Rhiannon Hendricks
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding ceremony was an emotional event, with Prince Harry getting choked up several times throughout the ceremony. One of the most poignant moments was when the choir sang Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, a favourite hymn of his late mother, Princess Diana, which was also sung at her funeral 21 years prior. The prince appeared to wipe away tears as the hymn came to a close.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hymn that made Harry cry at his wedding | "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer" |
| Hymn's connection to Diana | Sung at Diana's funeral in 1997 |
| Harry's age at Diana's funeral | 12 |
| Flowers at the wedding | White peonies, white garden roses, forget-me-nots (Diana's favorites) |
| Meghan Markle's tribute to Diana | Wearing Diana's aquamarine ring at the evening party |
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What You'll Learn
Harry's tribute to Diana
Prince Harry paid tribute to his late mother, Princess Diana, in several ways at his wedding to Meghan Markle. The couple was keen to involve Harry's mother's family in the wedding. All three of Diana's siblings were in attendance, and her sister, Lady Jane Fellowes, gave a reading of "The Song of Solomon". Harry and Meghan also chose to include the hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer" during their wedding ceremony, which was performed at Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey 20 years prior when Harry was just 12 years old. Harry appeared to get emotional and wiped away tears as the hymn ended.
In addition to the hymn, Harry and Meghan included other tributes to Diana throughout their wedding day. They incorporated Diana's favourite white flowers, such as white roses, white peonies, and forget-me-nots, in the wedding decor and Meghan's bouquet. Harry handpicked some of these flowers from Kensington Palace's garden. Meghan also paid a touching tribute to Diana by wearing her aquamarine ring at the evening reception.
Harry and Meghan invited Diana's close friends, including Elton John, who performed at her funeral, to the wedding. Harry asked Elton John to play a medley of his hits during the lunchtime reception. The couple also included the hymn "Guide Me, O Thy Great Redeemer" in the service, which was sung at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997.
Harry had previously honoured his mother during his engagement to Meghan. He accented the centrepiece diamond in Meghan's engagement ring with two smaller stones from Princess Diana's collection. Harry believed that if his mother were still alive, she and Meghan would have been "thick as thieves" and "best friends".
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Elton John's performance
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding ceremony was filled with tributes to the groom's late mother, Princess Diana. One of the most poignant moments was when Harry appeared to get emotional during the singing of "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer", a hymn that was also sung at Princess Diana's funeral 21 years prior.
Elton John, a close friend of Diana's who performed at her funeral, was invited to the ceremony and performed a medley of his best-loved hits during the couple's lunchtime reception. John's performance added to the couple's tribute to Diana, honouring her memory in a special way.
John's presence at the wedding was particularly meaningful given his longstanding connection to the royal family and, more specifically, his relationship with Princess Diana. John's performance at the wedding was a way to not only celebrate the couple's union but also to remember and honour Diana's life.
While the specific songs John performed during the lunchtime reception are not publicly known, his performance of his well-known hits would have added a touching and memorable element to the wedding celebrations. John's performance would have been a highlight for the couple and their guests, providing a moment of joy and reflection as they celebrated Harry and Meghan's marriage.
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Diana's favourite flowers
Princess Diana's favourite flowers are said to be white flowers, including white roses, white peonies, and forget-me-nots.
When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in 2018, they honoured his late mother, Princess Diana, with subtle touches throughout the ceremony. The most obvious reference to Diana was in the bouquet that Meghan carried as she walked down the aisle. It included several different white flowers, including sweet peas, lilies of the valley, jasmine, and, most importantly, forget-me-nots, which have become known as Diana's favourite flower.
Forget-me-nots also have special relevance to the larger Spencer clan. In 1998, one of Diana's cousins, Louis Jebb, wrote about a fairy-tale children's book, called 'The Story of Forget-me-not and Lily of the Valley'. It is a story about two anthropomorphic flowers, Prince Lily of the Valley and Princess Forget-me-not, over a night at a ball. Jebb was told that a copy existed in the nursery at Althorp in the 1960s, where Diana occasionally went to visit her grandparents, and four generations of Spencers have enjoyed it when visiting the estate.
Diana's younger brother, Charles, Earl Spencer, also recalled that he gave his sister a white pot of blue forget-me-nots when he was six, and it was a lasting memory for him.
Harry and Meghan also paid tribute to Diana by including the hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer" during their wedding ceremony, which was one of Diana's favourites and was sung at her funeral in 1997.
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Meghan's tribute to Diana
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry honoured Princess Diana in several ways during their wedding ceremony. The couple was keen to involve Harry's mother's family in the wedding. They invited all three of Diana's siblings: Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Lady Jane Fellowes, and Earl Charles Spencer. Harry asked his maternal aunt, Lady Jane Fellowes, to give the only reading at the ceremony. She delivered a reading from the Song of Solomon, which emphasizes the strength and power of love.
Harry and Meghan also paid tribute to Diana by including the hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer" in the service, which was sung at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997. The prince was emotional throughout the ceremony and appeared to get choked up during the hymn.
In addition to the hymn, Harry and Meghan chose to incorporate Diana's favourite flowers into the wedding. They enlisted the help of floral designer Philippa Craddock to create a unique display in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The arrangement was filled with branches of beech, birch and hornbeam, as well as peonies, foxgloves, and one of Diana’s favourite flowers — white garden roses. Harry reportedly handpicked several flowers from Kensington Palace to include in Meghan's bouquet, including forget-me-nots, another preferred flower of Diana's.
Meghan also paid a touching tribute to Princess Diana by wearing her aquamarine ring at their evening party at Frogmore House.
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Lady Jane Fellowes' reading
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding ceremony was an emotional event, with several tributes to the groom's late mother, Princess Diana. One of the most poignant moments was when Harry appeared to get choked up during the singing of the hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer", also known as "Guide Me, O Thy Great Redeemer". The hymn was a favourite of his mother and was also sung at her funeral in 1997 when Harry was just 12 years old.
The couple incorporated other tributes to Princess Diana throughout the ceremony. These included the use of her favourite white flowers, such as white roses, white peonies, and forget-me-nots, which were strewn about the chapel and included in Markle's bouquet. They also invited Diana's good friend Elton John, who performed at her funeral, to the ceremony.
In addition to these tributes, Harry and Meghan also invited all three of Diana's siblings: Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Lady Jane Fellowes, and Earl Charles Spencer. Harry asked his maternal aunt, Lady Jane Fellowes, to give the only reading at the ceremony. Lady Jane's acceptance of this responsibility was especially poignant given her press-shy nature. She delivered a reading of the eighth chapter of the "Song of Solomon", a text that speaks of eternal love.
Lady Jane Fellowes' participation in the wedding was a meaningful way for Harry and Meghan to involve his mother's family and celebrate the memory of Princess Diana. Her reading, in particular, was a touching moment that honoured the late princess and the love she had for her sons.
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Frequently asked questions
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married on the 19th of May, 2018.
Prince Harry included his mother's favourite flowers, white roses and white peonies, in the wedding decor. He also handpicked flowers from Kensington Palace's garden, including forget-me-nots, another favourite of Diana's, for Markle's bouquet. The couple included the hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer", which was performed at Princess Diana's funeral, in the ceremony.
Prince Harry was overcome with emotion and appeared to cry while listening to the choir sing "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer".
