Harry And Meghan's Wedding: New Details Emerge

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on 19 May 2018 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The couple's nuptials combined British pageantry with modern style and was attended by a host of famous faces, including George and Amal Clooney, Idris Elba, David and Victoria Beckham, Serena Williams, and Oprah Winfrey. The bride wore a dress by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, and the groom wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals. The ceremony was officiated by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the couple exchanged wedding rings made from Welsh gold. After the wedding, the newlyweds rode through the town of Windsor in a horse-drawn carriage, greeting well-wishers along a two-mile procession. The day concluded with two receptions: one hosted by the Queen and another by Prince Charles.

Meghan's dress and veil

Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was white, with a bateau neckline and no embroidery or beading. The fabric was double-bonded silk cady, with an underskirt in triple silk organza. The dress was minimalistic, with no lace or embellishments.

The veil, also designed by Waight Keller, was a five-metre-long drop veil made of silk tulle. The trim of the veil was hand-embroidered with flowers from all 53 Commonwealth countries, as well as the wintersweet flower from Kensington Palace and the California poppy, representing Meghan's home state. The veil was held in place by the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara, lent to Meghan by the Queen. The diamond bandeau was made in 1932, with the centre brooch dating from 1893.

The wedding cake

Ptak created a lemon and elderflower cake, breaking from the traditional fruit cake typically served at royal weddings. The cake was inspired by the couple's spring wedding date and incorporated the bright flavours of the season. It featured several tiers of vanilla sponge, drizzled with elderflower syrup from the late Queen's Sandringham estate and filled with Amalfi lemon curd. The outside was covered in buttercream scented with lemon juice and zest, and the cake was decorated with 150 fresh flowers, including British peonies and roses.

The cake was a labour of love, taking Ptak and her team five days to make in the kitchens of Buckingham Palace. The result was a stunning, light, and airy confection that captured the essence of a quintessential British summer. The flavours of lemon and elderflower were a perfect combination, with the elderflower adding a delicate floral note to the pure citrus taste of the Amalfi lemons. The buttercream helped to balance the sweetness and tartness of the cake, resulting in a delicious and elegant dessert.

The cake was displayed on a gold ornate stand from the royal family's collection, adding a touch of grandeur to the celebration. The cost of the cake was $70,000, reflecting the care put into the recipe, the use of local and organic ingredients, and the assembly and decoration. Overall, the cake was a beautiful and unique creation that reflected the couple's tastes and personalities.

Carriage procession

The carriage procession was a key part of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding day. The newlyweds processed through Windsor in a horse-drawn carriage, allowing the public to see them and join in with the celebrations. The couple rode in the Ascot Landau carriage, described by the Crown Equerry, Col. Toby Browne, as "wonderfully bright, small, lovely" and "very easy for people to see". The carriage was pulled by six Windsor Grey horses, including a father-son duo, Storm and Tyrone.

The carriage procession began at 1 pm, after the wedding ceremony at St George's Chapel. The route took the couple through Windsor Town, along the High Street, Sheet Street, Kings Road, Albert Road, and back to Windsor Castle via the Long Walk. The journey lasted around 25 minutes.

The Ascot Landau carriage is one of five kept by the Royal Mews and is used for official and ceremonial state events, such as coronations, royal weddings, and state visits. Harry had ridden in one before when he served as best man at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011.

The Scottish State Coach was on standby in case of rain, as the Ascot Landau carriage is topless. The Scottish State Coach is a time-honoured mode of transportation, built in 1830 for the Duchess of Teck, the mother of Queen Mary.

The carriage procession was an opportunity for the happy couple to express their gratitude for the goodwill and warm wishes they had received since their engagement. They waved nonstop as they passed cheering crowds of adults and children who had gathered from across Britain and the world.

