Royal Wedding: Harry And Meghan's Big Day

On May 19, 2018, Prince Harry married Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, England. The wedding was a significant event for several reasons. It marked the first time a member of the British royal family married someone of mixed-race heritage and was seen as a modernising step for the royal family. The ceremony was attended by 600 guests and watched by nearly 2 billion people worldwide. The bride wore a white boat-neck dress by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, while the groom wore the frock coat uniform of the Household Cavalry. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, presided over the nuptials. The couple's wedding broke with tradition in several ways, including Markle's decision not to have a maid of honour and her choice to walk into the chapel by herself. The event was widely praised for its inclusivity and diversity but also criticised for its cost and the intense media scrutiny surrounding the couple.

The wedding ceremony

The bride, Meghan Markle, wore a white boat-neck dress designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for the French fashion house Givenchy. The groom, Prince Harry, wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals. Prince Harry's brother, Prince William, served as the best man. Markle chose not to have a maid of honour.

The wedding vows were read by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the couple exchanged rings as a symbol of their commitment. After the exchange of vows, a cheer was heard from the crowds outside the chapel.

The ceremony also included musical performances by the Kingdom Choir, a gospel group, and soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, who sang "Eternal source of light divine" as the bride walked down the aisle. The ceremony concluded with the signing of the registers, followed by the singing of the national anthem by the couple and their guests.

The wedding reception

The couple also had an evening reception, hosted by Prince Charles, at Frogmore House, a short drive from Windsor Castle. Harry and Meghan changed into a black tuxedo and a white evening gown designed by Stella McCartney, respectively. The couple's wedding cake broke from royal tradition, with a lemon sponge cake with elderflower syrup, Amalfi lemon curd, and a Swiss meringue buttercream topping infused with elderflower. Idris Elba served as the DJ at the evening reception, and George Clooney served cocktails. The couple's first dance was revealed in their Netflix show to be to the song "Land of 1000 Dances."

The bride's dress

The bride's silk tulle veil was 16 feet long and was embroidered with the flowers of the Commonwealth nations and the California poppy. It was held in place by an antique diamond tiara loaned to her by Queen Elizabeth II. The centre brooch of the tiara had been a wedding gift to Queen Mary 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 custom-made by Givenchy and had a pointed couture design.

Other accessories worn by the bride included white gold and diamond earrings and a bracelet made by Cartier. Markle's hair was styled by Serge Normant, who rolled it up with "face-framing fringe tucked behind her ears". Her makeup, which was done by Dior makeup artist Daniel Martin, featured "a soft brown eyeshadow" and minimal makeup on the face. Her nails were painted in a "neutral pink-y beige" shade.

The groom's uniform

Prince Harry wore a Blues and Royals frock coat uniform, made by Dege & Skinner, gentleman's tailors and uniform makers, of Savile Row, London. He chose the uniform because he thought it was one of the smartest household cavalry uniforms. He also wore the rank of major with the star of the Royal Victorian Order, of which he is a Knight Commander, along with the ribbons of the Royal Victorian Order, Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and Army Air Corps wings.

Harry also wore a beard, which was only permitted under exceptional circumstances in the British Army at the time. He asked for and received the Queen's permission to keep his beard.

Prince William, who served as best man, wore a similar uniform, with the rank of major, the EIIR cypher on his shoulder straps and gold aiguillettes on his right shoulder, indicating his position as an aide-de-camp to the Queen.

The guest list

Notable guests included:

• Oprah Winfrey
• Idris Elba
• George and Amal Clooney
• Serena Williams
• Sir Elton John
• David and Victoria Beckham
• James Corden
• Tom Hardy
• Joss Stone
• Will Greenwood
• James Haskell
• Johnny Wilkinson
• Clive Woodward
• Nacho Figueras
• James Blunt
• Marcus Mumford and Carey Mulligan

Meghan's Suits co-stars were also in attendance:

• Patrick J Adams
• Gina Torres
• Abigail Spencer
• Sarah Rafferty
• Rick Hoffman
• Gabriel Macht

Other friends of the bride included:

• Ben and Jessica Mulroney
• Jill Smoller
• Janina Gavankar
• Misha Nonoo

Foreign royal guests included:

• Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, Harry's friend with whom he co-founded the charity Sentebale
• Princess Mabereng, Prince Seeiso's wife

The only politician invited was former Prime Minister Sir John Major, who previously acted as a "special guardian on legal matters" to Princes William and Harry.

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