Harry And Meghan's Wedding: Cancelled?

Rumours circulated in 2018 that Queen Elizabeth II had suspended the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This was due to Markle's controversial public statements, including her description of herself as an activist on Twitter and her criticism of the President of the United States. However, these rumours were unfounded, and the wedding went ahead on 19 May 2018.

Queen Elizabeth threatens to suspend the wedding

Rumours that Queen Elizabeth II had suspended or threatened to suspend the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle emerged in December 2017. The Queen was reportedly upset by public comments made by Markle, who called herself a "liberal activist" on her Twitter page. Markle was also a noted critic of the President of the United States at the time, Donald Trump.

The Queen allegedly demanded that Markle sign a prenuptial agreement before the wedding could take place. Markle's "game-playing and histrionics" over the Christmas weekend before the wedding had left the Queen concerned about her behaviour. However, there was no evidence to support these claims, and the wedding went ahead as planned on 19 May 2018.

The Queen's formal consent was required for Prince Harry to marry under the rules of royal succession at the time. According to historian Retha Warnicke, it was highly unlikely that the Queen would withhold her permission. It was also improbable that a prenuptial agreement would be demanded or signed, as neither Prince William nor Prince Charles, Harry's father and brother, had entered into such an agreement before their weddings.

The wedding ceremony was held at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiating. The wedding was noted for its inclusion of African-American culture. The couple exchanged vows in front of 600 guests, including the Queen, more than 30 royals, and celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, and George Clooney.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began their first day as a married couple with a carriage procession through Windsor, greeting an estimated 100,000 well-wishers. They then travelled to Frogmore House for a black-tie wedding dinner hosted by Prince Charles for 200 of their closest friends and family.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding ceremony

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who married the couple, spoke of the strong bond they shared. He said: "There's profound affection between them, which is wonderful, and a deep understanding and mutual support...You see in the way they respond to each other, caring for each other, which is something you see in many couples but not always."

The royal wedding ceremony blended the best-loved elements of British pageantry with a modern outlook, reflecting the Prince and Ms Markle. The couple chose soul classic Stand By Me by Ben E King, which was performed by Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir. The gospel singers also delivered Etta James' uplifting version of Amen/This Little Light of Mine.

The presiding bishop of the American Episcopal Church, Bishop Michael Curry, gave an address titled The Power of Love. He said: "There's power in love. Don't underestimate it. Don't even over-sentimentalise. There is power, power in love."

The bride and groom arrived at the chapel separately. Prince Harry travelled on foot with his best man, the Duke of Cambridge, to loud cheers from the waiting crowd. Meghan Markle arrived at the chapel's west steps by car, accompanied by her mother, Doria Ragland. She wore a simple, long-sleeved white dress, with a veil covering her face.

The couple exchanged vows in front of 600 guests, including the Queen, more than 30 royals, and famous faces such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, George Clooney and David and Victoria Beckham.

The Archbishop of Canterbury said: "In the presence of God, and before this congregation, Harry and Meghan have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings. I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife."

The newlyweds emerged from the chapel to loud cheers from the crowd and shared a kiss on the steps to the delight of onlookers. They then travelled through Windsor in a carriage procession, waving to well-wishers.

The wedding reception

The married couple was greeted by 100,000 well-wishers on a tour of Windsor, and music could be heard from the grounds of Windsor Castle as guests danced late into the night. Fireworks lit up the sky over Frogmore House, with crowds in the town centre cheering as rockets flew overhead.

The reception was hosted by Prince Charles, who gave an emotional speech that brought guests to tears. Sir Elton John performed at the lunchtime reception, and the couple's first dance was "Land of 1000 Dances" by Wilson Pickett. Meghan wore a lily-white, high-neck gown made of silk crepe by Stella McCartney for her first dance as a married woman.

The wedding cake

Ptak is known for her moist sponge cakes with incredible fillings made with fresh fruits, homemade caramel, and premium Valrhona chocolate. She bakes her cakes with low-intervention and organic ingredients, which resonated with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The cake's ingredients included 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs from Suffolk, butter, flour, sugar, and 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial, made from flowers harvested at one of Queen Elizabeth's private homes.

The cake cost around $70,000, with the high price tag attributed to the top-end ingredients, such as the Amalfi lemons shipped from the Italian coast to London. The cake was assembled in the kitchens at Buckingham Palace.

The wedding guests

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair, with the couple having many high-profile friends. Around 600 people were invited to the ceremony at St George's Chapel, with 2,640 members of the public also invited to the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Relatives of the groom

The groom's family was out in force, with his paternal grandparents, father and stepmother, brother and sister-in-law, nephew and niece, paternal aunt and uncle, first cousins, and other descendants of the Prince's great-grandfather King George VI all in attendance.

Relatives of the bride

The bride's mother, Doria Ragland, was also present.

Members of reigning royal families

Prince Seeiso and Princess Mabereng Seeiso of Lesotho were in attendance, as well as the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Oettingen-Spielberg.

Members of non-reigning royal families

Sir John Major and his wife, Dame Norma Major, Sir Nicholas Soames, Anba Angaelos, David Conner, Michael Curry, Rose Hudson-Wilkin, and Justin Welby were among those present.

Friends of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

The couple's friends in attendance included Markus Anderson, Cressida Bonas, Chelsy Davy, Heather Dorak, Misan Harriman, Patrick Harverson, Ben Murray, Genevieve Hillis, Tom Inskip, Daisy Jenks, Lindsay Jordan, Brian Kocinski, Arthur Landon, Ed Lane Fox, Tiggy Pettifer, Guy Pelly, Julia Samuel, Dean and Alana Stott, Charles van Straubenzee, Thomas van Straubenzee, The Lord Vestey, The Hon. William Vestey and his wife, Violet Henderson, Nicholas Walton Collins, Lady Carolyn Warren, Jake Warren, and many more.

Famous friends and notable guests

The guest list also included Patrick J Adams and Troian Bellisario, David and Victoria Beckham, James Blunt and Sofia Wellesley, Priyanka Chopra, George and Amal Clooney, James Corden and Julia Carey, Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre, Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley, Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford, Jessica and Ben Mulroney, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian, Oprah Winfrey, Joss Stone, Jonny Wilkinson and Shelley Jenkins, and many more.

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