Prince Harry's Wedding: His Age Revealed

Prince Harry was 33 years old when he married Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018. The wedding took place at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiating the ceremony. The couple's union reflected the changing social landscape of an increasingly multicultural Britain, with the ceremony combining traditional British pomp and circumstance with elements of African American culture.

Prince Harry's wedding attire

Prince Harry chose to wear a military uniform as he holds a special position as a member of the Royal Family. He served in the military for 10 years, including in combat in Afghanistan. His uniform was made by Dege & Skinner, gentleman's tailors and uniform makers, of Savile Row, London.

Prince Harry's wedding ensemble was slightly different from his brother, Prince William's, who wore a vibrant red Irish Guards Mounted Officer’s uniform at his wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011.

Meghan Markle's wedding dress

Prince Harry was 33 years old when he married Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. Now, here's a detailed description of Meghan Markle's wedding dress:

The dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. The gown 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 dress epitomised "timeless minimal elegance", according to a Kensington Palace announcement. The dress was made in Paris by "a small team of ateliers", and there were only five months to manufacture it. Markle chose Waight Keller because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent and because of her "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour."

The dress featured an open bateau neckline that gracefully framed Markle's shoulders and emphasised her slender sculpted waist. The pure lines of the dress were achieved using six meticulously placed seams. The slim three-quarter sleeves added a note of refined modernity. The dress was without lace or any other embellishments. The silk cady fabric would have been difficult to move in if the dress had been more form-fitting. The dress was made of exclusive double-bonded silk cady material, and its delicate fabric required extra-special care, with hand-washing required of the embroiderers every 30 minutes.

The gown was paired with a 16-foot-long silk tulle veil, which was hand-embroidered with a variety of flowers on its hem, and symbolic sprays of wheat. The veil took longer to create than the dress itself, and the embroiderers spent 500 hours completing it. The veil was secured by a diamond bandeau tiara, made in 1932 for Queen Mary and lent to Markle by Queen Elizabeth II. The centre brooch had been a wedding gift from the County of Lincoln in 1893. The tiara is a platinum band made up of eleven sections and a detachable centre brooch with interlaced opals and diamonds.

The shoes were also from Givenchy and had a pointed couture design. Markle's hair was rolled up with "face-framing fringe tucked behind her ears", and her makeup was done by Dior make-up artist Daniel Martin, who gave her a natural look with "soft brown eyeshadow" and minimal makeup on the face.

The wedding ceremony

The 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 wedding service began at 12:00 BST. Shortly after, Meghan Markle arrived at the chapel, accompanied by her mother, Doria Ragland. Prince Charles met Markle at the Quire of the chapel and walked her up the aisle to meet Prince Harry at the altar.

The couple's wedding vows were those published in Common Worship. They promised to "have and to hold" each other from their wedding day forward, "for better, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health." Markle did not promise to "obey" Harry, however.

The ceremony included a 14-minute address by Michael Curry, the Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church (the American member church of the Anglican Communion). Curry's speech quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and emphasised the redemptive power of love.

Hymns sung at the wedding included "Lord of All Hopefulness" and "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer." The latter was a favourite of Harry's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, and was also sung at her funeral in 1997.

The music for the service was provided by two choirs, an orchestra, the chapel organ, and fanfare trumpeters. The orchestra was made up of musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Orchestra. The Kingdom Choir, a gospel group led by Karen Gibson, sang "Stand By Me" during the ceremony.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds shared their first married kiss on the steps of St. George's Chapel. They then embarked on a carriage procession through Windsor.

The wedding reception

Prince Harry was 33 years old when he married Meghan Markle on 19 May 2018. The wedding reception was held at St. George's Hall, where the Queen hosted a luncheon for the couple and their 600 guests. The menu included canapes, salmon, asparagus, panna cotta with quail egg, and champagne and pistachio macaroons for dessert. Prince Harry gave an impromptu speech, and Elton John performed several songs, including "Tiny Dancer," which he dedicated to Meghan.

A more intimate reception was later held at Frogmore House, hosted by Prince Charles for the couple and their 200 closest friends. The menu included baked potatoes, pork belly, and meringue for dessert, and cocktails served by George Clooney. The couple's first dance was to the tune of "Land of 1000 Dances." Both Prince Harry and Meghan gave speeches, breaking tradition, as royal brides typically do not give speeches. The bride and groom had an outfit change, with Meghan wearing a custom halter gown with an open back by Stella McCartney, and Harry donning a black tuxedo. The couple drove off in a vintage blue Jaguar E-type convertible with a special license plate bearing their wedding date.

The wedding cake

The cake was a break from tradition, as royal weddings usually feature a fruit cake. The lemon and elderflower cake was chosen to reflect the spring season, with the couple marrying in May. The cake was made with 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 eggs, 10 bottles of elderflower cordial from the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, 44 pounds of butter, 44 pounds of flour, and 44 pounds of sugar. The cake was a lemon sponge with layers drizzled in elderflower cordial, resulting in a sweet and tart flavour.

The cake was covered in elderflower Swiss meringue buttercream and adorned with 150 fresh flowers, including three types of peonies, Meghan's favourite flower, and roses. The cake was assembled and decorated by a team of six bakers over five days in the kitchen at Buckingham Palace.

The cake was displayed as multiple cakes, with two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake, which were displayed on ornate gold stands from the royal family's collection. The cake was estimated to cost $70,000, with each slice costing about $100.

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