Readers should treat the Royal Lodge introduction and the 2019 photograph as established facts, regard biographers’ probes and tabloids’ conjectures as unproven leads, and recognize the consistent theme that any meetings were isolated rather than indicative of a sustained personal relationship ^{[1] [5] [4]}.