EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry 'Stalked Meghan Markle on Social Media' Before They Met — And DIDN'T Fall in Love With Her Watching 'Suits'
Prince Harry checked Meghan Markle's social media before they met, but didn’t fall for her while watching 'Suits.'
Nov. 28 2025, Published 5:49 p.m. ET
Prince Harry is facing fresh scrutiny over the origins of his relationship with Meghan Markle, with sources telling RadarOnline.com he "stalked" the then-actress on Instagram before they met – an account he himself partly substantiated in Spare, where he admits to repeatedly drooling over an online clip of her before their first introduction.
The controversy centers on Harry's own description of the moment he first saw Meghan in 2016 – which contradicts the belief of droves of royal fans he got obsessed by her after seeing her in the legal drama Suits that made her name.
A 'Full-Blown Digital Pursuit'
Prince Harry admitted he first saw Meghan Markle on Instagram in 2016.
He admits in his memoir Spare he actually first laid eyes on his future wife while scrolling through Instagram – a detail insiders now say has prompted teasing and pointed questions about how persistent his online interest in Meghan became in the weeks leading up to their first date.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, wrote in his autobiography he discovered Markle, now 44, after seeing a short dog-filter video posted by his childhood friend Violet von Westenholz.
But sources close to the royal circle claim Harry's fascination quickly turned into "a full-blown digital pursuit."
One insider familiar with those early months said: "He wasn't casually browsing. He was checking her profile repeatedly, asking friends about her, looking for any new posts. He was smitten, but it definitely crossed into online stalking territory."
Another source said: "Harry said he'd never seen anyone like her and wasn't about to let the opportunity slip. He was determined to meet her."
Harry's First Sighting
He watched a video of her several times and became immediately smitten.
In Spare, Harry admitted: "They were playing with a new app that put silly filters on your photos. Violet and the woman had dog ears, dog noses, long red dog tongues hanging out.
"Despite the canine cartoon overlay, I sat up straighter."
Referring to Markle, he added: "This woman with Violet... my God."
He said he then watched the clip featuring the then full-time actress "several times," saying: "I'd never seen anyone so beautiful."
One source said: "He was glued to his phone after that first viewing. If he wasn't messaging her, he was looking at her pictures."
Another said: "He kept saying he just wanted a chance, and that if he met her, everything would fall into place. It was intense – very intense."
Texting Like a Teenager
Sources said he repeatedly checked her profile in the weeks before they met.
Harry's next move – texting von Westenholz to request an introduction to Markle – is also described in his memoir.
"Six other guys" had asked about Meghan, Violet told him, but she agreed to connect them via Instagram.
A message from Markle soon followed, which complimented Harry on the "beautiful photographs" he had posted from his travels in Africa.
Harry recalled locking himself in a guestroom at the home of Sir Keith Mills to continue messaging her.
"I sat on my bed texting like a teenager until it was time to have dinner," he wrote. After dessert, he said, he "quickly returned to the guestroom and resumed texting."
From First Date to Soulmate
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Harry said he realized she was his soulmate during a trip to Botswana
A friend of the prince said: "He was obsessed – in a romantic way, but obsessed all the same.
"He kept saying it felt like there might be 'only one face' for him, and now he'd found it."
Harry eventually asked Markle to meet for drinks and they met in 2016. Late for their first date by 30 minutes due to traffic, he wrote he arrived for their meet "red-cheeked, puffing, sweaty," but their conversation ended up flowing easily.
He described Markle in his book as looking "heart-attack beautiful."
Their second date followed, then a week-long trip to Botswana, where Harry said he realized Meghan was his "soulmate."
He later said: "She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic. Then we were really by ourselves."
