“It was very special and so appreciated by Meghan, who wanted to publicly thank them,” a source close to the Duchess of Sussex tells PEOPLE of the gesture

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex attends the inauguration of the Lost Screen Memorial; British Airways Crew note

Meghan Markle in Geneva, Switzerland on May 17, 2026; Meghan Markle’s Instagram Stories on May 19, 2026.Credit : Harold Cunningham/Getty; Meghan, Duchess of Sussex/Instagram

 

Meghan Markle was moved by the kindness of a British Airways flight crew who helped ring in her wedding anniversary with Prince Harry.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex marked eight years of marriage on Tuesday, May 19, and Meghan, 44, shared a glimpse of the heartfelt gesture she received while traveling home from Geneva, Switzerland, the day before.

Posting to her Instagram Stories, Meghan revealed a handwritten note from the British Airways flight crew, thanking them publicly for helping make the occasion special. “Thanks to this amazing flight crew for all the love yesterday! Appreciate all your memories and kind words,” she wrote, tagging British Airways alongside a Union Jack emoji.

The card read, “Dearest Harry and Meghan, Wishing you a wonderful wedding anniversary, With love, The whole British Airways family.” Covered with signatures and personal notes, it was also marked “BA 269” and dated May 18.

A source close to the Duchess of Sussex tells PEOPLE: “Meghan’s flight crew was so lovely on her way back from Geneva. They all came to say happy anniversary and shared their memories of where they were on the day.”

The crew’s gesture also included treats for the couple’s children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 4.

“They wrote Harry and Meghan a card and gave them a bottle of champagne and British candies for Harry and the kids,” the source adds. “It was very special and so appreciated by Meghan, who wanted to publicly thank them. She was truly so touched.”

Handwritten thank you note from a BA flight.

Meghan Markle’s Instagram Stories on May 19, 2026.Meghan, Duchess of Sussex/Instagram

The Duchess of Sussex was in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday to attend the installation of the Lost Screen Memorial at the Place des Nations on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly.

The Lost Screen Memorial was created by Prince Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Philanthropies in partnership with The Parents’ Network initiative they spearheaded and features 50 illuminated lightboxes displaying the lock screens of young people who lost their lives to online violence and digital harm.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made advocating for a better digital world for the next generation a focus of their philanthropic work after stepping back from their royal roles in the U.K. in 2020 and Meghan called for her action in a speech at the installation ceremony.

She was joined there by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who she and Harry joined on a humanitarian trip to Jordan in February, global health officials and families of children honored in the memorial, and she also met with Brazil’s Health Minister while abroad.

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex speaks during the inauguration of 'The Lost Screen Memorial' exhibition on the Place des Nations in front of the European headquarters of the United Nations (UNOG) in Geneva, Switzerland, 17 May 2026.

Meghan Markle speaks during the inauguration of The Lost Screen Memorial exhibition on the Place des Nations in front of the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on May 17, 2026.CYRIL ZINGARO/EPA/Shutterstock

Meghan shared glimpses of her family’s anniversary festivities from the kitchen of the couple’s home in Montecito, California, posting videos and photos to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday.

“Happy anniversary to Mama and Papa,” the couple sang with their children to the tune of “Happy Birthday” in Meghan’s first video in the montage.

See All the Gifts Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet Gave Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on Their 8th Wedding Anniversary

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in her Instagram Stories on May 17, 2026.Meghan, Duchess of Sussex/Instagram

Her Stories also captured the couple blowing out candles on a version of the lemon elderflower cake from their 2018 royal wedding, Meghan reacting to a sentimental penguin sculpture from Harry inspired by their 2017 engagement party costumes and the pair sharing a kiss in their kitchen — alongside sweet gifts from Archie and Lilibet.

The Duchess of Sussex kicked off the anniversary by posting two Instagram carousels loaded with previously unseen photos from her and Harry’s May 19, 2018, wedding day in Windsor, writing below both, “Eight years ago today…”

SOURCE: https://people.com/meghan-markle-so-touched-wedding-anniversary-surprise-british-airways-flight-crew-exclusive-11978858