Meghan Markle’s year ahead: Everything we have to look forward to!

Happy birthday, <a href="/tags/0/meghan-markle">Meghan</a>! It’s been a magical year for the newly minted Duchess of Sussex – from getting engaged and <a href="/royal-wedding/">marrying her Prince Charming</a> to attending her first official outing as a royal. And as she celebrates her 37th trip around the sun on Aug. 4 with <a href="/tags/0/prince-harry/">Prince Harry</a> by her side, Meghan has a lot to look forward to (and so do we!). <p>The <a href="https://ca.hellomagazine.com/fashion/02018011841540/meghan-markle-best-fashion-looks">style icon</a> will attend a number of high-profile weddings this year and jet off on her <a href="https://ca.hellomagazine.com/royalty/02018061145639/prince-harry-meghan-markle-royal-tour-new-zealand-australia-fiji-tonga">first official royal tour</a>, not to mention a lot of courtside action at her husband’s <a href="/tags/0/invictus-games/">Invictus Games</a> in Australia. She’s also likely to move homes, make her first official speech, announce a handful of royal patronages close to her heart and don another tiara! <strong>Click through to see all the things Meghan’s 37th year has in store…</strong> </p> <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images</p>
<h2>Charlie Van Straubenzee’s wedding</h2> <p>Prince Harry’s good friend Charlie will wed Daisy Jenks in Surrey on Meghan’s birthday, with the duke reportedly acting as best man. Photographers should be present to capture arrivals, and if fans are really lucky the Sussexes will arrive with the Cambridges, offering another glimpse of sisters-in-law Meghan and Kate out together and dressed to impress.</p> <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>First holiday at Balmoral</h2> The Queen's beloved Scottish retreat, Balmoral Castle, is a meeting grounds for the Royal Family during the late summer and early fall - and Meghan is expected to make her debut this year. She can expect to see men in kilts, be woken each morning by a bagpiper, enjoy outdoor picnics, movie nights and feast on fish straight from the River Dee. The animal lover may, however, opt to stay home from hunting excursions. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images 
<h2>Princess Eugenie and Jack’s royal wedding</h2> Meghan has been a royal bride, but she’s never been a guest at a high-profile royal wedding. When Prince Harry’s first cousin Princess Eugenie says “I do” to Jack Brooksbank on Oct. 12, not only will Meghan and her husband be in the pews but they’ll be able to relive the special moment when they uttered those same words in the same space, St George’s Chapel. And fans will of course be living for that first glimpse of Meghan’s wedding day look. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>First solo engagement</h2> As far as official outings go, Meghan has knocked a few big ones off her list – from her first solo engagements with the Queen to her first day out with her sister-in-law Kate – but she’s yet to forge out on her own. The Duchess of Sussex is likely to step out solo this year, especially for one of her yet-to-be-announced patronages. A solitary Duchess Kate stood in for her father-in-law, Prince Charles, six months after her wedding at a private dinner. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>A new home</h2> While they’ve built their life together at Kensington Palace’s quaint Nottingham Cottage (or “Nott Cott”), Prince Harry and Meghan will soon outgrow its modest 1,300 square feet. According to reports, they’re set to move into a far more lavish space on the palace grounds called Apartment 1, which is right next to the Cambridge family’s Apartment 1A. Renovations are well underway at the 21-room property, which will make the perfect London abode for the Sussexes and their growing family! <p>Photo: &copy; ALAMY
<h2>Chelsea Flower Show</h2> A staple on the royal calendar, everyone from the Queen and Kate to Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne and Countess Sophie have turned up at the annual extravaganza of blooms put on by the Royal Horticultural Society in May. Meghan used to share her latest bouquets, many featuring her favourite peonies, on her now-closed Instagram account, so she’s sure to love her first visit to the Chelsea Flower Show – and don her best floral ensemble to boot! <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>First royal film premiere</h2> During their first year of marriage, Prince William and Kate got all dolled up to attend the London premiere of Steven Spielberg’s <em>Warhorse</em>, hobnobbing with cast members Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston. Fans are hoping to see red-carpet pro Meghan attend a glitzy premiere this year with Prince Harry, who has donned his finest at the debuts of <em>Star Wars: The Last Jedi</em>, <em>Dunkirk</em> and <em>The Dark Knight Rises</em>. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>Trooping the Colour</h2> Meghan stunned at the Queen’s birthday celebration, stepping out in a stunning pink Carolina Herrera ensemble with a matching Philip Treacy hat for her first trip onto the balcony to watch the annual flypast. So, naturally, fans will be thrilled to see what she chooses to wear in 2019. Plus, another year of bonding time with her new relatives could bring some fun interactions next year. Auntie Meghan sharing a special moment with Prince George or Princess Charlotte, perhaps? <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>Announcing her first patronages</h2> Meghan has long been an advocate for women’s equality, social justice and education for children, having worked with the UN as a women’s advocate and as a World Vision Global Ambassador. So it’s likely that the charities she aligns with will support these issues close to her heart. Less than nine months after marrying Prince William, Kate announced four charities of which she'd be patron as well as her plans to volunteer as a Scout Leader. <p>Photo: &copy; Gabor Jurina/World Vision Canada
