Prince Harry and Meghan recreate 'quintessentially British' detail from their royal wedding at home in California
We got to see how they marked their 8th wedding anniversary, including the gift Harry got Meghan and a rather special cake
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex haven't set foot on UK soil as a couple since Queen Elizabeth's funeral in 2022 but they made sure to include a very British detail in their wedding anniversary celebrations. Harry and Meghan marked their 8 year anniversary at home with Archie and Lilibet and whether they made it themselves or commissioned it, they all enjoyed a special cake.
In her Instagram Stories Meghan confirmed it was elderflower and lemon - the same flavour as the Sussexes' three-tier wedding cake. It even had a fresh flower on top too. The original masterpiece was crafted by Claire Ptak of Violet Bakery, who previously described the flavour of the elderflower buttercream as "quintessentially spring and British".
Elderflower grows wild in the UK and even though the couple broke with royal tradition with their surprising flavour choice, the final cake still paid tribute to Harry's home country. Usually royals go for long-lasting fruit cakes, like the Prince and Princess of Wales's and you save tiers to be used as christening cakes.
Harry and Meghan's children were fully involved in the anniversary celebrations and likely got to enjoy a slice of the new lemon and elderflower cake. We got to see a glimpse of their gifts for their parents and a handwritten card, with the envelope reading "Mama and Papa".
Interestingly, this is a subtle sign that Archie and Lilibet are being raised with little nods to their British heritage. Prince Harry and Prince William both call King Charles "Pa" and he in turn used to call Prince Philip "Papa". We also know that the Wales kids use "Papa" for William.
Harry has kept up the custom with his kids and you'd think that they might use "Dad" instead which is far more popular in America and more casual. Archie and Lilibet also call Meghan "Mama" but they've also called her the "best mummy" before.
The Duchess revealed as much on Jamie Kern Lima's podcast where she read out a letter from her children, with a little help from Prince Harry. Perhaps "mummy" and not "mommy" was used because it was him writing it, although Meghan actually said she loved that they chose this spelling because it was "very British".
Prince Harry appears to have nostalgia for British life too, as he apparently told singer Joss Stone how "wonderful" the schools are in the UK and "how important community is for children". Even though the family are well and truly at home in California, there's still a sense of both worlds.
The couple's wedding anniversary was the perfect opportunity to nod to this with their lemon and elderflower cake and in Meghan's Instagram Stories we also got to see what her husband got her for their bronze anniversary. Appropriately enough, it was a bronze statue of two penguins and the reason for the present was clear.
Beside the gift was a picture of Prince Harry and Meghan wearing penguin onesies at their engagement party back in 2017.
"When Mama and Papa got engaged, we had a party with all of our friends, and we said, 'Everyone wear an animal onesie,'" Meghan told Archie and Lilibet. "We were penguins. Because we're together for life."
