Royals

Revealed: the Kiwi who played a special role in Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding

She's a close personal aide to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - and we now know that Kiwi Clara Madden played an important role in their big day.
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A touching video tribute the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released today to mark their one year wedding anniversary has unearthed a previously unknown Kiwi link.

As Meghan Markle, the soon-to-be Duchess, walked into St James’ Chapel on May 19th last year she was handed her bouquet by a waiting guest. There has been plenty of speculation as to who that person was and today, thanks to the release of the video, we now know it was Dunedin born Clara Madden.

As Now to Love revealed last year, the 32-year-old is in charge of project management for the Duke and Duchess.

Watch: The Kiwi in charge of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s every move. Article continues below.

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Before coming into Prince Harry’s service in 2015, Madden worked for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. She quickly became a trusted adviser to the royal pair, and made such an impression on William and Kate that they made a special point of meeting Clara’s parents when they visited New Zealand in 2014, with William describing her as “the star of the office.”

Following Harry and Meghan’s engagement Madden was given the role of projects manager, and was tasked with making sure everything ran smoothly in the lead up to their big day.

She was hailed by the British press as being instrumental in the success of Harry and Meghan’s first joint public engagement as a couple, and last year accompanied them on their royal tour of New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific.

Clara hands Meghan her bouquet.

While royal aides usually keep out of the spotlight, Madden inadvertently made international headlines in April 2016 when she was caught at the centre of a royal love triangle.

It was revealed that Nick Loughran, media advisor to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, had split with his girlfriend of two years Rebecca Deacon, private secretary to the Duchess of Cambridge, and had begun a relationship with Madden.

Clara’s homecoming – on the royal tour to New Zealand. Image: Getty.

With all three parties working for Kensington Palace, the behind the scenes drama caused quite a stir within royal circles and only months after news of the scandal broke, Loughran had left his job with Kensington Palace and took up a position at London Public Relations firm Freuds.

His relationship with Madden flourished, however. She brought him home to New Zealand to meet her family in January 2017 and the pair married in the UK in December 2017.

In releasing the video today, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a special thanks “for all of the love and support” they had received from around the world, saying “each of you made this day even more meaningful.”

“We hope you enjoy reliving this moment, and seeing some behind the scenes photos from this special day.”

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