A gentle giant Newfoundland dog, officially named after Prince Harry by his royalist owners, has married his very own Meghan in a special doggy wedding ceremony, after a search by leading UK dog sitting network, Barking Mad Dog Care.

The wedding ceremony took place in Leslie, Fife, with a special photo shoot organised by Elaine and John Warburton of Barking Mad Fife and Kinross. The husband and wife team of pet sitting professionals were recently awarded the title of Franchisee of the Year, at Barking Mad’s national conference, fighting off stiff competition from over seventy others to become top dogs. As proud owners of four springer spaniels and a cocker spaniel, running their own dog sitting business allows them to further indulge their love of dogs.

Canine Prince Harry’s owners, Stacey Kilpatrick (30) and mother, Andrea Johnston (64), decided to name their Newfoundland puppy after the royal groom-to-be in April 2017 and were delighted to receive a reply from Kensington Palace acknowledging the occasion. Newgranden Prince Harry (Harry for short) is a regular sight at his owners’ hairdressing salon, Reflexions, in the village of Leslie, Fife, and holidays with local dog sitters, Barking Mad Fife and Kinross, whenever his owners are away. 

Stacey Kilpatrick said:

"We were so excited about the alternative Royal Wedding. We love the Royal family and even named our beloved Harry after Prince Harry. I'm so glad we said yes to Elaine finding Harry his very own Meghan, as it's all been so much fun."

Elaine Warburton, of Barking Mad Fife and Kinross, said:

“We all adore our Prince Harry! He’s such a gorgeous, friendly boy and is always happy. The holiday host he stays with absolutely loves looking after him, when Stacey and Andrea go away. We decided that it was such a shame that he didn’t have a companion called Meghan too and launched our very own search, to commemorate the marriage of the human Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

We were contacted by the owners of several canine Meghans, including springer spaniels and a border collie and it was up to Stacey and Andrea to pick the perfect companion for their pooch. They chose gorgeous springer spaniel, Maeghan, who looked adorable as the blushing bride, accompanied by doggy attendants, Shadow and Isla.

We truly are ‘Barking Mad’ arranging a ‘wedding’ for Harry and Maeghan but it's great to see so many people get on board and help us bring them together. We just love doggies and making sure they always have a great time with us."

Maeghan's owner, Helen Teevan (50), said:

"When we heard that Harry was looking for his Meghan we thought it would be a wee bit of a laugh and so put our gorgeous girl forward. We were amazed when she was picked but so glad Maeghan will be Harry's special furbie friend."

Barking Mad is no stranger to wedding arrangements after recently introducing a ‘furrytail wedding’ dog chaperone service, allowing precious pets to participate in their owners’ special days, and was delighted to provide a wedding present of a dog holiday for the ‘royal’ groom.

Barking Mad Founder and Managing Director, Lee Dancy, said:

“We strongly believe that dogs are a real part of the family and as such, it is only natural that you would want to include your dog in your wedding day. We will happily step in to care for your pet, allowing you to relax and enjoy your wedding, knowing that your dog is in safe hands. By accompanying your dog on the day itself, we ensure that we create an experience which you and your guests will love. We provide fantastic photo opportunities and create treasured memories, whilst also ensuring the happiness and welfare of your dog.”