Harry And Meghan's Wedding: A Royal Affair

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a fairytale affair, captivating the world with an estimated 1.9 billion viewers tuning in to witness the royal nuptials. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex exchanged vows on 19 May 2018 at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, kicking off a series of celebrations that included a luncheon and a private evening reception. The ceremony was a blend of tradition and modernity, with a gospel choir, a unique cake, and a star-studded guest list. The couple's love story began on Instagram and culminated in a wedding that incorporated both British royal customs and African-American culture, marking a significant departure from typical royal traditions.

The wedding dress and Meghan's makeup

The Wedding Dress

The wedding dress worn by Meghan Markle was designed by British fashion designer Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. The dress was made of silk with three-quarter-length sleeves, an open boat neckline, and a train with a built-in triple silk organza underskirt. It featured a graphic open bateau neckline, slim three-quarter sleeves, and a sculpted waist. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers, with only five months to manufacture it. Waight Keller and Markle met for eight fittings to perfect the design, which showed a "timeless minimal elegance".

The dress was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's iconic Givenchy dress from the 1957 movie "Funny Face", as well as Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's wedding gown, which Markle admired for its simplicity. The designer worked closely with Markle to bring her very clear vision to life, resulting in a dress that reflected the Duchess's personal style and veered from traditional royal bridal fashion.

Meghan's Makeup

Meghan Markle's wedding makeup was created by celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin, a longtime friend of Markle's. The look was natural and dewy, focusing on enhancing Markle's skin and freckles. Martin started with intentional skin preparation, using a clarifying toner, a water-based moisturiser, and a Korean sunscreen to lock down the foundation. He then used a Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation to even out Markle's skin tone, applying it only where needed to achieve a natural look.

For the eyes, Martin used a cream base with warm chestnut, cocoa, and rust shades in the lash line to create a subtle smoky effect. He also added false lashes to give Markle's eyes a "doe-like" appearance. The cheeks were given a luminous glow with a luminizer and a coral blush. Finally, Martin opted for a tinted lip balm to hydrate Markle's lips and give them a natural flush of colour.

Overall, the makeup look was designed to be light and natural, reflecting Markle's signature glam and showcasing her natural beauty.

The ceremony and the vows

The wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiated the wedding using the standard Anglican church service for Holy Matrimony published in Common Worship, a liturgical text of the Church of England. The ceremony was noted for its inclusion of African-American culture.

The ceremony was conducted according to the Christian liturgy for Holy Matrimony as set out in Common Worship of the Church of England, the mother Church of the Anglican Communion. The Dean of Windsor, David Conner, conducted the service with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, performing the marriage ceremony. The sermon was delivered by Michael Curry, the Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church (the American member church of the Anglican Communion). Curry's 14-minute address, which quoted Martin Luther King Jr., emphasised the redemptive power of love.

The marriage vows were those published in Common Worship and included the promise "to love and to cherish" each other. This was sealed by the exchange of rings. Harry's wedding band, which broke with royal tradition, was made of platinum with a textured finish. Meghan's ring, in keeping with tradition, was made from Welsh gold and was a gift from Queen Elizabeth II.

The wedding rings were created by Cleave and Company, the court jewellers and medallists to the Queen. The vows were traditional, with the couple exchanging rings and saying:

> "I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body, I honour you, all that I am I give to you and all that I have I share with you within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

The reception and entertainment

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a grand affair, with two receptions following the ceremony at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The first was a luncheon hosted by the Queen at St. George's Hall, and the second was a private evening reception hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House on the castle grounds.

The Luncheon Reception

The luncheon reception was attended by all 600 wedding guests. They were treated to a variety of canapés, including salmon, asparagus, and panna cotta with quail egg, as well as larger bowl canapés and dessert canapés. Sir Elton John performed at the luncheon, singing several songs for the newlyweds, including "Tiny Dancer," which he dedicated to Meghan.

The Evening Reception

The evening reception was a more intimate affair, with around 200 guests in attendance. The bride and groom arrived at the reception in a vintage blue Jaguar E-type convertible, adorned with a special license plate bearing the date of their nuptials.

Meghan changed into a custom halter gown with an open back by Stella McCartney for the evening, accessorised with a turquoise ring that once belonged to Princess Diana. Harry also changed out of his military uniform into a black tuxedo.

The wedding cake, which broke from royal tradition, was served at the evening reception. The lemon sponge cake with elderflower syrup, Almafi lemon curd, and Swiss meringue buttercream topping infused with elderflower was created by pastry chef Claire Ptak of London's Violet Cakes.

The reception also featured a star-studded lineup of entertainment. Actor and DJ Idris Elba took to the decks, playing a playlist provided by Meghan. Elba later revealed that the bride seemed to particularly enjoy the music, saying, "I think Meghan was the one that was really letting it go... She just had a lot of fun. It was her wedding. So she had the greatest time."