<h2>First Garter Day?</h2> Though it was thought that the Queen might invest Prince Harry into the Order of the Garter around the time of his royal wedding, it didn’t happen. And until it does, the prince and his wife aren’t likely to attend Garter Day alongside Knight of the Garter Prince William and Kate, who attended his first Garter ceremony back in 2008. But with a few spots reportedly available, this could be the Duke of Sussex’s year – after all, the spiritual home of the Garter is none other than St George’s Chapel in Windsor, where he and Meghan said “I do” this year. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>First official speech</h2> She’s spoken on behalf of UN Women and took the stage at the Endeavour Awards in February to present one of the evening’s honours, but the duchess is yet to give her first official royal speech. A seasoned public speaker and former actress known for her confidence, there’s no doubt that this milestone will take place sooner than later. The Duchess of Cambridge spoke publicly for the first time in March 2012, almost a year after her royal wedding, while visiting The Treehouse children’s hospice. <p>Photo: &copy; J Carrier/UN Women
<h2>The 2018 Invictus Games</h2> Prince Harry’s beloved sporting event for wounded veterans is heading Down Under this year, and royal watchers won’t have any trouble remembering last year’s games! It was in Toronto at the wheelchair tennis match that the world first saw the prince and his actress love canoodling courtside, making their official debut as a couple as they held hands and walked to their seats. Now, they’ll attend the third annual games as husband and wife, so we’re sure to see them chatting and laughing from the sidelines at a number of events and sharing special moments with athletes from around the world. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>First royal tour</h2> While she and Harry have made smaller day and two-day visits to Ireland and various spots around the UK, the couple will embark on their first official royal tour this fall, visiting Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the kingdom of Tonga. Fans can’t wait to see them taking part in local activities, sports, culinary experiences and cultural events! The tour will take place around Prince Harry’s Invictus Games, which run from Oct. 20 to 28 in Sydney. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>First state dinner or diplomatic reception</h2> Royal watchers know that one of these glitzy affairs means an excuse to break out the most glamorous accessories: tiaras! Duchess Kate attended her first state banquet in October 2015, four years after she said “I do” to Prince William, but Meghan’s integration into royal life has moved along at record speed, so she could very well check this royal first off her list in the coming year. If not a state banquet, perhaps an invitation to the Queen’s annual diplomatic reception in December, which William and Kate attended in 2017 – the duchess clad in the Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara, a favourite of Princess Diana. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>First Remembrance Sunday</h2> Prince Harry attended last year’s services alongside his brother and sister-in-law, laying a wreath on the Cenotaph with Prince William. This year we’re likely to see Meghan on the balcony alongside Kate and the other royal women watching from above, dressed in a black ensemble and matching hat. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>Home for the holidays?</h2> Thanksgiving may not be a big deal in the UK, but in the United States it’s an important time for families to enjoy some quality time and feast on turkey and all the fixings. This would be the perfect excuse for Meghan and Harry to pop over to her former home and catch up with family and friends. In 2016, while her beau was on tour in the Caribbean, the royal-to-be threw it back on Instagram to a turkey she once cooked, saying "Oh, that time I roasted a pretty perfect Thanksgiving turkey! The question is, can I do it again? The pressure is on! #thanksgiving #letthebriningbegin #turkey" Maybe this year’s her chance to try again! <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>Christmas at Sandringham (as a royal!)</h2> Meghan’s appearance at Christmas made international news as it’s rare for a significant other to spend the holidays with the Royal Family. Now, she’ll be shacking up at Sandringham as a bona fide royal and partaking in all the fun festivities. From various holiday feasts (with crackers and paper crowns to boot!) to the family’s annual church outing and the traditional gag gifts exchanged on Christmas Eve, the Duchess of Sussex is is in for the whole kit and caboodle. <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>Priyanka Chopra's wedding</h2> <p>Meghan’s close girlfriend Priyanka is reportedly engaged to Nick Jonas after a whirlwind two-month romance, and the duchess is sure to do everything she can so that her schedule allows her to see the <em>Quantico</em> star say “I do.” Priyanka was in the pews at Windsor Castle when Meghan and Harry tied the knot, and the bride-to-be shared the sweetest Instagram post about her friend’s nuptials, saying, “You my friend were the epitome of grace, love, and beauty. Every choice made at this wedding by you both will go down in history, not just because it was your wedding, but because this incredible wedding stood for change and hope.”</p> <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>A pregnancy announcement?</h2> All in due time, of course, but the Sussexes have made no secret of their desire to start a family. “You know, one step at a time. Hopefully we’ll start a family in the near future,” the 33-year-old prince told the BBC in their engagement interview. And when they were in Belfast the pair was introduced to the Shnuggle line of baby products, to which Meghan said, "I’m sure at some point we’ll need the whole thing.” With so many sweet interactions with children, from Harry sending a group of kids to give Meghan a hug in Cardiff to her tender reaction to three-year-old Walter Cullen touching her hair in Dublin, the couple will make excellent parents whenever they decide to take the plunge! <p>Photo: &copy; Getty Images
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