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, followed by a carriage procession through Windsor at 1 pm BST. The couple exchanged vows in front of 600 guests, including the Queen, more than 30 royals, and famous faces such as Oprah Winfrey, Serena Williams, George and Amal Clooney, and David and Victoria Beckham.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date | 19 May 2018 |
Time | 12 p.m. BST |
Location | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
Bride | Meghan Markle |
Groom | Prince Harry |
Bride's dress | Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy |
Groom's uniform | Blues and Royals frockcoat uniform |
Best man | Prince William |
Wedding rings | Cleave and Company |
Wedding cake | Lemon and elderflower cake by Claire Ptak |
What You'll Learn
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding ceremony
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the United Kingdom. The ceremony was a combination of British tradition, modernity, and the bride's African-American heritage.
The Ceremony
The wedding ceremony began at 12:00 midday BST. The bride, Meghan Markle, wore a white boat-neck dress designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for French fashion house Givenchy. Her hair was styled by Serge Normant, and her makeup was done by her friend and makeup artist Daniel Martin, who opted for a natural look. The groom, Prince Harry, wore the frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals, with permission from his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, to keep his beard. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, served as the best man.
The ceremony was attended by 600 guests, including Oprah Winfrey, George and Amal Clooney, David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John, Priyanka Chopra, Abigail Spencer, Patrick J Adams, Serena Williams, and Alexis Ohanian.
The service was conducted by the Rt Rev David Conner, Dean of Windsor, and the marriage ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The address was given by the Most Rev Bishop Michael Curry, who quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and referenced the African-American spiritual song "Down by the Riverside". Lady Jane Fellowes, the sister of Prince Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, gave a reading from the Song of Solomon. Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir performed Ben E King's "Stand By Me", and 19-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason played pieces by Faure, Schubert, and Maria Theresia von Paradis.
The Vows
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle exchanged vows and rings in front of the Queen and 600 guests. Markle did not promise to "obey" her husband, and Prince Harry broke with royal tradition by choosing to wear a wedding ring.
The Procession
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, kissed in front of cheering well-wishers on the steps of the chapel. They then travelled through Windsor in a horse-drawn carriage, waving to tens of thousands of well-wishers who had lined the streets.
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The wedding reception
The couple changed into a different outfit for the evening reception, hosted by the Prince of Wales at Frogmore House in Windsor. Prince Harry drove Meghan to the reception in a silver-blue Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero, which was originally manufactured in 1968 and has since been converted to electric power. Meghan wore a lily white, high-neck gown made of silk crepe by Stella McCartney, and Harry wore black tie. Around 200 guests attended the evening reception, including George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, Idris Elba, and Sir Elton John, who performed at the lunchtime reception.
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The wedding outfits
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding outfits were designed with a blend of British pageantry and modernity in mind. Prince Harry wore a military uniform on his wedding day. He chose the frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals, made by tailors at Dege & Skinner on Savile Row. The uniform included a single-breasted blue doeskin jacket with figured braiding of Regimental pattern on the stand-up collar and sleeves, blue and black wool barathea trousers, and a leather strap and buckle underneath the boot. Prince Harry also wore the rank of major with the star of the Royal Victorian Order, ribbons of the Royal Victorian Order, Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan, Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and Army Air Corps wings.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller under the aegis of the fashion house Givenchy. It 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. The silk veil was 16 feet long and was embroidered with 55 flowers, representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as Wintersweet and the California Poppy. Markle's hair was styled in an updo with "face-framing fringe tucked behind her ears," and her makeup was described as "a soft brown eyeshadow" with minimal makeup on the face. She wore white gold and diamond earrings and a bracelet made by Cartier. Markle's bouquet included Forget-Me-Nots, sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, and astrantia, chosen by Prince Harry.
For the evening reception, Markle wore a halter-neck, open-back dress by Stella McCartney and an aquamarine ring that previously belonged to Princess Diana. Her hair was styled in a relaxed updo, and she wore Aquazurra shoes with blue soles.
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The wedding rings
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 wedding rings were created by Cleave and Company, with Markle's ring fashioned out of Welsh gold and the Prince's ring made of platinum. Markle's ring was created from a piece of Welsh gold gifted by Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Harry's ring was a platinum band with a textured finish.
During the ceremony, the couple exchanged rings and said:
> I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Prince Harry's decision to wear a wedding ring broke with royal tradition, as many British royal men choose not to wear one. Prince Harry's father, Prince Charles, wears his wedding band on his pinky finger, while his brother, Prince William, does not wear a wedding ring at all.
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The wedding procession
The carriage procession took the newlyweds through a Windsor Castle gate, out into the surrounding grounds, and into the streets of Windsor. The route went along High Street through town before returning via the Long Walk. An estimated 100,000 people packed into the town to witness the event.
The procession was also joined by members of the royal family and Doria Ragland, Markle's mother, who waved the couple off from the top of the steps. The couple then returned to Windsor Castle, where they would not be seen again by the public until they left for an evening reception at Frogmore House.
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Frequently asked questions
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, United Kingdom.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married on Saturday, May 19, 2018.
Meghan Markle was accompanied by her mother, Doria Ragland, to the chapel. She was then joined by Prince Charles, who walked her down the aisle to meet Prince Harry.
Meghan Markle wore a stunning white gown with a boat neckline, designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.