Who Watched The Royal Wedding?

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on 19 May 2018 was a global event, with an estimated 1.9 billion people tuning in to watch the ceremony. In the US, 29 million viewers watched the royal couple say their I dos, while in the UK, a peak viewing figure of 27.7 million was reported. The wedding was televised and live-streamed around the world, with coverage shown on major networks in both countries. The ceremony took place at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with the bride and groom arriving and departing by carriage procession.

The wedding's TV audience

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was watched by an estimated 1.9 billion people worldwide, making it one of the biggest televised events in history. In the US, 29 million people tuned in, compared to 23 million who watched the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. In the UK, however, more people watched William and Kate's wedding, with 24 million viewers compared to 18 million for Harry and Meghan.

The ceremony was broadcast on several channels in the US, including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. In the UK, the BBC's coverage was the most popular, with around 18 million viewers.

The wedding was also streamed live online on YouTube via the British Monarchy's official channel, The Royal Channel.

The wedding's in-person guests

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair, with around 600 guests in attendance at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The guest list included the couple's family members, friends, and notable figures. Here are the details of the in-person guests at the wedding.

Family Members

Prince Harry's family members in attendance included his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, who conferred upon him the titles of Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton, and Baron Kilkeel on the morning of the wedding. Prince Charles, the groom's father, walked Meghan halfway down the aisle and gave her away. Other relatives of the groom who attended were the Duchess of Cornwall, the groom's 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 other descendants of the Prince's great-grandfather, King George VI, and their families.

Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, was also in attendance, along with other relatives of the bride.

Notable Figures

The wedding had a diverse range of notable guests, including members of reigning and non-reigning royal families, such as Prince Seeiso and Princess Mabereng Seeiso of Lesotho. Sir John Major, the former Prime Minister, and his wife, Dame Norma Major, were also present. Other notable figures included Sir Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Winston Churchill; Anba Angaelos, the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London; David Conner, the Dean of Windsor; Michael Curry, the Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church; Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Honorary Chaplain to the Queen; and Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who officiated the wedding ceremony.

Friends of the Couple

The couple's friends added a touch of Hollywood glamour to the event. Notable friends of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who attended the wedding included:

• Oprah Winfrey, the famous American talk show host
• George and Amal Clooney, the American actor and his lawyer wife
• David and Victoria Beckham, the English former professional football player and the fashion designer and singer
• James Blunt, the British singer-songwriter
• Priyanka Chopra, the Indian actress and model
• Idris Elba, the British actor who also served as the couple's DJ
• Nacho Figueras, the professional polo player
• Serena Williams, the professional tennis player and long-time friend of Meghan
• Elton John, the legendary singer who performed at the daytime luncheon
• James Corden, the British talk show host
• Tom Hardy, the British actor
• Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford, the actress and singer-songwriter duo
• Patrick J. Adams, Meghan's Suits co-star and friend
• Abigail Spencer, Meghan's long-time friend and Suits co-star
• And many more friends from various fields, including acting, music, sports, and media.

Children in the Wedding Party

The wedding party included ten children, five bridesmaids, and five page boys, all under the age of seven. Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, the groom's nephew and niece, were among the page boys and bridesmaids, along with other children who were godchildren or children of the couple's close friends.

The wedding's cost

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was estimated to cost $42.8 million, with the royal family announcing that they would pay for the "core aspects of the wedding". These included the church service, music, flowers, decorations, and the reception. The security costs, which were expected to be covered by taxpayers, were estimated to be around $40 million.

The costs for the cake, the florist, and the catering were estimated to be £50,000, £110,000, and £286,000, respectively, with the overall cost of the wedding expected to be around £32 million. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead spent £2.6 million on cleaning the town and roads, and it was predicted that the wedding would boost the economy by up to £500 million. It was later estimated that the wedding generated £1 billion for the British economy, with an additional £300 million brought in by foreign tourists and £50 million spent on merchandise and souvenirs.

The wedding cake designer, Claire Ptak, spent five days perfecting the lemon sponge cake with her team. The dressmakers also worked for hundreds of hours, sewing fabric and washing their hands every 30 minutes to keep the veil immaculate.

The bride's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller under the fashion house Givenchy. It was made of double-bonded silk cady cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza and had a boat neckline, long sleeves, and a sweeping train. The silk veil was 16 feet long and embroidered with 55 flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, Wintersweet, and the California Poppy. The bride's "something blue" was a piece of fabric from her first date with Prince Harry, which was stitched into her veil.

The wedding invitations were traditional, featuring the three-feathered badge of Prince Charles in gold ink. The invitations specified a dress code of "Dress Uniform, Morning Coat, or Lounge Suit" for men and "Day Dress and Hat" for women.

The wedding ceremony was held at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and was officiated by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The service included a sermon by American Bishop Michael Bruce Curry, who quoted Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Love Your Enemies" speech.

The couple's wedding rings were created by Cleave and Company, with Meghan's ring fashioned out of Welsh gold and Prince Harry's ring made of platinum.

The wedding breakfast was hosted by the Queen and included a variety of canapés and larger bowl dishes. Elton John performed at the lunch reception, and Idris Elba served as the DJ at the evening reception, which was hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House.

The wedding's date and time

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the United Kingdom. The date and time of the wedding were carefully chosen, with a few breaks from tradition.

The wedding took place on a Saturday, which is unusual for British royal weddings, which typically occur on weekdays. It also coincided with the FA Cup Final, which Prince Harry's brother, William, usually attends in his role as President of the Football Association.

The ceremony commenced at 12:00 midday BST. The morning of the wedding was eventful, with Prince Harry being granted the titles of Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton, and Baron Kilkeel by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Markle, meanwhile, became a princess of the United Kingdom and gained the titles Duchess of Sussex, Countess of Dumbarton, and Baroness Kilkeel.

The wedding ceremony was officiated by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, using the standard Anglican church service for Holy Matrimony. The service began at 9:30 am when the main congregation and guests started to arrive at the chapel, followed by members of the Royal Family. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were the last to arrive before Markle, in keeping with tradition.

The wedding was a grand affair, with approximately 250 members of the British Armed Forces involved. The public started arriving at the grounds of Windsor Castle as early as 8:00 am. The ceremony was followed by a carriage procession through Windsor and two receptions: a luncheon hosted by the Queen and an intimate evening reception hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House.

The wedding's location

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor. The chapel has been a place of prayer, pageantry, and ritual since the 15th century and is the final resting place of several monarchs, including King George VI, the Queen Mother Elizabeth, and King Edward VII.

The choice of venue was significant, as the chapel has previously been the site of weddings for other members of the royal family, including Prince Harry's uncle, the Earl of Wessex, his cousin, Peter Phillips, and the blessing of the marriage of his stepmother, the Duchess of Cornwall, to the then-Prince of Wales.

The royal family announced that they would pay for the wedding, which was expected to cost around £32 million. The security costs alone were estimated to be between £2 million and £4 million, with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead spending an additional £2.6 million on cleaning the town and roads.

The wedding ceremony was conducted according to the Christian liturgy for Holy Matrimony, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiating. The service included a 14-minute sermon by the presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, Michael Curry, who quoted Martin Luther King Jr. in his address.

Following the ceremony, the couple rode through the town of Windsor in a horse-drawn carriage, greeting people along a two-mile procession. The day concluded with two receptions: one hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in the afternoon, and another hosted by Prince Charles in the evening.

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