Royal Wedding: Harry's Global Celebration

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding was a big deal for several reasons. Firstly, it was a union between a member of the British royal family and an American actress, which sparked interest from people all over the world. The wedding was also expected to boost the British economy by up to £500 million and bring in an additional £300 million in foreign tourism revenue.

Additionally, the couple's nuptials held special significance due to the inclusion of African-American culture in the ceremony, marking a departure from traditional royal weddings. The event was also seen as a happy ending for Prince Harry, who had struggled with his mother Princess Diana's death and had a reputation as the bad boy of Buckingham Palace.

The wedding took place at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with approximately 1.9 billion people tuning in to watch the pair exchange vows, making it one of the biggest televised events in history.

Meghan Markle's mixed-race heritage

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is the first person of mixed-race heritage to marry into the British royal family. Markle identifies as mixed-race, with a Caucasian father and an African-American mother. She has described herself as "half black and half white".

Markle's mixed-race heritage was the subject of much commentary in the press following the announcement of her engagement to Prince Harry. Some media outlets used coded language to refer to Markle's race, describing her as a "departure from Prince Harry's usual type", and "not in the society blonde style of previous girlfriends". Others were blatantly racist, with one publication referring to Markle's mother as a "dreadlocked African-American lady from the wrong side of the tracks".

Markle has embraced her identity as a "strong, confident mixed-race woman". However, she has also stated that she did not experience racism until she became engaged to Prince Harry. This claim has been met with skepticism by some, who find it hard to believe that Markle did not experience racism growing up as a visibly non-white person in the 20th century.

Markle's wedding to Prince Harry was seen as a significant moment for the British royal family, which has traditionally been an exclusively white institution. The wedding was described as a landmark for African Americans, for Black British, black and mixed-race women, and for the royal family itself. The ceremony included several elements that celebrated Markle's heritage, such as a sermon by the first African-American presiding bishop of the Episcopal church, and a performance by a black British gospel choir.

Markle's mixed-race heritage continues to be a topic of interest and discussion, with some critics accusing her of internalized racism and colorism. Despite this, her marriage to Prince Harry is seen as a powerful symbol of inclusion and a step towards a more diverse and modern British monarchy.

The wedding's inclusion of African-American culture

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was widely recognised for its inclusion of African-American culture. Markle, an American actress, is the first person of mixed-race heritage to marry into the British royal family.

The ceremony, held on 19 May 2018, was presided over by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. The wedding service was conducted according to the Christian liturgy for Holy Matrimony as set out in Common Worship of the Church of England. The sermon was delivered by Michael Curry, the presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church (the American member church of the Anglican Communion). Curry's 14-minute address quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and emphasised the redemptive power of love.

The music for the service was also a notable inclusion of African-American culture. The Kingdom Choir, a gospel group led by Karen Gibson, sang "Stand By Me", and the couple walked out to Etta James' "This Little Light of Mine", a song symbolic of American civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s.

The wedding was described as a "landmark for African Americans", for Black British, black and mixed-race women, and for the royal family itself.

The couple's first dance

The first dance between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a special moment, with the couple reflecting on it years later in their Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. The song they chose for their first dance was "Land of 1000 Dances" by Wilson Pickett, a fun and upbeat tune that Meghan admitted she often forgets the name of.

The first dance took place at their private evening wedding reception at Frogmore House, where Meghan wore a sleek Stella McCartney gown and Harry opted for a classic tuxedo. The reception was hosted by King Charles III and attended by 200 of their closest friends and family. The night included music by DJ Idris Elba, drinks served by George Clooney, and a game of beer pong played by Serena Williams.

Meghan described the first dance as "so fun," with the couple spinning like a whirlwind on the dance floor. The song choice reflected Meghan's desire for fun music at their wedding, even for their first dance. The moment was a highlight of the wedding, which captivated the world and was one of the biggest televised events in history.

The guest list

The British royals in attendance included Prince Harry's family, such as his brother Prince William, and his wife Kate Middleton, his father, Prince Charles, and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Harry's aunt, Baroness Fellowes, also played a role in the wedding ceremony by reading a scripture lesson from The Song of Solomon.

American celebrities added a touch of glamour to the event, with notable names such as Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra, Abigail Spencer, Gabriel Macht, Troian Bellisario, George and Amal Clooney, Carey Mulligan, Marcus Mumford, Victoria and David Beckham, and Oprah Winfrey in attendance.

Prince Harry's close friends, including Tom Inskip, for whose wedding to Lara Hughes-Young in Jamaica Harry and Meghan were first photographed together, and Eton College classmate Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, were also in attendance.

The presence of Harry's ex-girlfriends, Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy, added another layer of interest to the guest list.

The couple's wedding party included ten bridesmaids and page boys, with Prince Harry's nephew, Prince George, and niece, Princess Charlotte, among them. Meghan's friend Jessica Mulroney, who was rumoured to be her matron of honour, was given a special seat and played an important role in the wedding preparations.

The wedding's economic impact

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was expected to generate a tourism boom and boost the UK economy by up to £500 million. The open-top Ascot Landau horse-drawn carriage procession through Windsor following the ceremony was a big draw for the public. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead reportedly spent £2.6 million on cleaning the town and roads.

The wedding was estimated to have generated £1 billion for the British economy, with an additional £300 million brought in by foreign tourists for travel and accommodation, and £50 million spent on merchandise and souvenirs. The overall cost of the wedding was expected to be around £32 million. The costs for the cake, florist, and catering were estimated at £50,000, £110,000, and £286,000, respectively. Security costs were initially estimated to be lower than those of the 2011 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, but by the end of May, they were estimated to be between £2 million and £4 million.

The wedding was televised, and an estimated 1.9 billion people tuned in worldwide, making it one of the biggest televised events in history. The event also attracted an estimated global television audience of 2 billion.

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