Who's Invited To The Royal Wedding? Megan Markle's Status

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding on May 19, 2018, was a grand affair, with the couple exchanging vows in a storybook royal wedding. The ceremony, held at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, was witnessed by an estimated 2 billion people worldwide. The bride, Meghan Markle, wore a custom Givenchy gown, while the groom, Prince Harry, opted for a military uniform. The wedding party included famous faces such as Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and the reception featured performances by Elton John and a DJ set by Idris Elba.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding date

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, United Kingdom. The wedding was a break from tradition in several ways, including the fact that it took place on a weekend—royal weddings typically occur on weekdays. The couple also chose to forego the usual fruitcake served at royal weddings, opting for a lemon elderflower cake instead.

The ceremony was officiated by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and began at 12:00 midday BST. The bride wore a boat-neck three-quarter-length sleeve silk dress designed by Givenchy's then-creative director, Clare Waight Keller, and the groom wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals.

The wedding was witnessed by an estimated minimum of 2 billion people worldwide and included a performance by a gospel choir and a procession through Windsor. The couple shared their first kiss as a married couple on the steps of St George's Chapel, before heading to their daytime luncheon reception hosted by the Queen, and an evening reception hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House.

The wedding venue

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding venue was St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The venue was chosen for its intimacy, with a capacity of 800 people, compared to Westminster Abbey's 2,000. The couple's decision to marry at St. George's Chapel was a signal that they did not intend to be ''full-on attention-seeking royals'.

The chapel, which dates back to the 1300s, has hosted royal weddings for centuries, including the weddings of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999, Prince Charles and Camilla in 2005, and Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips, and Autumn Kelly in 2008. The first wedding to take place in the chapel was in 1863 between the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

The Royal Collection Trust website describes the space as "one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England" and notes its "magnificent stone fan vaulting".

In a statement released by Kensington Palace ahead of the wedding, the couple expressed their delight at being able to marry at Windsor Castle:

> "As with all members of the Royal Family, Windsor is a very special place for Prince Harry and he and Ms. Markle have regularly spent time there over the last year and a half. They are grateful to the Queen for granting permission for the use of the Chapel. The Chapel itself has centuries of royal tradition and hosted the weddings of many members of the Royal Family. Prince Harry and Ms. Markle are delighted that the beautiful grounds of Windsor Castle will be where they begin their lives together as a married couple."

The wedding ceremony 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, Justin Welby, performing the marriage ceremony.

The guest list

Relatives of the Groom:

Relatives of the Bride:

The bride's mother, Doria Ragland, was among the guests, as were her close friends, such as Benita Litt and Jessica Mulroney, who played special roles in the wedding.

Members of Reigning and Non-Reigning Royal Families:

The wedding also saw the presence of royalty from other nations. Prince Seeiso and Princess Mabereng Seeiso of Lesotho, who co-founded a charity with Prince Harry, were in attendance. Other members of non-reigning royal families, such as the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Oettingen-Spielberg, were also present.

Notable Guests and Friends:

Prince Harry's friends, such as Nacho Figueras, Will Greenwood, Tom Hardy, James Haskell, Guy Pelly, and Clive Woodward, were also in attendance, along with Meghan Markle's friends, including Abigail Spencer, Gina Torres, and Janina Gavankar.

Flower Girls and Page Boys:

The wedding party included Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, Rylan Litt, Remi Litt, Ivy Mulroney, Florence van Cutsem, Zalie Warren, Prince George of Cambridge, Brian Mulroney, John Mulroney, and Jasper Dyer as flower girls and page boys.

Charities and Members of the Public:

In addition to the guests from the couple's personal and professional circles, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also invited members of the public and representatives from charities they supported. Approximately 2,000 members of the public were invited to the grounds of Windsor Castle, including people from charities, inspiring citizens, young people, and local school children.

The wedding looks

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a highly anticipated event, with the bride's gown and overall look being one of the most talked-about topics. Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made of "double-bonded silk cady cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza" and featured a boat neckline, long sleeves, and a sweeping train. The silk veil, also designed by Keller, was 16 feet long and embroidered with 55 flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, along with Wintersweet, which grows outside Nottingham Cottage, and the California Poppy, the state flower of California.

Markle's hair was styled by Serge Normant, who created an elegant updo with face-framing fringe tucked behind her ears. Her makeup, done by longtime friend and makeup artist Daniel Martin, was natural and minimal, with soft brown eyeshadow. Her nails were painted in a neutral pinky-beige shade. Markle's jewellery included a pair of white gold and diamond earrings and a matching bracelet by Cartier, and the stunning engagement ring given to her by Prince Harry.

For the something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue tradition, Markle included a piece of fabric from Princess Diana's wedding dress sewn into her gown, her Cartier jewellery as something new, the Queen's diamond bandeau tiara as something borrowed, and a piece of fabric from the dress she wore on her first date with Prince Harry stitched into her veil as something blue.

Markle's bouquet, designed by Philippa Craddock, included forget-me-nots, scented sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, and astrantia, along with sprigs of myrtle from a plant grown from the myrtle used in the Queen's wedding bouquet. The flowers were chosen by Prince Harry, who included forget-me-nots in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana.

For the evening reception, Markle changed into a halter-neck, open-back dress by Stella McCartney, with a small train. She accessorised with 18-karat white gold Cartier drop earrings and an aquamarine cocktail ring that once belonged to Princess Diana.

The wedding ceremony

The wedding was noted for its inclusion of African-American culture. The ceremony included a performance by the gospel group, the Kingdom Choir, who sang "Stand By Me". The presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, Michael Curry, delivered a sermon that quoted Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Love Your Enemies" speech. Prayers were offered by Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Honorary Chaplain to the Queen, and Anba Angaelos, the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London.

The wedding party included ten bridesmaids and page boys, including Prince Harry's nephew and niece, Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, and Meghan's goddaughters, Rylan and Remi Litt. Prince Harry's brother, Prince William, served as his best man. Meghan's father, Thomas Markle Sr., was unable to attend the wedding due to ill health, so Prince Charles accompanied Meghan down the aisle.

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