In the high-stakes world of national broadcasting, you usually only see the polished version of a person. For NBC News Daily co-anchor Morgan Radford, that means sharp reporting, perfect lighting, and a presence that commands attention. But behind the scenes of her whirlwind career at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, there is a steady force that keeps her grounded.
That force is her husband, David Williams.
While Morgan is the one in front of the lens, David has become a figure of fascination for fans who follow her journey. Their relationship isn't just a "celebrity marriage"—it is a decade-long saga of timing, patience, and a bit of a "long game" that most people would have given up on years ago.
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Who Exactly is David Williams?
Honestly, if you’re looking for a guy who just rides the coattails of his famous wife, you won’t find him here. David Williams is a heavy hitter in his own right. He didn't come from the world of TV or glitzy media events. Instead, he built a career in the world of policy and public service.
David currently serves as a Policy Director at Harvard University’s Institutional Antiracism and Accountability Project. Before that, he was a director at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Basically, he’s the guy dealing with the complex gears of how society actually functions while Morgan is reporting on the results.
He’s also an athlete at heart. If you scroll through their social media, you’ll see he’s obsessed with soccer. When they announced they were expecting their first child, David didn't just say he was excited; he specifically mentioned he couldn't wait to get the kid on a soccer field.
The 11-Year "Slow Burn"
Their origin story sounds like a romantic comedy script that was rejected for being too unrealistic. They met back in 2006. They were both students at Harvard University—David was a senior and Morgan was a sophomore.
David’s first "move" was classic. He asked to interview Morgan for a senior college paper he was writing. She later admitted it was a smoother move than he probably realized at the time. They hung out in the Eliot House dining hall, talked for hours, and became fast friends.
But then... nothing happened.
Well, not "nothing," but they didn't date. David actually dated one of Morgan’s friends for a while. They graduated, moved to different cities, and started their lives. Eleven years passed. Eleven! They stayed in touch as friends, but the timing was never right.
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Then came 2017. They both ended up at a conference in London. David, who was living in Detroit at the time, decided this was his shot. Morgan called a friend from the hotel and told her that "David, my old friend from college," was suddenly looking like a "snack."
They shared their first kiss on the last day of that London trip. When David saw her off to her cab for the airport, he asked if she’d be in New York in two weeks. She said she didn't have plans. He told her that if she stayed, he’d fly there. He showed up. The rest is history.
The Wedding That (Almost) Didn't Happen
If you think your wedding planning was stressful, imagine planning a destination wedding in Colombia for May 2020.
Yeah.
The pandemic didn't just delay their wedding; it completely dismantled it. Morgan has been very open about the "silver lining" of that delay. At the time, she was reporting on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis while her own family members were getting sick.
She and David had to pivot. They moved in together in New York—the first time they had actually lived in the same city since their college days. They spent two years in a sort of "pre-marriage" domesticity that Morgan says gave her spirit "rest."
When they finally did tie the knot in January 2022 in Cartagena, Colombia, it was a massive cultural celebration. David is of Nigerian descent (specifically Yoruba), and Morgan has Cuban and Jamaican roots. They blended these perfectly. David even surprised her with a choreographed dance to "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" with the other men in her life.
Fatherhood and the "Lana" Era
The couple welcomed their daughter, Adelana "Lana" Marcia Radford Williams, in early 2023. The name isn't just pretty; it carries weight. In Yoruba, Adelana means "the conduit by which more good things are to come."
David’s role as a father has been a major theme in Morgan’s recent updates. She often speaks about how he handles the "mental load" of parenting, allowing her to balance the insane schedule of a daily news anchor. He’s the one cracking the "dad jokes" and, true to his word, likely looking for the smallest pair of soccer cleats ever manufactured.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often assume that because Morgan is a high-profile journalist, David must be a "trophy husband" or just a background character. In reality, their dynamic is built on David being her intellectual equal and her emotional anchor.
Morgan has been vocal about the fact that she didn't think a "David" existed—someone who wasn't intimidated by her career but instead saw it as part of her "service to the world."
Key Takeaways for Your Own Relationship
Looking at how Morgan and David navigated an 11-year friendship before dating, a two-year wedding delay, and a high-pressure career, there are some real-world lessons here:
- Friendship is the best foundation. They knew each other's "real" selves for a decade before things got romantic.
- Support isn't just "cheering." David’s support of Morgan freezing her eggs and her career moves shows a deep level of partnership.
- Lean into the culture. Their wedding wasn't just a party; it was a way to ground their new family in their Nigerian and Caribbean heritages.
- Patience pays off. Sometimes the person you're supposed to be with is someone you've known since you were nineteen, but the "you" at twenty-nine is much better suited for them.
If you want to keep up with their family life, Morgan is quite active on Instagram, where she shares glimpses of David’s "dad life" and their life in Harlem. David keeps a lower profile, focusing on his work at Harvard, but his influence on the "Morgan Radford brand" is undeniable. He is the quiet strength behind the news desk.
To follow their journey more closely, you can check out Morgan's regular segments on NBC News Daily or look into David's work on institutional accountability at Harvard—it's pretty fascinating stuff if you're into social policy.