Lyla Dejesus
On 19 May 2018, Meghan Markle, an American actress, married Prince Harry of Britain in St. George's Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle. The wedding ceremony commenced at 12:00 midday BST and was attended by 600 guests, with nearly 2 billion people worldwide watching the televised event. The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was not only a beautiful and star-studded affair but also made history in several ways.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 19 May 2018 |
| Bride | Meghan Markle |
| Groom | Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex |
| Location | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, United Kingdom |
| Guests | 600 |
| Television viewers | Nearly 2 billion |
| Dress designer | Clare Waight Keller |
| Dress details | White boat-neck dress; 5-metre-long veil featuring flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth |
| Cake | American-style wedding cake |
| Flowers | Wintersweet and California Poppy |
| Officiant | Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury |
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What You'll Learn
Meghan's wedding dress
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made of double-bonded silk with a bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train made of triple silk organza. The dress was simple and elegant, without any lace or embellishments, and featured only six seams.
The veil was a key part of the ensemble, with a long 5-metre (16-foot) train that was hand-embroidered with a variety of flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy and wintersweet, which had personal significance to the bride. The veil took longer to create than the dress itself, with embroiderers spending 500 hours to complete it.
Leading up to the wedding, there was much speculation about who would design Markle's dress. Some commentators suggested that she would not wear a traditional white dress as she had been married previously. There was also speculation that she might take inspiration from her late mother-in-law Princess Diana's iconic voluminous gown or her sister-in-law Kate Middleton's satin and lace dress.
Ultimately, Markle chose Waight Keller because she admired the designer's "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour" and wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent. The dress was estimated to cost about $265,000, which the bride paid for herself. The process required 3,900 hours of design for the veil, eight fittings, and five months of collaboration between the bride and the design team.
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Wedding guest list
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 bride is American and worked as an actress, blogger, charity ambassador, and advocate before her marriage. The groom is a member of the British royal family.
The wedding ceremony commenced at 12:00 midday BST and was attended by around 600 guests. Notable guests included Oprah Winfrey, George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, and Sir Elton John. Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, who is descended from Africans forcibly taken to work as slaves in Georgia, also attended the wedding. Prince Harry's brother, Prince William, served as the best man. Markle chose not to have a maid of honour.
The wedding ceremony broke a few royal traditions. Firstly, the bride walked into St. George's Chapel by herself, which was a first for royal brides. She was met halfway down the aisle by Prince Charles, the future king of Britain. Secondly, the wedding was held on a Saturday, which broke the royal tradition of having weddings on weekdays. Additionally, the choice of cake—a lemon elderflower-flavoured concoction with buttercream frosting—broke royal tradition, as multi-tiered fruitcake has typically been the wedding cake choice for royal couples.
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Wedding date and time
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St. George's Chapel, within the grounds of Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The ceremony commenced at 12:00 midday BST.
The wedding date broke with royal tradition in two ways. Firstly, it was held on a Saturday, whereas royal weddings usually take place on a weekday. Secondly, the wedding occurred on the same date as the FA Cup Final, an event that Prince Harry's brother, William, typically attends in his role as President of the Football Association.
Nearly 2 billion people worldwide watched the televised event, which was also attended by 600 guests, including Oprah Winfrey, George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, and Sir Elton John.
Three days before the public wedding ceremony, Meghan and Harry privately exchanged vows in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in the couple's garden.
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Wedding venue
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding venue was St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The couple chose this venue over Westminster Abbey, where Prince William and Kate Middleton got married, as they wanted a more intimate wedding with a capacity of 800 people. The venue is particularly significant to Prince Harry as he was baptised there in 1984. The chapel has been the site of many royal weddings and ceremonies over the years, including Prince Edward and Countess Sophie's 1999 nuptials and Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla's 2005 prayer and dedication service.
The wedding reception, hosted by Prince Charles, was held at Frogmore House, a royal residence in Windsor, just half a mile from Windsor Castle. The venue choice continues a nearly 300-year tradition of British royals going to the estate and gardens for joyful occasions. The house was purchased by King George III in 1792 as a country retreat for Queen Charlotte. The couple also took their engagement photos at Frogmore House.
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Wedding traditions broken
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The wedding broke tradition in several ways:
Date and location
Royal weddings often take place on a weekday, allowing UK residents a bank holiday to celebrate. However, Meghan and Harry's wedding took place on a Saturday, with no accompanying day off. The choice of location was also a break from tradition, as many assumed the wedding would take place at Westminster Abbey. Instead, the couple chose St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, the same venue where Harry's father, Prince Charles, married Camilla in 2005.
Invitations
The wedding invitations referred to Meghan as "Ms Meghan Markle", acknowledging her previous marriage. This is a subtle but significant break from tradition, as royal wedding invitations typically use the title "Miss".
Guests
Meghan and Harry invited over 2,000 members of the public to their wedding, allowing them to watch the proceedings from the grounds of Windsor Castle. This is another departure from royal tradition, as royal weddings are typically exclusive events.
Display of affection
Throughout the ceremony, the couple held hands, even during times when it was not necessary. This is a breach of royal protocol, as royal couples are usually not allowed to show public displays of affection.
Wedding cake
If there's one thing you can expect at a royal wedding, it's fruit cake. But Meghan and Harry decided to buck tradition and go with a lemon elderflower cake by Violet Cakes owner, Claire Ptak.
Wedding dress
Meghan's choice of dress also broke with tradition. Her sheer-topped Ralph & Russo dress in the engagement photos veered from the royal family's unspoken modest dress code.
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Frequently asked questions
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry got married on Saturday, May 19, 2018.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry got married in St. George's Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle.
The ceremony commenced at 12:00 midday BST.
Meghan Markle wore a white boat-neck dress designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for the ceremony.
