Harry's Wedding Menu: What To Serve?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding menu was a well-guarded secret until the big day on 19 May 2018. The couple served a variety of canapes, bowl food, sweet treats, and drinks to their 600 guests at the luncheon hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle. The menu included Scottish Langoustines wrapped in Smoked Salmon with Citrus Crème Fraiche, Garden Pea Panna Cotta with Quail Eggs and Lemon Verbena, and a selection of classic British produce such as asparagus, peas, and tomatoes sourced from the Queen's estates. The wedding cake, a lemon elderflower cake by Claire Ptak, was also served, along with champagne and other drinks.

Canapés: Scottish Langoustines, English Asparagus, Garden Pea Panna Cotta, Heritage Tomato and Basil Tartare, Poached Chicken, Lamb Croquette, and Warm Asparagus Spears

The canapés served at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding were a delightful mix of fresh, seasonal produce, sourced largely from the Queen's estates. The menu included a range of options to cater to different tastes and dietary preferences.

One of the canapés was Scottish Langoustines wrapped in Smoked Salmon with Citrus Crème Fraiche. This dish combined the delicate flavour of langoustines, caught off the coast of Scotland, with the smoky taste of salmon and a tangy crème fraiche.

Another option was Grilled English Asparagus wrapped in Cumbrian Ham. This choice highlighted the freshness of English asparagus, grilled to perfection and paired with the savoury taste of Cumbrian ham.

For guests who preferred a vegetarian option, there was the Garden Pea Panna Cotta with Quail Eggs and Lemon Verbena. This dish was a creative take on a traditional panna cotta, using garden peas for a unique flavour and paired with the delicate taste of quail eggs and a hint of lemon verbena.

The Heritage Tomato and Basil Tartare with Balsamic Pearls offered a classic combination of flavours with a modern twist, as the balsamic pearls added a burst of flavour and texture to the dish.

The Poached Chicken option was bound in a Lightly Spiced Yoghurt with Roasted Apricot, offering a healthy and flavourful choice with the sweetness of apricot.

For meat lovers, there was the Lamb Croquette, which was a Croquette of Confit Windsor Lamb, Roasted Vegetables and Shallot Jam. This dish showcased the best of British lamb, combined with a selection of roasted vegetables and a tangy shallot jam.

Finally, the Warm Asparagus Spears with Mozzarella and Sun-Blush Tomatoes provided another vegetarian option, with the simplicity of grilled asparagus enhanced by the creamy mozzarella and the sweetness of sun-blush tomatoes.

These canapés offered a sophisticated and varied selection, allowing guests to sample a range of flavours and enjoy the finest produce that the UK has to offer.

Bowl food: Fricassee of Chicken, Pea and Mint Risotto, and Ten-Hour Slow-Roasted Pork Belly

For their wedding, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose to forgo the traditional sit-down meal and instead opted for "mini main courses" served in bowls. This allowed them to greet their 600 guests and mingle with the crowd.

One of the bowl food options served at the wedding was Fricassee of Free-Range Chicken with Morel Mushrooms and Young Leeks. This dish consists of chicken that has been slowly cooked in a rich and creamy sauce, with morel mushrooms and young leeks adding depth of flavour and texture.

Another bowl food choice was the Pea and Mint Risotto with Pea Shoots, Truffle Oil, and Parmesan Crisps. This risotto is a bright and springy dish, highlighting the delicate flavour of peas with the freshness of mint. The addition of truffle oil and Parmesan crisps elevates this risotto, making it a tasty and indulgent option.

The third bowl food option was the Ten-Hour Slow-Roasted Windsor Pork Belly with Apple Compote and Crackling. This dish is a labour of love, with the pork belly slow-roasted to perfection, resulting in tender and juicy meat. The apple compote provides a sweet and tangy contrast to the savoury pork, while the crackling adds a satisfying crunch.

These bowl food options offered a variety of delicious and indulgent choices for the wedding guests, allowing them to enjoy a unique and memorable dining experience while celebrating the royal couple's special day.

Sweet canapés: Champagne and Pistachio Macaroons, Orange Crème Brûlée Tartlets, and Miniature Rhubarb Crumble Tartlets

For a royal touch to your wedding, why not take inspiration from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding menu? The happy couple served sweet canapés to their guests, including Champagne and Pistachio Macaroons, Orange Crème Brûlée Tartlets, and Miniature Rhubarb Crumble Tartlets.

Champagne and Pistachio Macaroons

These elegant macarons are a delightful treat for any celebration. The shells are decorated with a mixture of champagne and rose dust luster, giving them a festive touch. The filling is a scrumptious Champagne White Chocolate Ganache, made by reducing champagne and pouring it over chopped white chocolate. The result is a delicious, creamy ganache with a concentrated champagne flavour.

Orange Crème Brûlée Tartlets

These decadent tartlets combine a smooth and creamy classic French dessert with crisp golden pastry. The key to the crème brûlée topping is to make a hard caramel first, crush it, and scatter it over the top. This ensures an even caramel colour. The caramelised sugar adds a wonderful crunch to the creamy custard and crisp pastry.

Miniature Rhubarb Crumble Tartlets

These miniature treats are a delightful way to showcase the season's first rhubarb. The rhubarb is cooked gently with vanilla, lemon, and ginger to create a beautifully flavoured base for the crumble. The crumble mixture can be made healthier by using wholewheat flour and adding nuts and seeds. These tartlets are best served warm with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Wedding cake: Lemon elderflower cake

The wedding cake served at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was a lemon and elderflower cake. The cake was created by London-based baker Claire Ptak, who owns Violet Cakes in East London. Ptak was given complete creative freedom by the couple, with Meghan stating that she chose Ptak because she loved her "baking, work, point of view, and ethos".

Ptak created six different options for the couple to try during their tasting, and they ultimately chose lemon and elderflower, which was Ptak's first choice as well. The cake was made with 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 eggs, 10 bottles of elderflower cordial from the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, 44 pounds of butter, 44 pounds of flour, and 44 pounds of sugar. It was a lemon sponge cake, with layers drizzled in elderflower cordial, resulting in a sweet, tart, and ethereal flavour.

The cake was decorated with elderflower Swiss meringue buttercream and 150 fresh flowers, including three different types of peonies and roses. The display consisted of two single-tiered cakes and one two-tier cake, with each cake displayed on a gold ornate stand from the royal family's collection. The cake took six bakers five days to prepare in the kitchen at Buckingham Palace.

Drinks: Pol Roger Brut Réserve Champagne, an apple elderflower mocktail, gin and tonics, and English sparkling wines

The drinks served at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding were varied and plentiful. The happy couple and their guests enjoyed Pol Roger Brut Réserve Champagne, an apple elderflower mocktail, gin and tonics, and English sparkling wines.

Pol Roger is a storied French wine house that boasts a long history with Britain and was the official Champagne at William and Kate's wedding. Winston Churchill drank it from 1908 until his death in 1965, and when he died, Odette Pol-Roger had the labels of all bottles destined for the U.K. trimmed in black. A special Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill was released to honour the Prime Minister.

The apple elderflower mocktail paired with the lemon elderflower cake by Claire Ptak of Violet Cakes. The cake was a roughly iced buttercream confection, with tiers deconstructed and decorated with fresh flowers.

Gin and tonics were also served, a quintessential English drink and the perfect summer beverage.

Finally, a selection of English sparkling wines were served, including wines from Chapel Down, Nyetimber, Camel Valley, Harrow & Hope, and Gusborne.

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