Celebrity guests

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair, with many celebrities in attendance. Here is a list of some of the notable guests:

Oprah Winfrey

Winfrey arrived at Windsor Castle alongside actor Idris Elba. She wore a Phillip Treacy hat from her own closet and a custom blush-pink Stella McCartney dress, which was reportedly made overnight after she realised her original dress was too white.

George and Amal Clooney

The Clooneys were among the first guests to arrive at St. George's Chapel. Amal Clooney wore a stunning yellow dress. The couple's English countryside home is just a 30-minute drive from Windsor, making their commute one of the easiest among the celebrity guests.

David and Victoria Beckham

The Beckhams also attended Prince William and Catherine's wedding in 2011. Victoria wore navy, but this time her look wasn't maternity, as she had been pregnant in 2011 with the couple's daughter, Harper.

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian

Williams and Markle became close friends after meeting in 2014 at a celebrity charity football event. Williams wore Atelier Versace to the wedding, and she and her husband, the co-founder of Reddit, sat in the intimate Quire for the ceremony, alongside the royal family.

Patrick J. Adams and Troian Bellisario

Adams, Markle's onscreen love interest on Suits, posted a sweet tribute to his former co-star on Instagram. He wrote, "Your Royal Highness, you are a lucky man and I know your long life together will be joyful, productive and hilarious."

Abigail Spencer and Priyanka Chopra

Spencer and Markle became close friends during filming. Chopra, who met Markle at ELLE's Women in Television dinner in 2016, told People that she was "super excited" about Markle's big day.

Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley

Riley has played the role of the Duchess of Cambridge in a PBS Masterpiece Classic film, King Charles III.

Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford

Mulligan wore a floral dress, while Mumford, the leading man of Mumford & Sons, wore a traditional morning suit.

James Corden and Julia Carey

Corden's presence was especially felt at the Frogmore House evening reception, where he acted as MC.

James Blunt and Sofia Wellesley

Blunt served in the army with Harry, and the prince has since invited him to attend the Invictus Games. Wellesley is a granddaughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington.

Elton John and David Furnish

Elton John was a good friend of Prince Harry's mother, Princess Diana, and sang at her funeral in 1997. He reportedly performed at the reception, playing "Circle of Life", "Your Song", and "I'm Still Standing".

The ceremony

The wedding service was conducted according to the Christian liturgy for Holy Matrimony as set out in Common Worship of the Church of England, the mother Church of the Anglican Communion.

From 8:00 am, the public started to arrive at the grounds of Windsor Castle. The main congregation and the guests all started to arrive at the chapel at 9:30 am, followed by members of the Royal Family. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were the last members of the Royal Family to depart for the ceremony, as is tradition, arriving at the chapel at 11:52 am. Shortly after, Markle arrived with the party of junior attendants. She proceeded down the aisle, followed by the attendants, where the Prince of Wales met her to escort her through the quire of the chapel. He accompanied her to the altar, where Prince Harry was standing.

Prince Harry's maternal aunt, Baroness Fellowes, read a scripture lesson from The Song of Solomon in the Christian Bible. The Dean of Windsor, David Conner, conducted the service with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, performing the marriage ceremony. The sermon was delivered by Michael Curry, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church (the American member church of the Anglican Communion). Curry's 14-minute address, which quoted Martin Luther King Jr., emphasised the redemptive property of love. Chaplain to the Queen Rose Hudson-Wilkin and Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London Anba Angaelos offered the prayers.

The marriage vows were those published in Common Worship, and included the promise "to love and to cherish" each other. This was sealed by the exchange of rings. The wedding rings were created by Cleave and Company, with Markle's ring being fashioned out of Welsh gold and the Prince's ring made of platinum. After the signing of the registers, Harry and Markle, together with the guests, sang the national anthem. The couple paused briefly to bow and curtsey to the Queen before walking down the aisle. They were followed in procession by other members of the bridal party and their families. The couple shared a kiss on the steps outside the chapel—their first kiss as husband and wife.

Frequently asked questions