Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Mark 5th Wedding Anniversary Days After 'Near Catastrophic' Car Chase
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are marking a special occasion following a challenging week.
Just three days after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were involved in what their spokesperson called a "near catastrophic car chase" when paparazzi pursued their car after a New York City event, the couple is marking their fifth wedding anniversary on Friday.
Meghan, 41, and Prince Harry, 38, tied the knot on May 19, 2018, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The service was attended by family and friends — including Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, the then-Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Charles, who marked his coronation earlier this month with Prince Harry in attendance, had a special role in the wedding, escorting Meghan down the aisle after it was confirmed that her father, Thomas Markle, couldn't attend. Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, attended the event and exited the ceremony arm-in-arm with her daughter's new father-in-law.
Related:Meghan Markle Opens Up About Wedding to Prince Harry: 'All I Wanted Was a Mimosa and a Croissant'
In their Netflix series Harry and Meghan, released in December, the couple shared intimate photos of the celebration and the evening reception. They revealed that they did their first dance to "Land of 1,000 Dances" by Wilson Pickett.
"I just really wanted the music to be fun. Even our first dance," Meghan recalled.
Never-before-seen images showed the couple dancing with each other and posing with friends — with Meghan in a halter-top Stella McCartney gown while Harry wore a classic tuxedo and bow tie.
A source told PEOPLE at the time, "It was a huge dance party, everyone was letting loose and had a blast. Just a fun night and not stuffy at all."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex traditionally mark their special day by exchanging gifts.
"They love to do their own take on traditional wedding gifts," a source previously told PEOPLE. "The first anniversary was paper, and Meghan wrote out the wedding speech and had it framed for him."
On their second anniversary in 2020, "they both gave each other gifts based on 'cotton.' Undoubtedly, it was a very creative and romantic gesture as all their gifts are to one another."
The traditional third-anniversary gift is leather, as a symbol of something that only gets better with age, while the fourth anniversary is marked with fruit and flowers, meant to represent the blossoming of a relationship and how it ripens into maturity.
According to Brides.com, the fifth-anniversary milestone is celebrated with gifts of wood. "This reflects the strength and durability of your marriage, as well as the strong eternal roots you're putting down," the outlet says.
Much has changed for Prince Harry and Meghan since their wedding — in early 2020, they announced their decision to step back as working members of the royal family. They relocated to California, Meghan's home state, later that year.
They are also now parents of two. The couple welcomed their son Prince Archie in May 2019, shortly before their first anniversary. Their daughter Princess Lilibet, named after Queen Elizabeth's family nickname and known as "Lili," joined the family in June 2021.
On Tuesday, the couple was joined by Meghan's mother for the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards, where the Duchess of Sussex was honored.
The next day, a spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan said in a statement to PEOPLE, "Last night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi. This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers."
"While being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone's safety," their spokesperson added.
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The New York Police Department said in a statement on Wednesday: "On [Tuesday] evening, May 16, the NYPD assisted the private security team protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. There were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard."
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