Junior Rasmussen
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding party was held on Saturday 19 May 2018 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The ceremony began at 12 pm BST, followed by a carriage procession through Windsor at 1 pm BST. The wedding was attended by around 600 guests, including members of the British royal family, A-list celebrities, and close friends of the couple. The couple exchanged vows and rings, with Prince Harry wearing a military uniform and Meghan Markle wearing a Givenchy gown designed by Clare Waight Keller. The wedding party included 10 children, with Prince George and Princess Charlotte among the bridesmaids and page boys. The newlyweds shared their first married kiss on the steps of St. George's Chapel before departing for their lunchtime reception hosted by the Queen.
What You'll Learn
The wedding date and time
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The ceremony commenced at 12:00 midday BST (7:00 am ET), followed by a carriage procession through Windsor at 1:00 pm BST (8:00 am ET).
The wedding date was unusual as it fell on a Saturday. Historically, British royal weddings have been held on weekdays. For example, Prince William and Kate Middleton were married on a Friday, while Prince Charles and Princess Diana tied the knot on a Wednesday.
The wedding ceremony was televised and live-streamed around the world. The couple's first dance was to the song "Land of 1000 Dances" by Wilson Pickett.
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The wedding rings
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on 19 May 2018 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The wedding rings were crafted by court jewellers Cleave and Company, as announced by the palace just before the wedding.
Breaking from royal tradition, Prince Harry chose to wear a wedding ring—unlike his brother, William, and other male royals such as his grandfather, Prince Philip. Harry's ring is a platinum band with a textured finish. It features a slender band and a subtly brushed, textured finish.
Meghan's wedding ring is an elegant yellow gold band, crafted from Welsh gold. This continues a royal tradition that began with the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, on her wedding day in 1923. Welsh gold is the rarest and most expensive type of gold, as it hasn't been mined in over two decades. The gold used was gifted by Queen Elizabeth II and is an exclusive gift, as it comes from her personal collection of Welsh gold from the Clogau St. David Gold Mine in Dolgellau, Wales.
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The wedding venue
The beautiful grounds and rich history of Windsor Castle held a special appeal for the couple, as they wanted to share this meaningful setting with their loved ones. In the lead-up to the wedding, Kensington Palace Communications Secretary Jason Knauf shared this sentiment: "Prince Harry and Ms. Markle are delighted that the beautiful grounds of Windsor Castle will be where they begin their lives together as a married couple."
The chapel has a capacity of approximately 600 people, and it played host to a star-studded guest list, including A-list celebrities and members of multiple royal families. The wedding ceremony commenced at 12:00 midday BST, marking the start of a fairytale wedding that captivated the world.
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The wedding guests
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair, with a guest list including several A-list celebrities and members of multiple royal families. The guest list included relatives of the groom from the British royal family, including Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, and Prince William and Kate Middleton, along with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Other relatives of the groom who attended included Peter and Autumn Phillips, Zara and Michael Tindall, Princess Beatrice of York, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor.
Relatives of the bride who attended included her mother, Doria Ragland.
Members of reigning royal families who were present included Prince Seeiso and Princess Mabereng Seeiso of Lesotho, who co-founded the charity Sentebale with Prince Harry.
The guest list also included members of non-reigning royal families, such as the Hereditary Prince and Princess of Oettingen-Spielberg.
Other notable guests included Sir John Major and his wife, Dame Norma Major, Sir Nicholas Soames, Anba Angaelos, David Conner, Michael Curry, Rose Hudson-Wilkin, and Justin Welby.
Friends of the couple in attendance included Victoria Aitken, Markus Anderson, Alessandra Balazs, Carolyn Bartholomew, Cressida Bonas, Emilie van Cutsem, Major Nicholas van Cutsem, and Alice van Cutsem. Chelsy Davy, Rebecca Deacon, Heather Dorak, Mark Dyer, Misan Harriman, Patrick Harverson, Michael Hess, Genevieve Hillis, Tom Inskip, Daisy Jenks, Lindsay Jordan, Celine Khavarani, Brian Kocinski, Arthur Landon, Ed Lane Fox, The Hon. Dame Shân Legge-Bourke, Zara Gordon-Lennox, Angus Gordon-Lennox, Silver Tree, Benita Litt, Alexi Lubomirski, Isabel May, James Meade, Lucy Meadmore, Guy Pelly, Tiggy Pettifer, Frederick Pettifer, Julia Samuel, Dean and Alana Stott, Alexander and Claire van Straubenzee, Thomas van Straubenzee, The Lord Vestey, The Hon. William Vestey, Nicholas Walton Collins, Amanda Ward, Lady Carolyn Warren, Jake Warren, Zoe Warren, Jessie Webb, Violet Von Westenholz, The Duchess of Westminster, Lady Edwina and Daniel Snow, The Duke of Westminster, Lady Viola Grosvenor, Lady Edwina and Daniel Snow, The Duke of Westminster, Lady Viola Grosvenor, Patrick J. Adams, David and Victoria Beckham, James Blunt, Priyanka Chopra, George and Amal Clooney, James Corden, Idris Elba, Nacho Figueras, Janina Gavankar, Will Greenwood, Tom Hardy, James Haskell, Rick Hoffman, Elton John, Gabriel Macht, Jacinda Barrett, Carey Mulligan, Marcus Mumford, Jessica and Ben Mulroney, Misha Nonoo, Sarah Rafferty, Jill Smoller, Abigail Spencer, Joss Stone, Gina Torres, Jonny Wilkinson, Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian, and Oprah Winfrey.
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The wedding party
Prince Harry's brother, Prince William, served as his best man, breaking with royal tradition. Meghan's good friend, Toronto-based stylist Jessica Mulroney, was given a special seat during the ceremony and served as her unofficial maid of honour.
The guest list also included several A-list celebrities and notable figures. Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra, Abigail Spencer, Gabriel Macht, Patrick J. Adams, Troian Bellisario, David and Victoria Beckham, James Corden, Idris Elba, Elton John, George and Amal Clooney, Carey Mulligan, Marcus Mumford, and Oprah Winfrey were among the famous guests in attendance.
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Frequently asked questions
The wedding party was held on Saturday, May 19, 2018.
The wedding party was attended by approximately 600 guests, including A-list celebrities such as George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra, and Oprah Winfrey.
The wedding party included a luncheon reception hosted by the Queen, a private evening reception hosted by the Prince of Wales, and a carriage procession through Windsor.
