Royal Wedding Drama: The Scandal That Rocked The Monarchy Before Meghan And Harry's Big Day

The big story that came out before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was that the couple were already married. In a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan revealed that three days before their public wedding, they got married in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. She said that they exchanged personal vows in a private ceremony in the backyard of Nottingham Cottage, their home on the grounds of Kensington Palace. The Archbishop of Canterbury later commented that the legal wedding was on the Saturday [May 19], and that he had a number of private and pastoral meetings with the duke and duchess before the wedding.

Meghan's wedding dress was inspired by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy

Meghan Markle's wedding dress paid tribute to her style icon, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Markle's pure white, silk cady dress, created by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, featured an open bateau neckline that "gracefully framed the shoulders and emphasised the slender sculpted waist." While Markle's dress didn't emulate Bessette-Kennedy's wedding dress, it nodded to another one of her iconic looks. Markle's gown resembled a floor-length, simple white dress with a bateau neckline that Bessette-Kennedy wore in December 1998, just months before her tragic passing.

Markle's second wedding dress, a custom silk crepe halter-neck gown by Stella McCartney, more closely channelled Bessette-Kennedy's wedding look. The minimalist, column silhouette of Markle's dress was reminiscent of Bessette-Kennedy's bias-cut slip gown by Narciso Rodriguez. Markle's dress design differed with its halter neckline, but it still emulated the timelessness, sophistication, and chic factor of Bessette-Kennedy's ensemble.

In a 2016 interview with Glamour, Markle cited Bessette-Kennedy's wedding dress as "everything goals" and expressed her admiration for the American style icon's timeless and sophisticated style. Markle's wedding day included various sartorial tributes, from her veil, which pointed to Princess Diana, to her tiara, which highlighted previous generations of the royal family. However, her occasional US-inspired fashion choices, such as her second wedding dress, showcased her American roots as she transitioned into her new life as the UK's first Duchess of Sussex.

Harry and Meghan privately exchanged vows three days before the wedding

During their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed that they had privately exchanged vows three days before their official wedding ceremony, which was broadcast to millions of viewers around the world on 19 May 2018.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Winfrey that they had called the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and asked him to perform a private ceremony for them. "We called the Archbishop and we just said, 'Look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world. But we want our union between us,'" Meghan said. "So, the vows that we have framed in our room are just between the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury."

Harry added: "Just the three of us."

The couple's revelation sparked confusion and debate, with many people questioning whether the private ceremony constituted a legally binding marriage. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess later clarified that they had privately exchanged personal vows a few days before their official/legal wedding on 19 May.

The Archbishop of Canterbury also commented on the private ceremony, stating: "The legal wedding was on the Saturday [19 May]. I signed the wedding certificate." He added that he had "a number of private and pastoral meetings with the duke and duchess before the wedding."

The private exchange of vows was one of several explosive revelations made by Harry and Meghan during their interview with Winfrey. The couple also detailed how racism had impacted their relationship with both the royal family and the British media, including concerns over "how dark [their son Archie's] skin might be".

Harry and Meghan's wedding cake broke from royal tradition

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding included many breaks from royal tradition, and their choice of wedding cake was no exception. The royal couple chose to eschew the traditional fruit cake in favour of a lemon and elderflower cake, a flavour inspired by their spring wedding date. The cake was created by London-based baker Claire Ptak, who owns Violet Cakes in East London. Ptak, a California native like Markle, focuses on using seasonal and organic ingredients in her cakes.

The royal wedding cake is typically a multi-tiered, rich fruit cake encased in marzipan and a thick crust of white icing. Fruit cakes have been used to celebrate special occasions in England since medieval times, as they are optimally suited to an era before refrigeration. The tradition of using fruit cake for royal weddings was first established by an eighteenth-century cookery writer named Elizabeth Raffald.

However, Harry and Meghan opted for a lighter, more modern flavour for their wedding cake. Ptak's cake incorporated 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs from Suffolk, and plenty of butter, flour, and sugar. The special ingredient was 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial, made from flowers harvested at one of Queen Elizabeth's private homes. This cordial was used to soak the cake layers and was also incorporated into the frosting, adding a floral flavour to the cake.

In addition to the unique flavour, Harry and Meghan's wedding cake also differed from traditional royal cakes in terms of size and decoration. Instead of a single, towering cake, they chose a beautiful display of multiple cakes, with two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake. The cakes were adorned with 150 fresh flowers, mostly British peonies and roses, and displayed on ornate gold stands from the royal family's collection.

The cost of the cake was also noteworthy, amounting to around $70,000 due to the use of top-end ingredients and the sourcing of local and organic produce. The cake was served at the reception, and guests included celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and James Corden.

Harry and Meghan's wedding bands were mismatched

While Meghan's wedding band was made from a piece of Welsh gold gifted by Queen Elizabeth II, Harry's was made of platinum with a textured finish. This broke with royal tradition, as Welsh gold wedding bands have been used by the royal family since 1923, when King George VI married Queen Mother Elizabeth.

Harry's decision to wear a wedding band at all was also a break from tradition. His brother, Prince William, opted out of having a wedding ring when he married Kate Middleton in 2011.

Harry and Meghan's first dance was to 'Land of 1000 Dances'

The first dance between Harry and Meghan was to Wilson Pickett's "Land of 1000 Dances." The couple chose the upbeat 1966 hit over a slow love song for their wedding reception at Frogmore House.

The song was full of energy and fun, with Meghan commenting, "I just really wanted the music to be fun. Even our first dance." The newlyweds spun like a "whirlwind" on the dance floor, with Meghan wearing a Stella McCartney gown and Princess Diana's aquamarine ring. Harry wore a tuxedo as they danced in front of 200 of their closest friends and family.

The private evening reception followed their public wedding ceremony at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The wedding, which took place on May 19, 2018, was a star-studded affair with guests like Serena Williams, George Clooney, and Idris Elba, who also acted as the DJ for the evening.

Harry and Meghan's first dance to "Land of 1000 Dances" was a memorable moment, with Meghan recalling, "It was so fun. Just spinning like a whirlwind was so great." The song, with its fast-paced and joyful energy, set the tone for a night of celebration and marked a special moment in the lives of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

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