Golden Globe-winning actor Idris Elba wasn't the only celebrity to perform at the reception. Talk show host James Corden also made an appearance, dressed in a Tudor outfit, at the request of Prince Harry.

In addition to the entertainment, guests enjoyed cocktails served by Casamigos tequila founder George Clooney and played beer pong with Serena Williams.

The flowers and the cake

The flowers for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were designed by Philippa Craddock. The bouquet contained forget-me-nots, scented sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, and astrantia, and sprigs of myrtle from a plant grown from the myrtle used in the Queen's wedding bouquet. Prince Harry handpicked the forget-me-nots in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana. The bouquet was later placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey, following royal tradition.

The couple's wedding cake was created by Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Cakes in East London. The cake was a lemon and elderflower confection, inspired by the spring wedding date. It featured two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake, adorned with 150 fresh flowers, including three types of peonies and roses. The cake was covered in elderflower Swiss meringue buttercream.

The recipe for the cake included 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs from Suffolk, 44 pounds of butter, 44 pounds of flour, 44 pounds of sugar, and 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial, made from flowers harvested at one of Queen Elizabeth's private homes. The cordial was used to drizzle the layers of the cake and was also incorporated into the frosting.

The entire process of making the cake took five days and required six bakers working in the kitchen at Buckingham Palace. The cake was estimated to cost around $70,000, with each slice valued at approximately $100.

The guests and their outfits

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair, with a mix of Hollywood royalty and British royalty in attendance. The dress code for men was "Dress Uniform, Morning Coat or Lounge Suit", while women were asked to wear a "Day Dress and Hat".

Royal Family Members

The groom's family members in attendance included:

• Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (the groom's paternal grandparents)
• Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (the groom's father and stepmother)
• Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (the groom's brother and sister-in-law)
• Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge (the groom's nephew and niece)
• Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence (the groom's paternal aunt and uncle)
• Peter and Autumn Phillips (the groom's first cousin and his wife)
• Zara and Mike Tindall (the groom's first cousin and her husband)
• Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York (the groom's paternal uncle and his ex-wife)
• Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie of York (the groom's first cousins)
• The Earl and Countess of Wessex (the groom's paternal uncle and aunt)
• Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn (the groom's first cousins)
• The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester (the groom's first cousin, twice removed, and his wife)
• The Duke and Duchess of Kent (the groom's first cousin, twice removed, and his wife)
• Princess Alexandra, The Hon. Lady Ogilvy (the groom's first cousin, twice removed)
• Prince and Princess Michael of Kent (the groom's first cousin, twice removed, and his wife)
• Lady Sarah and Neil McCorquodale (the groom's maternal aunt and uncle)
• Emily McCorquodale, George McCorquodale, and Celia McCorquodale (the groom's first cousins)
• The Lord and Lady Fellowes (the groom's maternal aunt and uncle)
• The Hon. Laura Pettman, The Hon. Alexander Fellowes, and The Hon. Eleanor Fellowes (the groom's first cousins)
• The Earl and Countess Spencer (the groom's maternal uncle and aunt)
• Lady Kitty Spencer, Lady Eliza Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Lady Elizabeth Shakerley (the groom's first cousins)
• Lady Alexandra and Thomas Hooper (the groom's third cousin and her husband)
• Thomas and Sara Parker Bowles (the groom's stepbrother and stepsister-in-law)
• Laura and Harry Lopes (the groom's stepsister and stepbrother-in-law)
• Benjamin and Mary-Clare Elliot (the groom's stepfirst cousin and his wife)
• Michael and Carole Middleton (parents of the groom's sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge)
• Philippa and James Matthews (sister and brother-in-law of the Duchess of Cambridge)
• James Middleton (brother of the Duchess of Cambridge)

Notable Guests

Other notable guests at the wedding included:

• George and Amal Clooney
• Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian
• David and Victoria Beckham
• Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre
• Pippa Middleton and James Matthews
• James Blunt and Sofia Wellesley
• Earl Spencer and Karen Spencer
• Patrick J. Adams and Troian Bellisario
• Will Greenwood and Caroline Greenwood
• Abigail Spencer and Priyanka Chopra
• Delfina Blaquier and Nacho Figueras
• Gabriel Macht and Jacinda Barrett
• Gina Torres
• James Corden and Julia Carey
• Jonny Wilkinson and Shelley Jenkins
• Sarah Rafferty and Aleksanteri Olli-Pekka Seppälä
• Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley
• Oprah Winfrey
• Chelsy Davy (friend and ex-girlfriend of the groom)
• Cressida Bonas (friend and ex-girlfriend of the groom)
• Jessica and Ben Mulroney (long-time friends of the bride)
• Guy Pelly and Lizzie Wilson
• Elton John and David Furnish
• Joss Stone
• Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford
• Janina Gavankar
• Misha Nonoo
• Jill Smoller

Frequently asked questions