Catherine's Attendance At Harry And Meghan's Wedding

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding on May 19, 2018, was a grand affair with a guest list of 600 people, including A-list celebrities and members of the British royal family. Catherine, Princess of Wales, was not given a major role in the wedding ceremony, but her children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were among the bridesmaids and page boys. The Duchess of Cambridge was not a matron of honour, a role she had forgone at her own sister's wedding so as not to upstage the bride. However, Catherine's presence at the wedding was appreciated by the couple, given that she had just given birth to her third child.

Catherine and Meghan's pre-wedding fight

The so-called "bridesmaid-incident fatigue" refers to an incident between Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in the lead-up to the wedding of Meghan and Prince Harry. The incident, which has been described as a "pre-wedding fight", has been recounted in various books and media reports, with slightly different versions of events.

The disagreement was over the fit and length of the bridesmaid dresses for Princess Charlotte, who was a flower girl at the wedding. According to some reports, Meghan was upset that the dresses were ill-fitting and didn't want the girls to wear tights in the hot weather. Catherine, however, was said to be in tears over the row. Meghan's friend, Jessica Mulroney, was also reportedly involved in the disagreement, backing up Meghan's preference.

In his memoir, *Spare*, Prince Harry describes a conversation between Meghan and Catherine about the dresses and reveals that Meghan was the one left in tears, not Catherine. He writes that Catherine visited Meghan the next day to apologise and bring her flowers.

In a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan denied reports that she had made Catherine cry and claimed that "the reverse happened". She said that Catherine had apologised to her with flowers and a note.

The incident has been the subject of much speculation and criticism, with some arguing that it is a private matter that should not have been made public. It has also been used as an example of the alleged treatment of Meghan by the British press and the royal family.

Meghan's wedding dress

Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy label. The dress epitomised a "timeless minimal elegance" with pure lines and a graphic open bateau neckline. The dress was made of exclusive double-bonded silk cady material, with three-quarter-length sleeves and an open boat neckline. The dress was without lace or any other embellishments.

The dress was inspired by Meghan's affinity for Audrey Hepburn and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, the latter of whom surprised everyone with the simplicity of her wedding dress in 1996. Meghan's minimal wedding dress was a stark departure from previous royal looks.

The veil was 16 feet (4.9 m) long and was embroidered with 55 flowers, representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as Wintersweet, which grows in front of Nottingham Cottage, and the California Poppy, the state flower of California. The veil took longer to create than the dress itself, and the embroiderers spent 500 hours on completing it, washing their hands every 30 minutes to ensure it remained immaculate. Meghan's "something blue" was a piece of fabric from her very first date with Prince Harry, which was stitched into the veil.

The wedding ceremony

The ceremony was noted for its inclusion of African-American culture and its departure from some traditional royal wedding customs. For instance, Meghan Markle walked down the aisle unescorted, which was an unprecedented step for a royal bride in the United Kingdom. Her father, Thomas Markle Sr., was unable to attend due to health concerns. Instead, she was accompanied by Prince Charles, who walked her halfway down the aisle.

The wedding service was conducted according to the Christian liturgy for Holy Matrimony as set out in Common Worship of the Church of England. The Dean of Windsor, David Conner, conducted the service, with the Archbishop of Canterbury performing the marriage ceremony. The sermon was delivered by Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church. Curry's address quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and emphasised the redemptive power of love.

The wedding vows were those published in Common Worship, including the promise "to love and to cherish" each other. Notably, Markle omitted the word "obey" from her vows, following in the footsteps of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, and sister-in-law, Kate Middleton. The vows were sealed by the exchange of rings. Markle's ring was made from Welsh gold, while Prince Harry's ring was made of platinum.

