Harry And Meghan's Wedding: Date And Details

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the United Kingdom. The groom is a member of the British royal family, and the bride is American. The wedding was a break from tradition in several ways, including the bride's background, the wedding day, the cake, and the grandeur of the event. The ceremony was televised and live-streamed around the world, attracting an estimated 1.9 billion viewers.

The wedding date and venue

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the United Kingdom. The ceremony began at 12 pm BST (7 am ET), followed by a carriage procession through Windsor at 1 pm BST (8 am ET).

The choice of venue was significant for the couple, with a palace spokesperson describing Windsor Castle as "a very special place" for the bride and groom. The chapel is at least 500 years old and has served as the site of numerous royal weddings, including those of Queen Victoria's children. It is also the final resting place of several monarchs, including King George VI, the Queen Mother Elizabeth, and King Edward VII.

The wedding date was unusual, as it fell on a Saturday. Historically, British royal weddings have been held on weekdays. The choice of a weekend date meant that crowds were still able to gather and celebrate, even though the day was not declared a bank holiday.

The ceremony

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held on Saturday 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the United Kingdom. The ceremony began at 12 pm BST and was conducted according to the Christian liturgy for Holy Matrimony as set out in Common Worship of the Church of England.

The wedding was a traditional ceremony with a few notable touches. The groom, Prince Harry, wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals, serving as a tribute to his ten years of service in the British Army, which included combat in Afghanistan. The bride, Meghan Markle, wore a stunning wedding dress designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made of "double-bonded silk cady cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza" and had a boat neckline, long sleeves, and a sweeping train. Markle's hair was rolled up with a "face-framing fringe tucked behind her ears", and her makeup was described as "a soft brown eyeshadow" with a minimal look on the face.

As the bride walked down the aisle, she was accompanied by her mother, Doria Ragland, and followed by her bridesmaids and page boys. Prince Harry's father, Prince Charles, met Markle halfway down the aisle and escorted her to the altar, where Prince Harry was waiting. The ceremony was officiated by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who also baptised Markle into the Church of England earlier that year. The wedding service included a scripture reading from The Song of Solomon by Prince Harry's maternal aunt, Baroness Fellowes, and a rousing sermon by The Most Reverend Michael Bruce Curry.

During the ceremony, the couple exchanged vows and rings made by Cleave and Company. Markle's ring was crafted from Welsh gold, while Prince Harry's ring was a platinum band. The couple's wedding bands complemented the custom engagement ring that Prince Harry designed for Markle, featuring a central diamond from Botswana and two smaller diamonds from his mother, Princess Diana's collection.

The wedding ceremony was filled with music and songs, including "Lord of All Hopefulness" and "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer". The orchestra was conducted by Christopher Warren-Green and included musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Orchestra. The Choir of St George's Chapel was joined by the Kingdom Choir, a gospel group that sang "Stand By Me" during the ceremony.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, rode in a carriage procession through Windsor. The couple shared their first kiss as a married couple on the steps outside St George's Chapel before proceeding through the town.

The reception

The couple also held a more intimate evening reception at Frogmore House, hosted by the Prince of Wales. Around 200 guests attended, including close friends and family. The event was DJ'd by Idris Elba, and the Duke of Cambridge gave a best man's speech. The Duchess of Sussex also broke with tradition by giving a speech.

The dress and accessories

Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller under the Givenchy label. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady cushioned by an underskirt in triple silk organza and featured a boat neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sweeping train. The dress was simple and elegant, without any lace or embellishments, and was inspired by Meghan's affinity for Audrey Hepburn and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's iconic wedding looks.

The veil was a key accessory, measuring 16 feet long and embroidered with a variety of flowers, including the California poppy to represent Meghan's home state and wintersweet, which grows at Kensington Palace. The veil also featured crops of wheat, symbolizing love and charity, and took longer to create than the dress itself. It was held in place by the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau Tiara, on loan from Queen Elizabeth II, which served as Meghan's "something borrowed."

For her "something blue," Meghan had a piece of fabric from the dress she wore on her first date with Prince Harry stitched into her veil. Her "something old" was a piece of fabric from Princess Diana's wedding dress, sewn into her own gown.

Meghan's wedding day jewellery included a pair of white gold and diamond Cartier earrings and a matching bracelet. Her hair was styled in an elegant updo with face-framing fringe, and her makeup was natural and minimal, with a soft brown eyeshadow look.

For the evening reception, Meghan changed into a custom halter-neck gown by Stella McCartney, featuring an open back and a small train. She accessorised with a pair of 18-karat white gold Cartier drop earrings and a giant aquamarine cocktail ring that once belonged to Princess Diana.

The guest list

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair, with around 600 guests in attendance at St. George's Chapel, and over 2,000 others awaiting the couple on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The event was a private affair, not a state occasion, meaning that the guest list could be packed with close friends and family, rather than political leaders.

The Royal Family

The royal family was, of course, well-represented at the wedding. Prince Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, attended with her husband, Prince Philip, and his father, Prince Charles, with his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Prince Harry's brother, Prince William, served as his best man, and his sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, was also in attendance. Prince Harry's nephew and niece, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were page boy and bridesmaid, respectively. Other members of the royal family in attendance included Prince Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew, his cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and his aunt, Lady Jane Fellowes, who gave a reading during the service.

Celebrities

• George and Amal Clooney
• Oprah Winfrey
• Idris Elba and his fiancée, Sabrina Dhowre
• James Corden and his wife, Julia Carey
• James Blunt and his wife, Sofia Wellesley
• Priyanka Chopra
• Abigail Spencer
• Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian
• David and Victoria Beckham
• Elton John and his husband, David Furnish
• Tom Hardy and his wife, Charlotte Riley
• Carey Mulligan and her husband, Marcus Mumford
• Patrick J. Adams
• Gina Torres
• Sarah Rafferty
• Gabriel Macht
• Nacho Figueras and his wife, Delfina Blaquier
• Chelsy Davy
• Cressida Bonas
• Joss Stone
• Cara Delevingne
• Ellie Goulding

Other Notable Guests

Other notable guests at the wedding included members of Meghan Markle's family, including her mother, Doria Ragland, and her father, Thomas Markle, Sr. Markle's close friend, Canadian stylist Jessica Mulroney, and her husband, Benedict, were also in attendance, along with their three children, who served as bridesmaids and page boys. Markle's two goddaughters, Remi and Rylan Litt, were also bridesmaids, and their mother, US businesswoman Benita Litt, was reportedly one of Markle's closest friends. Another close friend of Markle's, Lindsay Roth, was also in attendance, as was Indian actress and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra. Markle's potential matchmaker, fashion designer Misha Nonoo, and consultant for the Soho House Group, Markus Anderson, were also guests. Prince Harry's friends, James Meade, Thomas van Straubenzee, Tom Inskip, and Guy Pelly, were also in attendance, as were his comrades from his military days, including singer James Blunt.

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