Kate's Wedding Role: Why No Bridesmaid

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was not a bridesmaid at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. While there were rumours that Kate and Meghan never had a great relationship, royal expert Marlene Koenig suggested that most royal brides do not have adult bridesmaids. Koenig added that Kate, as the future queen consort, would be unlikely to attend another royal bride.

Kate and Meghan's relationship was rumoured to be strained

The rumoured tension between the two women was further fuelled by the news that Meghan and Harry would be moving to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, roughly 25 miles away from Kensington Palace, where Prince William and Kate reside. The Daily Mail quoted a source claiming that "Kate and Meghan are very different people. They don't really get on".

However, it is important to note that these are just rumours and speculation, and there may be other reasons for the reported distance between the two women. For example, Kate was on maternity leave for much of the year following Meghan's entrance into the royal family, and they have only been seen together on a few occasions, such as Princess Eugenie's wedding and Prince Charles' birthday party.

Royal brides usually don't have adult bridesmaids

Royal brides typically do not have adult bridesmaids. This is a tradition that has been observed since Queen Elizabeth's wedding. Royal bridesmaids are usually children or in their early teens.

When Kate Middleton married Prince William, her bridal party included four bridesmaids: Lady Louise Windsor, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Grace van Cutsem, and Eliza Lopes. None of them were adults. Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, was her maid of honour, which is considered an American tradition.

Pippa herself did not have any adult bridesmaids at her wedding to James Matthews in 2017. Although it is not known whether Kate was a maid or matron of honour, she was seen helping Pippa with her dress and the bridesmaids and page boys, who included Princess Charlotte and Prince George.

When Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in 2018, she did not have a maid of honour either. Her bridal party included Princess Charlotte, Florence van Cutsem, Remi Litt, Rylan Litt, Ivy Mulroney, and Zalie Warren as bridesmaids.

Therefore, it is not unusual that Kate Middleton was not a bridesmaid at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding.

Kate was not a bridesmaid at her own sister's wedding

Kate Middleton was not a bridesmaid at her own sister's wedding. Pippa Middleton, Kate's sister, married James Matthews in 2017. While it is unclear whether Kate was a Maid of Honour or a Matron of Honour, she was seen helping Pippa with her dress and assisting with the bridesmaids and page boys, who included her own children Princess Charlotte and Prince George.

Pippa's wedding was a private affair, not a state occasion like Kate and Prince William's wedding, so the specific role played by Kate is unknown. However, it is customary in British tradition for married women not to be part of the wedding party. Kate, as the Duchess of Cambridge and a future Queen, may also have wanted to avoid upstaging the bride and drawing attention away from her sister.

At Kate's wedding to Prince William in 2011, Pippa played the role of Maid of Honour. Pippa's figure-hugging Alexander McQueen dress received widespread media attention and she was affectionately dubbed 'Her Royal Hotness' by the public.

Kate had just given birth to Prince Louis

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was not a bridesmaid at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. One reason for this was that she had just given birth to Prince Louis on April 23, 2018, just under a month before the wedding, which took place on May 19, 2018.

Prince Louis was born at the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, weighing 8lbs 7oz. The Duchess of Cambridge had suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum during her pregnancy, which causes severe vomiting. Despite this, she told Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in 2020 that she "really enjoyed labour".

The Duchess of Cambridge barely knew Meghan, and as the future queen consort, it would be unusual for her to be an attending person at another royal wedding. Furthermore, the Duchess of Sussex did not have a maid of honour at her wedding, and the role of bridesmaid is generally reserved for single women.

The Duchess of Cambridge's children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were in the wedding party, as they had been at Pippa Middleton's wedding the previous year.

Meghan did not have a maid of honour

Meghan Markle did not have a maid of honour at her wedding to Prince Harry. This was confirmed by Kensington Palace in the lead-up to the wedding, which took place on May 19, 2018.

A palace aide explained that Markle "has a very close-knit group of friends and did not want to choose one over the other". Royal expert Marlene Koenig added that "most royal brides do not have adult bridesmaids".

Instead, Markle's bridal party consisted of children. Prince George and Princess Charlotte, the children of Prince William and Kate Middleton, were among the bridesmaids and page boys.

It was also rumoured that Markle's friend Jessica Mulroney, who was believed to be a favourite for the role of maid of honour, would be involved in the wedding in some capacity. Mulroney, who is based in Toronto, also served as an "unofficial" wedding planner for the couple.

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