Harry And Megan: Wedding Off?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not call off their wedding. The couple married on 19 May 2018 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.

In January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they would be stepping back as 'senior' members of the British royal family, and would split their time between the UK and North America.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding day

The wedding was held on a Saturday, breaking with the royal tradition of weekday weddings. It also fell on the same day as the FA Cup Final, which Prince Harry's brother, William, normally attends. The couple's choice of cake—a lemon and elderflower cake—was also a break from tradition, as was the bride's decision to walk down the aisle solo. Markle was joined by Prince Charles halfway down the aisle, after her father was unable to attend due to poor health.

The wedding was not declared a bank holiday, and there was no balcony kiss or procession through London. However, the public was invited to feel part of the celebration, with 2,640 members of the public invited to Windsor Castle to watch the couple arrive and depart. The ceremony was televised and watched by an estimated minimum of 2 billion people worldwide.

The bride's dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy fashion house. The groom and his brother, the Duke of Cambridge, wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals. The bride's bouquet included forget-me-nots, hand-picked by the groom in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana.

The wedding included a gospel choir and music from two choirs, an orchestra, and fanfare trumpeters. The couple's first dance as a married couple was to "Stand By Me", performed by the Kingdom Choir. The wedding breakfast was hosted by the Queen, and the groom and his father both gave speeches. The newlyweds then drove off in a silver-blue Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding rings

Harry's decision to wear a wedding ring is notable, as other men in the royal family, such as Prince William and Prince Philip, have chosen not to wear a band. On the other hand, Harry's father, Prince Charles, has worn a ring through both his marriages.

Meghan's wedding ring was a gift from Queen Elizabeth herself, continuing a royal tradition that began with the Queen Mother's wedding in 1923. Welsh gold is considered the rarest and most expensive type of gold, as it hasn't been mined in over two decades.

Harry's platinum band featured a textured finish. The choice of metal broke with the tradition of using Welsh gold for royal wedding bands, which has been the case for every royal bride since the Queen Mother.

The exchange of rings during the wedding ceremony symbolised the couple's "unending love and faithfulness". The moment was highly anticipated by those watching the royal wedding, which took place on 19 May 2018 at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding ceremony

The ceremony combined British tradition with modernity and the bride's African-American heritage. The Most Rev Bishop Michael Curry, the president of the US Episcopal Church, gave an address, quoting Martin Luther King Jr. The Rt Rev David Conner, Dean of Windsor, conducted the service, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, officiated.

The bride's dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for French fashion house Givenchy. It featured a boat neckline and sweeping train, and was accessorised with a diamond bandeau tiara, loaned to her by the Queen. Prince Harry wore the frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals, with permission from the Queen to keep his beard.

The couple's wedding bands were made by Cleave and Company. Meghan's ring was made from Welsh gold, while Harry's was platinum with a textured finish.

The ceremony included a gospel choir, an orchestra, and fanfare trumpeters. The music was under the direction of James Vivian, the chapel's Organist and Director of Music. The bride walked down the aisle to "Eternal source of light divine", sung by soprano Elin Manahan Thomas.

The wedding was a historic moment, with Meghan becoming the first person of mixed-race heritage to marry into the British royal family. It was also a significant departure from tradition for the royal family, including the inclusion of African-American culture in the service.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding reception

The guest list for the first reception included senior members of the royal family, including the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the groom's paternal grandparents; Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, the groom's father and stepmother; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the groom's brother and sister-in-law; Prince George of Cambridge, the groom's nephew; Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, the groom's niece; and the Princess Royal and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the groom's paternal aunt and uncle. Other royal guests included the Duke and Duchess of York, the groom's paternal uncle (godfather) and his ex-wife; Princess Beatrice of York, the groom's first cousin; Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank, the groom's first cousin and her fiancé; and the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the groom's paternal uncle and aunt.

The guest list also included close friends of the couple, such as Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian; George and Amal Clooney; David and Victoria Beckham; Idris Elba and his fiancée Sabrina Dhowre; James Corden and his wife Julia Carey; and Tom Hardy and his wife Charlotte Riley.

The second reception was attended by 200 of the couple's closest friends and family. Guests included George and Amal Clooney, James Corden and Julia Carey, Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre, and Priyanka Chopra.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding procession

The bride, Meghan Markle, made her way to the church accompanied by her mother. She wore a stunning gown designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, featuring a boat neckline, long sleeves, and a sweeping train. Her hair was styled by Serge Normant, and her makeup was done by her longtime friend and makeup artist, Daniel Martin, who opted for a natural look. Markle's bouquet, designed by Philippa Craddock, included forget-me-nots, her groom's late mother's favourite flower.

The groom, Prince Harry, wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals, a choice he made with permission from his grandmother, the Queen. His brother and best man, Prince William, wore a similar uniform, with the addition of aiguillettes on his right shoulder, indicating his position as an aide-de-camp to the Queen.

The ceremony was officiated by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, and included a scripture reading from The Song of Solomon by Prince Harry's maternal aunt, Baroness Fellowes. The sermon was delivered by Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, who quoted Martin Luther King Jr. in his address.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, exited the chapel and shared their first married kiss on the steps of St. George's Chapel. They then hopped into an open-top Ascot Landau horse-drawn carriage for a procession through the streets of Windsor.

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