Royal Morning Wedding: Harry And Meghan's Unique Choice

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding took place on a Saturday morning, breaking with the tradition of royal weddings taking place on weekdays. The ceremony began at 12:00 midday BST on 19 May 2018 at St George's Chapel, Windsor. The couple's decision to marry in the morning was unusual, as historically British royals have chosen to hold their ceremonies during the week.

The wedding was held on a Saturday, breaking with royal tradition

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was held on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, United Kingdom. The choice of a Saturday was a break from royal tradition, as British royals have historically held their wedding ceremonies on weekdays. For example, Prince William and Kate Middleton were married on a Friday, while Prince Charles and Princess Diana wed on a Wednesday. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip also exchanged vows on a Thursday.

The Saturday wedding date was not the only break from tradition at the royal wedding. The ceremony also included elements of African-American culture, such as a gospel choir singing "Stand By Me" and a reading from The Song of Solomon. Meghan's wedding dress, designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller, featured a boat neckline and long sleeves, a departure from the more revealing styles often seen at royal weddings.

The wedding was a highly anticipated event, with an estimated 1.9 billion people tuning in to watch the ceremony, making it one of the biggest televised events in history. The day also included a carriage procession through Windsor and two receptions, one hosted by the Queen and the other by Prince Charles.

Meghan's father was not in attendance

Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle Sr., was notably absent from her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. The reason for his absence was a combination of health issues and controversy surrounding staged paparazzi photos.

In the lead-up to the wedding, Thomas Markle found himself at the centre of media attention. He was photographed by the British tabloids and was reported to have accepted money to stage paparazzi photos, which were published just days before the wedding. This created a fallout that ultimately led to his decision not to attend the event.

Thomas Markle claimed he had a heart attack and underwent heart surgery, which prevented him from travelling to the wedding. However, there were conflicting reports about his health, and it was later revealed that he had staged the photos, which showed him preparing for the wedding. Meghan Markle addressed this betrayal in an interview, expressing her disappointment and the difficulty of reconciling her father's actions.

The absence of Meghan's father meant that Prince Charles, Harry's father, accompanied Meghan halfway down the aisle. This was a significant moment, as it was a departure from tradition and a display of support for the bride.

The situation with Meghan's father also highlighted the intense media scrutiny and pressure surrounding the royal family. Meghan has since distanced herself from her father, and they no longer speak.

The bride's bouquet included a tribute to Princess Diana

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a highly anticipated event that took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, United Kingdom. The bride's bouquet was designed by florist Philippa Craddock and included a special tribute to Prince Harry's late mother, Princess Diana.

The bouquet, designed by Craddock, featured an assortment of flowers, including forget-me-nots, which were Princess Diana's favourite flower. In a statement, Kensington Palace shared that Prince Harry handpicked the forget-me-nots from their private garden at Kensington Palace to be included in the bouquet, honouring the memory of his late mother.

In addition to the forget-me-nots, the bouquet also included scented sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, and astrantia, tied together with a raw silk ribbon. The bouquet followed the royal tradition of including a sprig of myrtle, which symbolises love, marriage, and fertility, a tradition dating back to Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840.

Following the wedding, Meghan Markle continued another royal tradition by placing her bouquet on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey, a custom started by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, in honour of her brother, Fergus Bowes-Lyon, who died in World War I.

The thoughtful inclusion of Princess Diana's favourite flowers in the bridal bouquet was one of several tributes made during the wedding ceremony. Lady Jane Fellowes, Princess Diana's older sister, read from the Song of Solomon during the service. The hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer," which was played at Princess Diana's funeral, was also included in the wedding ceremony. These tributes honoured the memory of Princess Diana and ensured her presence was felt during this special day.

The ceremony included a nod to African-American culture

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 included a nod to African-American culture, marking a departure from the traditions typically associated with the royal family.

The wedding service melded African-American and Windsor traditions. Karen Gibson and the Kingdom Choir sang "Stand By Me" in a gospel version, and as the couple left the church, they sang "Amen, This Little Light of Mine." The choir was asked to perform by Prince Charles. The State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry included Kate Sandford, the first female state trumpeter at a British royal wedding.

The ceremony also featured a 14-minute sermon by Michael Curry, the first black presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. Curry's address, which quoted Martin Luther King Jr., emphasised the redemptive property of love.

In addition, the music played a significant role in incorporating African-American culture. Meghan and Harry worked closely with the Prince of Wales to choose the wedding music, specifically classical music. They knew they wanted a gospel choir, and a gospel rendition of "Stand By Me" was chosen as it held a lot of meaning for the couple. The song "Amen/This Little Light of Mine" was also important to them as they left the church, adding a sense of their personality while still maintaining formality and tradition.

The couple's wedding bands did not match

The wedding bands of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not match. While Meghan's ring was fashioned from a piece of Welsh gold gifted to her by Queen Elizabeth, Harry's band was made of platinum with a textured finish. The royal family has used Welsh gold for their wedding rings since the Queen Mother's wedding in 1923. The Queen gifted William with the gold for Kate's ring, and an expert craftsman was tasked with fashioning the nugget into a piece for her. Harry's band broke with this tradition.

Harry's wedding band was crafted by Cleave & Company, the same company that made Meghan's engagement ring. The company was "honored" to have been chosen to design the ring, according to its managing director, Peter Scott.

Harry's decision to wear a wedding band at all was also a break with tradition. His brother, Prince William, opted out of having a wedding ring when he married Kate Middleton in 2011. William still doesn't wear a wedding band to this day. Harry, however, has been known to wear jewellery. He and Meghan have matching beaded bracelets that they wore early on in their relationship.

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