Junior Rasmussen
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with the ceremony commencing at 12:00 midday BST. The wedding was a historical event, drawing in nearly 2 billion viewers worldwide and breaking from several royal traditions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, 19 May 2018 |
| Time | 12:00 Midday BST |
| Location | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK |
| Bride | Meghan Markle, American actress |
| Groom | Prince Harry, British royal family |
| Guests | 600 |
| Global Audience | Nearly 2 billion viewers |
| Officiated by | Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby |
| Dress | White boat-neck dress by British designer Clare Waight Keller |
| Suits actor | Meghan Markle |
| Honeymoon destination | Undisclosed, speculated to be East Africa |
| Wedding Cake | Lemon and elderflower cake by London-based designer Claire Ptak |
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The date and location
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018. The ceremony commenced at 12:00 midday BST. The wedding was held in St George's Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle, just outside London.
The chapel has been the site of numerous royal weddings, including those of Queen Victoria's children, and is the final resting place of several monarchs, including King George VI, the Queen Mother Elizabeth, and King Edward IV. The venue was chosen by the couple, who were reportedly "delighted that the beautiful grounds of Windsor Castle" would be where they began "their lives together as a married couple".
The date was chosen based on the availability of family members and other royals, whose calendars are often booked about a year in advance. The couple's wedding date was also influenced by the pecking order of the royal family, as they had to accommodate the schedules of higher-ranking royals, such as Princess Eugenie, who had to postpone her wedding.
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The ceremony
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at 12 pm BST. The ceremony was held at St George's Chapel, within the grounds of Windsor Castle.
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, upon her marriage, became a princess of the United Kingdom and gained the style Her Royal Highness and the titles Duchess of Sussex, Countess of Dumbarton, and Baroness Kilkeel.
The wedding ceremony was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, according to the Christian liturgy for Holy Matrimony as set out in Common Worship of the Church of England. The traditional ceremony notably included elements of African-American culture. Markle broke with tradition by walking into the chapel by herself and was met halfway down the aisle by Prince Charles.
Approximately 250 members of the British Armed Forces were involved in the wedding, with most units having a connection with Prince Harry. Members of the Household Cavalry formed a staircase party at the chapel and also rode as escorts. The public started arriving at the grounds of Windsor Castle as early as 8 am, with the main congregation and guests arriving at the chapel at 9:30 am. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were the last members of the Royal Family to depart for the ceremony, arriving at 11:52 am, followed by Markle with a party of junior attendants.
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The reception
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The reception was held later that evening at Frogmore House, a 17th-century English country house on the castle grounds. The venue has a long history with the British royals, having been used for joyful occasions for nearly 300 years. It was purchased by King George III in 1792 as a country retreat for Queen Charlotte.
The lunchtime reception was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II for 600 guests at St. George's Hall in Windsor Castle. The wedding cake, along with a selection of canapés and "bowl food", was served. The cake was a light sponge cake with a filling of Amalfi lemon curd, elderflower syrup and elderflower buttercream. It was made by Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Bakery in London.
The second, more exclusive reception was hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House for just Harry and Meghan's close family and friends. More than 200 guests were expected to be in attendance. The evening reception featured special musical guests, including Idris Elba, who served as the couple's DJ, and Elton John, who performed at the daytime luncheon.
The newlyweds arrived at the evening reception in a vintage blue Jaguar E-type convertible, adorned with a special license plate bearing the date of their nuptials. For the evening affair, Meghan changed into a custom halter gown with an open back by Stella McCartney. Prince Harry also changed out of his formal military attire and into a black tuxedo.
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The guests
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair with 600 guests in attendance at St. George's Chapel, and nearly 2 billion people worldwide watching the televised event. The guest list included friends, family, and relations of the couple, as well as 2,000 members of the public who were invited to the grounds of the Windsor wedding.
Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, was seated opposite Queen Elizabeth II during the ceremony. Markle's friends, Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra, and Abigail Spencer, were also present, as were her Suits co-stars Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams (with his wife, Troian Bellisario). Other notable guests included George and Amal Clooney, Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford, Victoria and David Beckham, Oprah Winfrey, and Sir Elton John.
In addition to the celebrities and public figures in attendance, the couple also invited members of the public to share in their special day. This included 500 members of the Royal Household, 1,200 inspiring citizens and young people chosen by Lord Lieutenants across the country, 200 guests from charity organizations close to the couple's hearts, and 100 local schoolchildren.
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The media coverage
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a highly publicised event, with media coverage spanning across the globe. The ceremony took place on Saturday, the 19th of May, 2018, at St. George's Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle. The choice of venue was a break from the tradition of royal weddings, which are usually held at Westminster Abbey.
The wedding was broadcast live on television, attracting a worldwide audience of nearly 2 billion viewers, making it one of the biggest televised events in history. In the UK alone, the peak viewing figures were reported to be 27.7 million, with an average audience of 11.5 million. The event was covered by multiple news channels, including BBC One, ITV, Sky News, CNN, and E! The BBC's chief news anchor, Huw Edwards, hosted the coverage for BBC TV, alongside Desert Island Discs host Kirsty Young and BBC Radio 2 DJ Dermot O'Leary.
The wedding was also streamed live online on YouTube through the British Monarchy's official channel, "The Royal Channel". This allowed viewers from all around the world to tune in and be a part of the celebration. The event was not just limited to television and online streaming; it was also aired on radio, with coverage provided by BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 5 Live.
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Frequently asked questions
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018.
The ceremony was held at St George's Chapel within the grounds of Windsor Castle.
The wedding service began at 12 p.m. BST.
