Harry And Meghan's Wedding: Religious Blend

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018 was a star-studded affair, with a guest list including George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra, and Oprah Winfrey. But what religion was the ceremony?

Despite having attended a Catholic school as a child, Meghan Markle was baptised and confirmed into the Church of England before her marriage to Prince Harry. This was because, although you can be Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or Atheist and become the King or Queen of England, you cannot be Catholic. Under the terms of the 1701 Act of Settlement, Catholics are banned from succession to the throne.

The wedding ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who also baptised Meghan, and used the standard Anglican church service for Holy Matrimony.

Meghan Markle's conversion to the Church of England

On March 6, 2018, Meghan Markle was baptised and confirmed in a private ceremony at the Chapel Royal, according to the Daily Mail. The former US actress, who was due to marry Prince Harry on May 19, joined the Church of England at a secret service conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Markle was brought up as an Episcopalian and attended a Catholic high school in Los Angeles.

Although Markle was not required to convert to the Church of England to marry Prince Harry, she chose to do so to honour the Queen's role as head of the Church of England. The Queen has been vocal about the important part religion plays in her life, and she attends church services every Sunday.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who helped the couple prepare for their wedding, may have also worked with Markle to study the catechism ahead of the ceremony. The Archbishop is said to have formed a close friendship with Markle, who chose to be baptised to honour the Queen.

The ceremony was attended by a select few, including Prince Harry, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall. Markle's baptism was followed by her confirmation, which allowed her to take Holy Communion with her fiancé. Holy water from the River Jordan was used in the service, and the Chapel Royal choir performed at the occasion.

The location of the event, the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace, holds a special meaning for the couple. It was the site where Princess Diana's body lay for a week before her funeral in 1997, and it was also where Prince Harry's nephew, Prince George, was christened in 2013.

The wedding ceremony

On the morning of the wedding, Prince Harry was conferred the titles of Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton, and Baron Kilkeel by his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Meghan Markle, on the other hand, became a princess of the United Kingdom and gained the style of Her Royal Highness and the titles of Duchess of Sussex, Countess of Dumbarton, and Baroness Kilkeel.

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 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. Curry's address emphasised the redemptive power of love, quoting Martin Luther King Jr. Chaplain to the Queen, Rose Hudson-Wilkin, and Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, Anba Angaelos, offered prayers during the ceremony.

The wedding vows were those published in Common Worship, including the promise "to love and to cherish" each other. The vows were sealed with the exchange of rings. After signing the registers, the couple sang the national anthem and briefly paused to bow and curtsey to the Queen before walking down the aisle. They shared their first married kiss on the steps of St. George's Chapel.

Hymns sung during the ceremony included "Lord of All Hopefulness" and "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer". A performance by the gospel choir, The Kingdom Choir, singing "Stand By Me" was also included in the ceremony. Two choirs, an orchestra, the chapel organ, and fanfare trumpeters provided music for the service.

The wedding reception

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a traditional Anglican ceremony, which took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The bride, Meghan, is American and had to be baptised and confirmed into the Church of England before the wedding. This was done in a 45-minute ceremony attended by many members of the Royal Family, including her future parents-in-law, then-Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

Elton John performed during the reception, and Prince Harry introduced him by joking, "Does anyone here know how to play the piano?". Meghan's mother, Doria, danced to Elton John during the reception. "I couldn't find my mom because she had beelined to the stage to watch Elton sing," Meghan shared.

Harry gave a toast, and the couple shared their first dance to "Land of 1000 Dances" by Wilson Pickett. They also cut their wedding cake with a sword. The lemon elderflower cake was made by baker Clare Ptak.

The couple waved to their guests from a balcony and ended the reception with a kiss.

A second, more intimate reception was held at Frogmore House, hosted by then-Prince Charles, for family and close friends. Harry drove Meghan to the reception in a silver-blue Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero. The Duchess of Sussex wore a halter-neck, open-back dress by Stella McCartney and an emerald-cut aquamarine ring that formerly belonged to Princess Diana. In a break with tradition, the bride gave a speech at the event. The best man, Prince William, also gave a speech. DJ Idris Elba and The Atlantic Soul Orchestra performed, and small fireworks were displayed above Frogmore House to end the event.

The wedding cake

The cake was created by London-based baker Claire Ptak, who owns Violet Cakes in East London. Ptak is also a food and prop stylist and a food writer. She uses low-intervention and organic ingredients in her bakes, which particularly resonated with the royal couple. In a statement, Ptak said:

> I can’t tell you how delighted I am to be chosen to make Prince Harry and Ms. Markle’s wedding cake. Knowing that they really share the same values as I do about food provenance, sustainability, seasonality, and most importantly flavor, makes this the most exciting event to be a part of.

Ptak and her team used the kitchens at Buckingham Palace to create the cake. The recipe included 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs from Suffolk, and plenty of butter, flour, and sugar. The cake was soaked with 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial, made from flowers harvested at one of Queen Elizabeth's private homes, which gave the cake a floral flavour and balanced the sweetness. The cake was frosted with swiss meringue buttercream.

The cake was made up of multiple cakes, including two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake, which was the tallest of the display. The cakes were displayed on ornate gold stands from the royal family's collection. The overall display was quite modest in comparison to other royal wedding cakes. The cakes were adorned with 150 fresh flowers, mostly British peonies and roses, and green foliage.

The cost of the cake was $70,000, which included the cost of the high-quality ingredients and assembly. The cake was served at the wedding reception, which was attended by 600 guests, including Oprah Winfrey and James Corden.

The wedding outfits

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the United Kingdom. The wedding outfits are described as follows:

Meghan Markle's Wedding Outfits:

For the ceremony, Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. Markle chose Waight Keller because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent and showcase her elegant aesthetic and relaxed demeanour. The dress epitomised a timeless minimal elegance, with a graphic open bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waist. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza, with a sweeping train. The silk veil was 16 feet long and embroidered with 55 flowers, representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as Wintersweet, which grows in front of Nottingham Cottage, and the California Poppy, the state flower of California. Markle's hair was styled by Serge Normant, who rolled it up with face-framing fringe tucked behind her ears. Her makeup, done by Dior make-up artist Daniel Martin, was described as a soft brown eyeshadow with minimal makeup on the face. Markle's nails were painted in a neutral pinky-beige shade. Her bouquet, designed by Philippa Craddock, included flowers such as forget-me-nots, scented sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, and sprigs of myrtle, which is traditionally included in royal wedding bouquets.

For the reception, Markle wore a halter-neck, open-back dress by Stella McCartney. The gown had a high halter neckline and a refined, modern silhouette. Markle wore an emerald-cut aquamarine ring, previously owned by Princess Diana, on her hand. Her hairstylist for the evening was George Northwood.

Prince Harry's Wedding Outfit:

Prince Harry wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals, in which he served for 10 years, including in combat in Afghanistan. The uniform was made by Dege & Skinner, gentleman's tailors and uniform makers of Savile Row, London. He wore the rank of Major with the star of the Royal Victorian Order and various medals and ribbons. Notably, Prince Harry received the Queen's permission to keep his beard, which was only permitted under exceptional circumstances in the British Army at the time.

Wedding Party Attire:

The bridesmaids wore high-waisted silk dresses designed by Clare Waight Keller, with puff sleeves. The page boys wore uniforms by Dege & Skinner, resembling the uniform of the Blues and Royals worn by the groom and best man.

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