On May 19, 2018, the world witnessed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share their first kiss as a married couple. The couple, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, exchanged vows in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and sealed their union with a sweet and intimate kiss. This moment marked a departure from the traditional balcony kiss at Buckingham Palace, as Harry and Meghan opted for a more private setting outside the chapel, delighting the crowds with their loving embrace.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date | May 19, 2018 |
Location | St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
Nature of the kiss | First official kiss as husband and wife |
Number of kisses | 2 |
What You'll Learn
Harry and Meghan's wedding kiss was their first public kiss as a married couple
On May 19, 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared their first public kiss as a married couple. The couple, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, had just emerged from their wedding ceremony in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. They shared a short kiss on the steps outside the chapel, with a white floral archway as their backdrop, before descending hand-in-hand down the stairs to take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the town.
The moment marked the first time the couple had kissed in public since Harry gave Meghan a kiss on the cheek at the Invictus Games closing ceremony the previous September. While royal couples do not typically kiss during Church of England wedding ceremonies, it has become a tradition for them to share a public kiss shortly after the ceremony.
Harry and Meghan's wedding kiss was notably different from that of Prince William and Kate Middleton, who shared their first kiss as a married couple on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, following their wedding in 2011. Harry and Meghan opted to wed at Windsor Castle instead of Buckingham Palace and did not have a balcony from which to share their kiss. Their choice to pave their own path and break with tradition was reflected in other aspects of their wedding as well, including their decision to exchange wedding bands and the inclusion of a gospel choir performance of "Stand By Me."
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The couple kissed twice outside St. George's Chapel
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a joyous occasion, full of firsts for the British royal family. The couple's ceremony included many moments that strayed from tradition, and their first kiss was no exception.
Harry and Meghan shared their first kiss as a married couple outside St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. They had just emerged from their wedding ceremony, which took place in front of hundreds of guests, including celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, and George and Amal Clooney.
The couple kissed not once, but twice on the staircase outside the chapel. A stunning white floral archway served as the perfect backdrop for their royal kiss. The newlyweds smiled and embraced as the crowds cheered, marking their first public kiss as husband and wife.
This moment was notably different from the traditional balcony kiss at Buckingham Palace, like the one shared by Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. Harry and Meghan opted to wed at Windsor Castle, and their intimate moment took place as they made their way to their carriage procession.
The couple's first kiss as a married couple was a sweet and modern moment that delighted well-wishers and marked the start of their new life together as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
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They shared a short kiss on the grounds of Windsor Castle
The highly anticipated wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on May 19, 2018, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The couple exchanged vows in front of hundreds of guests, including celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, and George and Amal Clooney. After the ceremony, the newlyweds, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, emerged from St. George's Chapel and shared a short kiss on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
The moment marked their first kiss as husband and wife and their first public display of affection as a married couple. The kiss took place on the staircase outside the chapel, with a stunning white floral archway serving as the perfect backdrop. The crowd of well-wishers cheered and waved as the couple leaned in for a quick, sweet, and smile-filled smooch.
While royal couples traditionally share a kiss publicly after their wedding, it is not customary for couples to kiss during Church of England wedding ceremonies. By sharing a kiss outside St. George's Chapel, Harry and Meghan paved their own path and strayed from the traditional balcony kiss at Buckingham Palace, as seen in the weddings of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
The newlyweds then descended hand-in-hand down the chapel stairs and boarded their horse-drawn carriage for a procession through the town of Windsor. The intimate moment outside the chapel marked the beginning of their journey as a married couple, and it was a beautiful and joyous occasion for all in attendance.
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The kiss marked one of many ways the couple broke tradition during their ceremony
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared their first kiss as a married couple outside St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The couple leaned in for a quick smile-filled kiss as crowds cheered and waved. This marked the first time a couple had kissed in public after a Church of England wedding ceremony, which is uncommon. However, it upholds the royal family tradition of sharing a public kiss after the wedding.
The kiss was one of many ways the couple broke tradition during their ceremony. Unlike previous royal weddings, Harry and Meghan opted to wed at Windsor Castle instead of at Buckingham Palace. They also chose to have their first kiss outside the chapel while en route to their carriage procession, rather than on a balcony. Their wedding ceremony was also very Americanized, with a gospel choir performing "Stand By Me" before the couple said their vows.
The newly appointed Duke and Duchess of Sussex also exchanged wedding bands, which Prince William did not do during his wedding. Meghan followed in the footsteps of Princess Diana and Kate Middleton by omitting the word "obey" from her wedding vows.
The couple's wedding was a joyous and modern celebration, full of firsts for the British royal family. They had married in front of hundreds of guests, including celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, and George and Amal Clooney.
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The kiss delighted the crowds
The newlyweds emerged from their ceremony and shared a short kiss on the steps of the chapel, with a stunning white floral archway as their backdrop. They then descended hand-in-hand down the stairs to be whisked away in a horse-drawn carriage for a procession through the town.
The moment marked a break from tradition, as royal couples usually share their first official kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. However, Harry and Meghan opted to wed at Windsor Castle instead. Their ceremony included many other moments that strayed from tradition, such as the inclusion of a gospel choir, which performed "Stand By Me" before the couple said their vows.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Harry and Meghan shared their first kiss as a married couple outside St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
No, couples do not typically kiss in Church of England wedding ceremonies. However, it is customary for royal couples to kiss publicly soon after.
Harry and Meghan kissed twice outside St. George's Chapel.
No, the couple was first seen kissing publicly in May of the previous year, when Meghan went to watch Harry play a charity polo match in Berkshire.
No, they kissed on the steps outside the chapel.