Royal Wedding: Harry And Meghan's Big Day

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The ceremony began at midday and lasted about an hour. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiated the wedding, while the Dean of Windsor, bishop David Conner, conducted the service. The marriage service was followed by a carriage procession through Windsor and a reception hosted by the Queen at St George's Hall in the castle.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding date

The wedding was a grand affair, with around 600 guests in attendance, including celebrities such as David and Victoria Beckham, Elton John, Serena Williams, and Oprah Winfrey. The ceremony was also broadcast on television for people around the world to watch.

The day began early, with members of the public who had been invited to watch the wedding arriving at St George's Chapel from 9 am. Wedding guests started arriving at 9:30 am, and members of the royal family began to arrive from 11:20 am. Prince Harry and his best man, Prince William, arrived at the chapel around the same time, entering via the West Steps and greeting the 200 representatives from Harry's charities. Meghan Markle arrived at the chapel's West Steps by car at 11:59 am, accompanied by her mother, Doria Ragland.

The wedding ceremony began at 12 pm, officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and conducted by the Dean of Windsor, bishop David Conner. The ceremony lasted about an hour, and after the service, the newlyweds exited the church and greeted the representatives of Harry's charities and their close family members. They then embarked on a 25-minute carriage procession through Windsor, waving to the crowd before arriving at St George's Hall in the castle for a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.

In the evening, Prince Charles hosted a private reception for the couple and their close friends and family at Frogmore House, a 17th-century manor on the castle estate.

The wedding time

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St. George's Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle. The ceremony began at midday and lasted about an hour.

The first guests began arriving at 9 am, with wedding guests arriving between 9:30 am and 11 am. Members of the Royal Family started to arrive from 11:20 am, with Prince Harry and his best man, Prince William, arriving at the chapel's west door at 11:40 am. Meghan Markle arrived at the Chapel's West Steps by car at 11:59 am.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiated the wedding, while the Dean of Windsor, bishop David Conner, conducted the service. The marriage service was attended by 600 guests, including the Queen, more than 30 members of the Royal Family, and celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, George and Amal Clooney, David and Victoria Beckham, and Idris Elba.

After the ceremony, the newlyweds took a 25-minute carriage procession through the streets of Windsor, cheered on by an estimated 100,000 people. They then attended a lunchtime reception hosted by the Queen at St. George's Hall in the castle. In the evening, the couple departed for a private reception at Frogmore House, hosted by the Prince of Wales for 200 close friends and family.

Wedding location

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding venue was the magnificent and historic St George's Chapel, located in the Lower Ward of the grounds of Windsor Castle. The chapel is surrounded by the Horseshoe Cloisters and the Henry VIII gate, providing the royal family with some privacy on the day of the wedding.

The 15th-century gothic chapel, with its intricately carved stonework, magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling, and beautiful stained glass windows, has been the site of many royal weddings and funerals. It is a slightly more intimate venue compared to Westminster Abbey, accommodating around 800 guests.

The choice of venue was also suitable for Prince Harry's ageing grandparents, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who spent a great deal of time at their beloved home in Windsor Castle. The castle itself is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and has been the family home of British royalty for almost 1,000 years.

Prince Harry's father, Prince Charles, and stepmother, the Duchess of Cornwall, had their marriage blessing at St George's Chapel in 2005. In 1999, Prince Harry's uncle, the Earl of Wessex, married Sophie Rhys-Jones at the same chapel. Additionally, Prince Harry was christened in the chapel when he was three months old.

The reception for the royal wedding was held in St George's Hall, a grand 180-foot-long room within Windsor Castle, often used for large state banquets.

Wedding guests

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a grand affair, with 600 guests in attendance. The ceremony took place at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, which can accommodate 800 guests. The guest list included a mix of royalty, celebrities, and people with close connections to the couple. Here is a breakdown of the notable wedding guests:

Members of the Royal Family:

The royal family members in attendance began arriving at 11:20 am, some on foot and others by car. Notable members included:

• Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, who served as Prince Harry's best man.
• Prince Charles, who walked Meghan Markle down the aisle in the absence of her father.
• The Queen, who was the last member of the royal family to arrive, as per protocol.
• The Duke of Edinburgh, who attended despite his recent hip operation.
• Princess Anne, the Princess Royal.
• Mike and Zara Tindall.
• The Duchess of Cambridge, who made her first public appearance after giving birth to her third child.
• Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who were among the young helpers during the ceremony.

Celebrities and Public Figures:

The celebrity guests added a touch of glamour to the event and included well-known names from various industries:

• David and Victoria Beckham.
• Sir Elton John, who also performed at the lunchtime reception.
• Oprah Winfrey.
• Serena Williams.
• George and Amal Clooney.
• Idris Elba.
• James Blunt.
• Tom Hardy.
• Jonny Wilkinson.
• Marcus Mumford.
• Carey Mulligan.
• Joss Stone.
• Gabriel Macht, Meghan Markle's co-star from the TV show "Suits."
• Patrick J. Adams, another "Suits" co-star.
• Adele, who watched the ceremony from home and shared a celebratory post on social media.

Special Invitees:

In addition to the celebrities and royal family members, there were also special invitees who were chosen to be part of this momentous occasion:

• Charity workers, local school children, employees of the Queen, and other special attendees nominated by authorities to cheer on the couple from outside the chapel.
• Members of the public who were invited to watch the wedding day from the grounds of Windsor Castle.
• Representatives from Prince Harry's charities, who were greeted by the couple after the ceremony.

The ceremony

The Archbishop said to the bridegroom: "Harry, will you take Meghan to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

There was laughter in the chapel as Prince Harry answered: "I will."

Meghan Markle replied with an "I will" when the Archbishop then asked her the same.

As Ms Markle approached the altar, Prince Harry mouthed the words: "You look amazing."

As the couple faced each other and joined hands, the bridegroom said:

> "I Harry, take you, Meghan, to be my wife, to have and to hold from, this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow."

Now it was Ms Markle's turn. She repeated after Justin Welby:

> "I Meghan, take you, Harry, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God's holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow."

The Archbishop of Canterbury then 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 Archbishop joined their right hands together and said: "Those whom God has joined together let no-one put asunder."

The couple were now officially married!

The Duke of Cambridge, in his role as best man, stepped forward to hand over the rings.

Prince Harry placed the wedding ring on the fourth finger of Ms Markle's left hand and, holding it there, said: "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."

Ms Markle now did the same before the Archbishop of Canterbury addressed the congregation.

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