The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday 19 May 2018 at 12 pm BST (7 am ET) at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The ceremony was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, with the Archbishop of Canterbury officiating as the couple made their vows. The wedding was highly anticipated, with thousands of people descending on Windsor Castle to catch a glimpse of the new royal couple.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date | 19 May 2018 |
Time (BST) | 12 p.m. |
Time (ET) | 7 a.m. |
Location | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
Bride | Meghan Markle |
Groom | Prince Harry |
What You'll Learn
The wedding ceremony began at 12 pm UK time
The wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle began at 12 pm UK time on Saturday, 19 May 2018. The ceremony, which was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, David Conner, and officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, took place at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Archbishop of Canterbury also officiated at the couple's earlier, private wedding ceremony, which took place three days before the public wedding.
The royal wedding was a highly anticipated event, with extensive media coverage and a global audience. The ceremony itself lasted about an hour, and was followed by a carriage procession through Windsor Town, offering the public a glimpse of the newly married couple.
The wedding day schedule included the arrival of guests, the royal family, and the Queen, with Prince Harry and his brother, Prince William, entering on foot to greet well-wishers. The service began at 12 pm, with the Archbishop of Canterbury officiating as the couple exchanged vows. The ceremony included a 14-minute address by Michael Curry, the presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, who quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and emphasised the redemptive power of love.
The wedding ceremony concluded at 1 pm UK time, and the newlyweds, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, exited the church to greet representatives of Prince Harry's charities and their close family members. They then embarked on the carriage procession, waving to the crowd before entering the reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at St. George's Hall in Windsor Castle.
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The Archbishop of Canterbury officiated the wedding
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, UK. The ceremony began at midday (UK time) and was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, Bishop David Conner. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiated as the couple made their vows.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop in the Church of England, and the role is currently held by Justin Welby. Welby officiated the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, using the standard Anglican church service for Holy Matrimony published in Common Worship, a liturgical text of the Church of England.
In a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan revealed that she and Harry had a secret marriage ceremony with the Archbishop in their "backyard" three days before the public event at Windsor Castle. However, the Archbishop of Canterbury later clarified that the legal wedding took place on Saturday, May 19, and that he signed the wedding certificate, a legal document. He also stated that he had private and pastoral meetings with the couple before the wedding.
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a highly anticipated event, with live coverage broadcast worldwide. The ceremony was noted for its inclusion of African-American culture and its departure from traditional royal weddings.
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The Dean of Windsor conducted the service
The Dean of Windsor, Rt Revd David Conner, conducted the service for the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The wedding took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Dean of Windsor is the spiritual head of the canons of St George's Chapel.
The Rt Revd David Conner, 71, gave the address at St George's Chapel. He has been the Dean of Windsor since 1998 and is also one of the domestic chaplains to the Queen. The role of the Dean of Windsor is a unique one, as they are responsible only to the sovereign. The chapel is often at the heart of royal events and is a place of worship for the Queen and her family.
The wedding ceremony began at midday (UK time) and was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiating as the couple made their vows. The Rt Rev Conner was the former Bishop to the Armed Forces. He studied at Oxford and was the vicar at Great St Mary's Church in Cambridge before becoming a suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Norwich.
The Dean of Windsor has a close relationship with the Queen and other members of the royal family. He also conducted the funeral ceremony of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, in 2021.
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The couple exchanged vows and rings
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the United Kingdom. The couple exchanged vows and rings in front of 600 guests, including close friends and family.
The Vows
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiated the wedding, and the Dean of Windsor, Bishop David Conner, conducted the service. The marriage vows were traditional and published in Common Worship. They included the promise "to love and to cherish" each other, and were sealed with the exchange of rings.
Prince Harry's vows were as follows:
> "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."
Meghan's vows were as follows:
> "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 Rings
The wedding bands were created by Cleave and Company, with Meghan's ring fashioned from Welsh gold and Harry's made of platinum. The couple exchanged rings and 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."
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The wedding was followed by a carriage procession through Windsor
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, UK. The ceremony began at 12 pm (midday) UK time.
The Carriage Procession Through Windsor
The carriage procession was part of a long-standing tradition for royal weddings, allowing the couple to celebrate with the public. Over 2,000 members of the public were invited to the castle grounds to watch the procession, in addition to the 600 guests who attended the ceremony. The procession lasted approximately 25 minutes, after which the couple returned to the castle for a reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at St George's Hall.
The carriage procession was a highly anticipated part of the wedding, with the public eager to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds. The choice of the Ascot Landau carriage and the inclusion of the Windsor Grey horses further emphasised the royal tradition and pageantry associated with the event. The procession provided a memorable moment for both the royal couple and the well-wishers who gathered to celebrate their special day.
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Frequently asked questions
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place at noon GMT or 7 a.m. ET on May 19, 2018.
The procession through Windsor started at 1 p.m. GMT or 8 a.m. ET.
Guests started arriving at 9:30 a.m. local time or 4:30 a.m. ET.
Members of the royal family started arriving at 11:20 a.m. GMT or 6:20 a.m. ET.
Prince Harry and Prince William arrived at 11:30 a.m. local time or 6:30 a.m. ET.