Royal Wedding: Harry And Meghan's Big Day

Yes, the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle really happened. The couple tied the knot on 19 May 2018 at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The ceremony was attended by around 600 guests, including A-list celebrities such as Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra, and George and Amal Clooney. The wedding was also televised, attracting an estimated audience of 1.9 billion people worldwide.

The wedding date and venue

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the United Kingdom. The date was unusual for a British royal wedding, as historically these ceremonies have been held on weekdays. The venue, on the other hand, was steeped in royal history. The chapel is at least 500 years old and has served as the site of numerous royal weddings, including those of Queen Victoria's children. It is also the final resting place of several monarchs, including King George VI, the Queen Mother Elizabeth, and King Edward VII.

The wedding date was announced on November 27, 2017, when Clarence House confirmed that Harry would marry Markle in the spring of 2018. The couple had begun dating in mid-2016 and got engaged in London in November 2016.

The ceremony

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held on Saturday 19 May 2018 in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The ceremony was officiated by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who also baptised Meghan into the Church of England a few months prior to the wedding. The wedding followed the Christian liturgy for Holy Matrimony as set out in Common Worship of the Church of England.

Meghan's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for 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. Her veil was 16 feet long and was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as Wintersweet and the California Poppy.

Prince Harry wore a uniform of the Blues and Royals, with permission from the Queen, as he served in the regiment for 10 years, including in combat in Afghanistan.

The couple exchanged vows and rings during the ceremony. Meghan did not promise to "obey" Harry, similar to Princess Diana and Kate Middleton. After the signing of the registers, the couple sang the national anthem and shared a kiss on the steps outside the chapel before departing in an open-top Ascot Landau horse-drawn carriage.

The reception

The wedding reception was held at St. George's Hall, hosted by the Queen. The menu included a variety of canapés, including salmon, asparagus, and panna cotta with quail egg, as well as larger bowl canapés and dessert canapés. The guests were also treated to a performance by Sir Elton John, who played several songs, including "Tiny Dancer," which he dedicated to Meghan. Harry gave an impromptu speech at the event, and the newlyweds shared their first dance as a married couple.

Following the daytime luncheon, a more intimate reception was held at Frogmore House, hosted by the Prince of Wales, for the couple and their 200 closest friends. The menu included baked potatoes, pork belly, and meringue for dessert. The entertainment was provided by DJ Idris Elba, and George Clooney served cocktails. Harry and Meghan had their first dance as a married couple to "Land of 1000 Dances." Both Harry and Meghan gave speeches at the event, breaking with royal tradition.

The dress and veil

The veil was made of silk tulle and was 16 feet (4.9 m) long. It was embroidered with 55 flowers, representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as wintersweet, which grows outside Nottingham Cottage where the couple lived, and the California poppy, the state flower of California, Meghan's home state. The veil took longer to create than the dress itself, and the embroiderers spent 500 hours completing it, washing their hands every 30 minutes to ensure the veil remained immaculate. The veil was secured by a diamond bandeau tiara, made in 1932 for Queen Mary, and lent to Meghan by Queen Elizabeth II.

Meghan chose Waight Keller because she "wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent" and because of her "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour." Meghan and Waight Keller worked closely together on the design, which shows a "timeless minimal elegance." The simple white dress and veil were revealed only when Meghan got out of the car and entered St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the wedding service.

The rings

The wedding rings of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were created by London's Cleave & Company, the court jewellers and medallists to the Queen. Breaking with tradition, Prince Harry's ring was made of platinum with a textured finish, while Meghan's ring was fashioned from a piece of Welsh gold gifted by Queen Elizabeth II. The choice of platinum for Harry's ring was a departure from the royal family's tradition of using Welsh gold for wedding bands since 1923.

Meghan's ring complemented her engagement ring, which was also designed by Cleave & Company and consisted of a large central diamond from Botswana and two smaller diamonds from Princess Diana's personal collection.

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