Royal Wedding: What Went Wrong?

On May 19, 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The wedding was watched by 1.9 billion people, making it the third most-watched event in the world. While the ceremony appeared to be a fairytale, there were a few hiccups behind the scenes.

Meghan's half-sister, Samantha Markle, appeared to enjoy the spotlight ahead of the wedding, giving interviews to any news outlet that expressed interest. Meghan and Harry's wedding program also included the name of Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, who ultimately ditched the ceremony at the last minute, leaving Meghan to walk down the aisle with King Charles III. The media frenzy surrounding Thomas' absence continued on Meghan and Harry's wedding day.

Other mishaps included a bad camera shot that made it look like Meghan forgot to curtsy to the Queen, and one of the horses going rogue during the wedding procession.

Meghan's half-sister Samantha Markle cashed in on the wedding

Meghan Markle's half-sister, Samantha Markle, was accused of "cashing in" on her sibling's newfound fame following the royal wedding. Samantha, who is 17 years Meghan's senior, has been the most vocal member of the Markle family, frequently speaking to the press about her half-sister. In the lead-up to the wedding, Samantha was a regular fixture in the media, sharing details about Meghan and profiting from her newfound fame. This caused tension within the family, as Meghan and Samantha already had a strained relationship.

Samantha defended her actions, arguing that she had worked in media and broadcasting for most of her life and would not stop doing her job because her sister had married into the royal family. She also claimed that everyone in the media would accept a paycheck for talking about the royals and that her family was not subject to royal protocol. Samantha's comments and actions caused concern within Kensington Palace, who were already dealing with issues surrounding Meghan's father, Thomas Markle.

On the day of the wedding, Samantha allowed a camera crew inside her house to film her watching the ceremony. Her partner, Mark Phillips, confirmed that she was "making big money" from an exclusive TV interview, estimated to be around $25,000. Samantha's actions caused further speculation and criticism, with Daily Mail columnist Piers Morgan referring to her as a "little vulture."

Despite the controversy, Meghan did not publicly comment on her sister's actions. It is unclear if their relationship has been affected, as the two women have had minimal contact over the years. Samantha was not invited to the royal wedding and has not seen Meghan since 2008.

Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, ditched the wedding at the last minute

The absence of Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, at her wedding to Prince Harry was perhaps the biggest source of drama leading up to the ceremony. Markle Sr. was initially supposed to walk his daughter down the aisle, but he withdrew from the ceremony at the last minute, citing health reasons.

The drama began when it was revealed that Thomas Markle had staged paparazzi photos of himself in an attempt to improve his image ahead of the wedding. Following the scandal, he initially announced that he would not be attending the wedding to avoid embarrassing the royal family. However, he changed his mind the next day, stating that he wanted to walk his daughter down the aisle. Ultimately, he revealed that he had to undergo heart surgery and would not be able to recover in time for the wedding.

The back-and-forth drama left Meghan and Harry devastated and reduced them to tears, according to reports. In the end, Prince Charles stepped in to walk Meghan down the aisle, and the wedding went ahead as planned.

Thomas Markle watched the wedding from a £23-a-night Airbnb in Mexico, where he had gone to recover from his heart surgery. He later expressed regret at not being able to attend the wedding and said he was honoured that Prince Charles had taken his place.

Meghan's bouquet plans fell flat

Despite this setback, Meghan's bouquet still looked stunning to the public. It included Sweet Williams, Forget-Me-Nots, Lily of the Valley, Astilbe, and Myrtle. The bouquet also held symbolic meaning for Harry, as the flowers were a connection to his mother, Princess Diana, who passed away 20 years prior. Forget-Me-Nots were known to be Princess Diana's favourite, and Harry hand-picked them from her private garden.

A bad camera shot made it look like Meghan forgot to curtsy to the Queen

The moment was a "blink-and-you-miss-it moment", as the camera operator chose to pan to a wide shot at the exact moment Meghan curtsied to the Queen. This meant that many viewers missed the move.

Speculation was rife on social media, with many wondering if Meghan had forgotten to curtsy, or if it was because she is not British. However, Meghan did indeed curtsy to the Queen, despite what many believed.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walked up the aisle together after they were married, but some initially believed they did not stick to royal protocol by forgoing bowing and curtsying to the Queen when they passed by where she was seated with other members of the family.

Meghan, however, was well aware of royal protocol and had nailed the curtsy before, making headlines with her curtsy at the Christmas Day church service in 2017.

The Bishop's sermon went on twice as long as it should have

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a grand affair, with 1.9 billion people tuning in to watch the ceremony. However, the event was not without its hiccups, and one of the most notable was the length of the Bishop's sermon.

American Bishop Michael Curry delivered a passionate and emotive sermon on the power of love, quoting Martin Luther King Jr. and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. While the content of his message was well-received, the length of his sermon was not. Bishop Curry himself admitted that he went over the allotted time, aiming for 6-7 minutes but ending up speaking for 14 minutes. This was twice as long as it should have been, and it is likely that this is what led to some of the reactions from the gathered guests, who appeared to be a mix of red-faced, scornful, and even asleep!

In his defence, Bishop Curry explained that there were moments of pause and non-verbal interactions that took up time, and that he had not anticipated these. He also stated that he felt the need to preach with his usual style, despite the prestigious setting and the Queen's attendance.

The Bishop's sermon was certainly memorable, and it is safe to say that it stood out as one of the more unique aspects of the royal wedding.

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