Royal Wedding: Harry And Meghan's Big Day

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 ceremony began at 12 pm BST and was followed by a carriage procession through Windsor at 1 pm BST. The wedding was televised and live-streamed around the world.

The wedding was a historic occasion for several reasons. Meghan Markle became the first American to be officially engaged to a British royal. She is also a woman of colour, divorced, a well-known actor, and was raised Catholic. The wedding fell on a weekend, which broke from royal tradition, as did the choice of cake, which was a lemon elderflower-flavoured concoction rather than the traditional multi-tiered fruitcake. The wedding also did not have the same grandeur as other royal weddings, with a more low-key ceremony and no balcony kiss, as it took place in Windsor rather than London.

The wedding ceremony

As Markle entered the chapel, a fanfare was played, and she was greeted by the Dean of Windsor. She then moved in procession through the Nave, where she was joined by Prince Charles, who walked her down the aisle, in place of her father, Thomas Markle, who was absent due to ill health. The bridegroom, Prince Harry, and his best man, Prince William, awaited at the altar.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiated the wedding ceremony, which followed the standard Anglican church service for Holy Matrimony. The couple exchanged vows and rings, with Prince William, as the best man, stepping forward to deliver the rings. Prince Harry chose to wear a wedding ring—a break from tradition for royal men. Markle's ring was made of Welsh gold, while Harry's was a platinum band.

The ceremony included a reading from the Song of Solomon by Princess Diana's sister, Lady Jane Fellowes, and an address by the Most Reverend Michael Curry, the first African-American presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church. The ceremony also featured several musical performances, including a gospel choir singing Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" and Etta James' "Amen/This Little Light of Mine."

The wedding procession

The wedding ceremony was conducted according to the Christian liturgy for Holy Matrimony as set out in Common Worship of the Church of England, the mother Church of the Anglican Communion. The Dean of Windsor, David Conner, conducted the service with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, performing the marriage ceremony. The sermon was delivered by Michael Curry, the presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church.

Hymns sung at the wedding included "Lord of All Hopefulness" and "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer", a favourite of Prince Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, and the opening hymn at his brother's wedding in 2011. Music was provided by two choirs, an orchestra, the chapel organ, and fanfare trumpeters. The orchestra was made up of musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Following the ceremony, there was a carriage procession through Windsor. The route went along High Street through town before returning via the Long Walk. The royal family gathered on the steps of St. George's Chapel to wave Harry and Meghan off on their procession, where they shared their first kiss as a married couple.

The wedding reception

The Lunchtime Reception

Around 600 guests were invited to the lunchtime reception, which was also attended by the newly married couple. Prince Harry gave an emotional speech, during which he professed his love and admiration for his new wife, Meghan. He reportedly told her, "We make a great team. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." Prince Charles also gave a gracious and humorous speech, in which he spoke about Prince Harry as a child and cracked a joke about changing his diapers. Guests were treated to a performance by Sir Elton John, who played "Circle of Life", "Tiny Dancer", and "Your Song".

The Evening Reception

Around 200 close friends and family were invited to the evening reception at Frogmore House. The private reception was much more of a party, with a carnival and festival theme. There was a steel band, and the couple's first dance was to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". Prince William gave a "naughty" best man's speech, and Meghan also gave a speech, thanking the royal family for welcoming her. James Corden hosted and entertained, and there was a surprise performance by Harry Styles. Guests were given slippers to soothe their tired feet, and there were fireworks at 11 pm. The menu included an organic sit-down dinner, and a specialty cocktail called "When Harry Met Meghan", made with ginger and rum.

The wedding outfits

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held on Saturday, 19 May 2018, in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The bride wore two different outfits on the day, one for the ceremony and one for the reception.

The Ceremony Outfit

The wedding dress was designed by British designer 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 had a bateau or boat neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sweeping train. The dress was without lace or any other embellishments, a departure from previous royal wedding dresses. The silk veil was 16 feet (4.9 m) long and was embroidered with 55 flowers, representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as Wintersweet, which grows in front of Nottingham Cottage, where the couple lived, and the California Poppy, the state flower of California, Markle's home state. The veil was secured by a diamond bandeau tiara, made in 1932 for Queen Mary and lent to Markle by Queen Elizabeth II. The centre brooch had been a wedding gift to Queen Mary from the County of Lincoln in 1893. The tiara is a platinum band made up of eleven sections and a detachable centre brooch with interlaced opals and diamonds. The shoes were also from Givenchy and had a pointed couture design.

Other ensembles worn by the bride included white gold and diamond earrings and a bracelet made by Cartier. Markle's hair was styled by Serge Normant and her makeup was done by Dior make-up artist Daniel Martin. The look was described as "a soft brown eyeshadow" with minimal makeup on the face. Her nails were painted in a "neutral pink-y beige" for the ceremony.

The Reception Outfit

For the evening reception, the Duchess of Sussex wore a custom halter-neck, open-back dress by Stella McCartney and an emerald-cut aquamarine ring that formerly belonged to Princess Diana. Her hairstylist for the private party was George Northwood.

The Groom's Outfit

Prince Harry and the Duke of Cambridge wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) in which both were commissioned, and Prince Harry served for 10 years, including in combat in Afghanistan. The uniforms were made by Dege & Skinner, gentleman's tailors and uniform makers of Savile Row, London. The groom asked for and received the Queen's permission to keep his beard, as beards were then only permitted under exceptional circumstances in the British Army. Prince Harry wore the rank of major with the star of the Royal Victorian Order, of which he is a Knight Commander, along with various medals.

The wedding rings

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a break from tradition in many ways, and the wedding rings were no exception.

Prince Harry chose to wear a wedding ring—itself a departure from tradition—made of platinum with a textured finish. This was crafted by London's Cleave & Company, the court jewellers responsible for Meghan's engagement ring. Harry's decision to wear a wedding band was another way in which the couple's wedding differed from that of his older brother, Prince William, who opted against wearing one.

Meghan's ring was made from a piece of Welsh gold, gifted to her by Queen Elizabeth. This continued a tradition that has been followed by the royal family since the wedding of the Queen Mother in 1923. The gold for Meghan's ring was also crafted into a band by Cleave & Company.

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