The music for the service was provided by two choirs, an orchestra, the chapel organ, and fanfare trumpeters. The orchestra was composed of musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Orchestra. The bride walked down the aisle to "Eternal source of light divine" by Handel, sung by soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, with a trumpet obbligato performed by David Blackadder. Other music during the service included the motet "If Ye Love Me" by Thomas Tallis, "Stand by Me" arranged for choir by Mark Delisser, and "The Lord bless you and keep you" by John Rutter.

Following the vows and the signing of the registers, the couple and guests sang the national anthem. They then paused to bow and curtsey to the Queen before walking down the aisle and out of the chapel. As they exited, they shared their first kiss as husband and wife on the steps of St. George's Chapel.

The wedding reception

The Daytime Reception

The daytime reception was attended by all 600 guests who were invited to the wedding ceremony. The guests were treated to a variety of canapés, including salmon, asparagus, and panna cotta with quail egg, as well as larger bowl canapés and dessert canapés. The menu also included champagne and pistachio macaroons, orange crème brûlée tartlets, and miniature rhubarb crumble tartlets.

Elton John, a close friend of the royal family, performed at the lunch reception. He played several songs for the newlyweds, including "Tiny Dancer," which he dedicated to Meghan. Harry also gave an impromptu speech at the event, which a guest described as "very off-the-cuff, which was lovely."

The Evening Reception

The evening reception was a more intimate affair, with only the couple's 200 closest friends in attendance. The bride and groom arrived at the venue in style, hopping into a vintage blue Jaguar E-type convertible, adorned with a special license plate bearing the date of their wedding.

Meghan changed into a custom halter gown with an open back by Stella McCartney for the evening. The dress was made of silk crepe and featured a small train. She accessorised with a pair of 18-karat white gold Cartier drop earrings and a giant aquamarine cocktail ring that once belonged to Princess Diana. Harry also changed out of his military attire and into a black tuxedo.

The music for the evening was provided by none other than Golden Globe-winning actor Idris Elba, who served as the DJ. Elba later admitted to feeling nervous about the gig, as the reception was not just any ordinary wedding but a royal celebration. However, with a little help from the bride, who sent him a playlist, Elba nailed the performance and had the A-list guests on their feet.

The evening also included fun and games, with Serena Williams playing beer pong, and George Clooney serving up cocktails behind the bar. Harry and Meghan's first dance was to Pickett's "Land of 1000 Dances," which Meghan described as "spinning like a whirlwind...it was so great." Both the bride and groom gave touching speeches, with Harry playing a guessing game with the guests about his media-given nicknames.

The wedding guests

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a grand affair, with a guest list of approximately 600 people, including members of the British royal family, American A-listers, and close friends of the couple.

The British Royals:

The bride was walked down the aisle by Prince Charles, who escorted her halfway after her father, Thomas Markle, was unable to attend due to medical reasons. Prince William, the best man, was also in attendance, along with Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, who was not given a major role in the ceremony as she barely knew Meghan and was expected to become the Queen Consort. Other members of the royal family present included Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and their grandchildren, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who served as page boys and bridesmaids, respectively.

American A-listers:

Meghan's friends, Serena Williams and Priyanka Chopra, attended the ceremony, along with her Suits co-stars Abigail Spencer, Gabriel Macht, and Patrick J. Adams, the latter accompanied by his wife, Troian Bellisario. Other notable American guests included George and Amal Clooney, Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford, Victoria and David Beckham, and Oprah Winfrey.

Close Friends:

Meghan's good friend and Toronto-based stylist, Jessica Mulroney, was given a special seat closest to the couple and served as the bride's unofficial maid of honour. Jessica's children, Brian, John, and Ivy Mulroney, were also part of the wedding party as page boys and bridesmaids. Harry's friend, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, whom he co-founded the charity Sentebale with, was another notable guest.

The wedding celebrations included a daytime luncheon reception hosted by the Queen and an intimate evening reception hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House for the couple's 200 closest friends. The daytime reception featured a performance by Elton John, while Idris Elba served as the DJ for the evening celebrations.

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