Deborah Chan
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The ceremony began at midday local time, with the couple making a traditional appearance in an open-topped, horse-drawn carriage procession around Windsor town centre following the service. The Dean of Windsor, David Connor, conducted the service, with Bishop Michael Bruce Curry from Chicago giving the address. The wedding was widely broadcast across television, radio, and the internet, with extensive media coverage in the lead-up to the event.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 19 May |
| Day | Saturday |
| Time | Midday local time (7 a.m. ET, 4 a.m. PT) |
| Location | St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
| Bride | Meghan Markle |
| Groom | Prince Harry |
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What You'll Learn
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding date and location
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding date was Saturday, the 19th of May 2018. The ceremony took place at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, the Queen's weekend home. The Dean of Windsor, David Connor, conducted the service, while the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiated as the couple said their vows. The address was given by Bishop Michael Bruce Curry, from Chicago.
The wedding ceremony was set to start at midday local time (7 a.m. ET, 4 a.m. PT), with coverage on TV networks and news channels beginning much earlier. In the UK, coverage began on BBC One and Sky One at 9 am, with ITV joining at 9:30 am. In the US, several networks started coverage as early as 1 a.m., with some joining at 5 a.m. ET (2 a.m. PT).
The wedding location, St. George's Chapel, holds a special significance for Prince Harry, as he was christened there in 1984 when he was just three months old. The chapel, dating back to 1475, has been the site of numerous royal baptisms, marriages, and deaths over the centuries.
The day unfolded in a traditional manner, with Meghan and her mother, Doria, travelling to Windsor by car, possibly in the same 1978 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI that Kate Middleton used on her wedding day. The wedding ceremony was attended by around 600 guests, including members of the royal family and Meghan's family. After the ceremony, the newlyweds, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, took a horse-drawn carriage procession through Windsor town centre, greeting well-wishers along the route.
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Wedding ceremony and procession timings
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The ceremony started at midday local time (7 a.m. ET, 4 a.m. PT). Coverage on TV networks began at 5 a.m. ET (2 a.m. PT) and 1 a.m. in the UK.
The day followed a conventional format. The bride travelled to Windsor by car, possibly the same 1978 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI that Kate Middleton used on her wedding day. After the ceremony, the couple took an open-topped, horse-drawn carriage – an Ascot landau – for a procession around Windsor town centre. The route started from St George’s Chapel, down Castle Hill, onto High Street, through the town to Sheet Street, Kings Road, Albert Road, and then along the Long Walk back to the gates of Windsor Castle. The Long Walk, a 2.5-mile avenue of London plane and horse chestnut trees, is the most picturesque section of the procession. Food stalls and facilities, including big screens showing live footage of the wedding, were installed on the Long Walk and in Alexandra Gardens.
The Dean of Windsor, David Connor, conducted the service, while the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiated as the couple said their vows. The address was given by Bishop Michael Bruce Curry, from Chicago, the first black presiding bishop of the Episcopal church in the US.
The congregation included 600 invited guests, including the royal family and members of Meghan's family. 2,640 people were invited into the grounds of Windsor Castle, including 530 members of staff from the Royal Household and Crown Estate, more than 600 people from the Windsor Castle community, 100 local schoolchildren, and 200 people from various charities that Harry and Meghan work with.
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The wedding dress and uniform
The wedding dress is one of the most anticipated aspects of a royal wedding. Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the first female artistic director at Givenchy. The veil featured flowers from all 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the Wintersweet, which grows at Kensington Palace, and the California Poppy, the state flower of Meghan's birthplace. Meghan wore Queen Mary's diamond-and-platinum bandeau tiara, lent to her by the Queen.
As for the groom's outfit, Prince Harry wore a Blues and Royals uniform, consisting of a single-breasted jacket made of blue doeskin, with a white buckskin belt and sword slings. He did not carry a sword to church. His brother, the Duke of Cambridge, wore a similar uniform, with the addition of the Garter Star. The Blues and Royals uniform includes a traditional hat, but Harry did not wear a sword to the church, as per regimental tradition.
At previous royal weddings, male members of the royal family have often worn military uniforms. For instance, at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, Prince William wore the bold Irish Guards look, featuring a red jacket. Prince Charles wore a Royal Navy commander’s full dress uniform, with a sword, forage cap, and white gloves. The Duke of Edinburgh wore a red Grenadier Guards uniform, similar to William’s, but with more decorations. The Duke of York, the Earl of Wessex, the Duke of Gloucester, and the Duke of Kent also wore their military dress uniforms.
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Guests and attendees
Similarly, at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the confirmed attendees at the church ceremony included members of the royal family and Meghan's family. The couple was set to wed at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, with a congregation of 600 invited guests. Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, was set to attend, while her father, Thomas Markle Sr., was unable to fulfil the traditional role of walking the bride down the aisle due to ill health. Prince Charles stepped in to accompany Meghan instead.
In addition to the invited guests, 2,640 people were granted access to the grounds of Windsor Castle, including 530 members of staff from the Royal Household and Crown Estate, over 600 people from the Windsor Castle community, 100 local schoolchildren, and 200 people from charities that Harry and Meghan work with. The town of Windsor was decorated with bunting and ceremonial banners along the procession route, and food stalls and facilities, including big screens showing live footage of the wedding, were installed for those choosing to watch the carriage procession.
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was widely anticipated, with coverage beginning as early as 2 a.m. for those on Pacific Time in the US. The event was screened at street parties and large events in the UK, with an expected audience of thousands in the historic town centre of Windsor.
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How to watch the wedding
If you're in the UK, you can watch the wedding on BBC One and Sky One from 9 am, or on ITV from 9:30 am. The BBC has removed the licence fee for the occasion, so the event can be screened at street parties and large events.
If you're in the US, you can tune in from 5 am ET on E!, Fox News, TLC, ABC, and BBC World News, which will be joining BBC One's coverage. Coverage begins at 2 am PT.
If you're in Windsor, you can watch the wedding on big screens installed on the Long Walk and in Alexandra Gardens. The town centre will be decorated with bunting and ceremonial banners along parts of the procession route.
You can also follow the wedding on social media using the hashtag #royalwedding.
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Frequently asked questions
The wedding starts at midday local time (9 am BST).
The wedding takes place at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
The Dean of Windsor, David Connor, conducts the service, while the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiates as the couple say their vows.
The address is given by Bishop Michael Bruce Curry, from Chicago.
