Junior Rasmussen
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding reception was held at St George's Hall at Windsor Castle, hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II. The event was attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, along with their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The reception featured a sit-down meal with pea and mint risotto and ten-hour slow-roasted Windsor pork belly. A notable point of contention was the seating arrangement, with Harry and Meghan wanting to follow an American tradition of seating couples together, while William and Kate preferred the British tradition of spouses sitting separately. This led to a disagreement between the couples, with Harry claiming that William and Kate changed the place cards to suit their preference. The reception also included speeches, with Harry giving an emotional wedding speech and William's friends sharing humorous anecdotes. The event was featured in Harry and Meghan's Netflix docuseries, showcasing memorable moments like Harry's toast and the couple cutting their wedding cake.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | May 19, 2018 |
| Location | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle |
| Number of Guests | Fewer than at William and Kate's wedding |
| Guest List | More American celebrities, including Meghan's friends Priyanka Chopra, Serena Williams, and Patrick J. Adams, and former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama |
| Seating Arrangement | Couples sat together, except for William and Kate who changed their place cards to sit separately |
| Dress Code | Princess Kate wore a subtle primrose yellow Alexander McQueen coat dress |
| Menu | Pea and mint risotto and ten-hour slow-roasted Windsor pork belly |
| Kiss | Harry and Meghan shared their first kiss as a married couple on the church steps |
| Carriage Ride | Harry and Meghan did not ride in a horse-drawn carriage through London |
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What You'll Learn
William and Kate changed the seating plan at the reception
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, hosted a lunchtime wedding reception at St George's Hall in Windsor Castle on 19 May 2018. The event was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
At the reception, Harry and Meghan had the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, seated next to one another. This is standard etiquette at American nuptials, but William and Kate allegedly wanted to maintain the British wedding tradition of sitting apart from one another.
To resolve this issue, William and Kate switched their place cards and changed their seats, which irked Harry. He writes in his book, "We'd followed the American tradition, placing couples next to each other, but Willy and Kate didn't like that tradition, so their table was the only one where spouses were apart."
William and Kate denied changing the seating plan, claiming another person must have done it. They also accused Harry and Meghan of altering the seating chart at Pippa Middleton and James Matthews' wedding in 2017. Harry denied this, insisting that he respected Pippa's wishes and sat separately from Meghan.
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Harry and Meghan's wedding was more low-key
The guest list for Harry and Meghan's wedding was notably different from that of William and Kate's. As William is next in line to the throne, there was greater pressure to invite global dignitaries and members of foreign royal families. In contrast, Harry and Meghan's guest list included more American celebrities due to Meghan's Hollywood background. Notable guests at their wedding included Priyanka Chopra, Serena Williams, and Patrick J. Adams.
Another difference between the two weddings was the absence of a balcony kiss at Buckingham Palace for Harry and Meghan. Instead, they shared their first kiss as a married couple outside on the church steps in front of a small crowd. This deviation from tradition contributed to the more low-key nature of their wedding celebrations.
Additionally, Harry and Meghan incorporated American traditions into their wedding reception, including seating couples together. However, William and Kate caused a minor controversy by changing the seating arrangements to follow British wedding traditions, which irked Harry and Meghan. Despite this, Kate was all smiles at the reception, chatting with guests and dressed elegantly in a subtle primrose yellow coat dress.
Overall, while Harry and Meghan's wedding was a royal affair, it differed from William and Kate's in several ways, reflecting their desire to make their nuptials unique and more low-key.
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There were fewer dignitaries and royals in attendance
William and Kate's wedding was a grand affair, with royalty and politicians from across the Commonwealth and the entire world in attendance. Queen Margrethe of Denmark, Prince Albert of Monaco, and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden were among the royal guests at their wedding.
Harry and Meghan's wedding, on the other hand, was not a full-on state occasion, so they had more freedom in their guest list. While there were still royals and politicians present, the list was less expansive. Given Meghan's Hollywood background, there were also several American celebrities in attendance, including Priyanka Chopra, Serena Williams, and her Suits co-star Patrick J. Adams.
The lunchtime reception of Harry and Meghan, hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II, was held at St George's Hall at Windsor Castle. It was a more intimate affair compared to William and Kate's, who had a grand evening reception hosted by the then-Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.
In addition to the difference in scale, there was also a notable difference in the level of tradition adhered to. William and Kate's wedding followed certain protocols due to William's position as the future king. In contrast, Harry and Meghan's wedding incorporated American traditions, such as seating couples together at their reception, which caused some friction between the couples.
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The couple didn't kiss on the Buckingham Palace balcony
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was always going to be different from that of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The former couple's wedding was not a full-on state occasion, so there was less obligation to invite global dignitaries and foreign royalty. It was also held at St. George's Chapel, which meant less room for guests.
While William and Kate's wedding was a grand affair held in one of the United Kingdom's best-known churches, Westminster Abbey, Harry and Meghan's wedding was decidedly more low-key.
The ceremony was held on the grounds of Windsor Castle, so the couple did not make the journey back to Buckingham Palace for a kiss on the balcony, as William and Kate had done. Instead, they shared their first kiss as a married couple outside on the chapel steps.
The wedding reception was also hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II at St George's Hall, where the couple incorporated an American tradition and asked couples to sit together. However, William and Kate's table was the only one that failed to follow suit, as Harry claims that his brother and sister-in-law changed the place cards at the last minute in order to ensure spouses were seated separately. This caused some tension between the couples, with Harry writing in his book, "We chipped in that we weren't too pleased when Willy and Kate switched place cards and changed seats at our wedding."
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William and Kate's reception was hosted by Prince Charles
The wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton was hosted by the then-Prince Charles, now King Charles. The reception took place in the throne room, where guests were treated to a surprise organised by Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton. The room was transformed with strobe lights, glitter balls, and a giant dance floor. The dais, usually home to the thrones, was replaced by a disco booth and a cocktail bar.
The menu for the reception was prepared by William and Kate's favourite chef, Anton Mosimann. It featured organically sourced Welsh crab and lamb from Highgrove, followed by miniature trifle, chocolate fondant, and homemade ice cream. The final speech of the evening, given by William's friends, included a humorous anecdote about a night out, which ended with William wearing a ladies' thong.
The reception also included a traditional father of the bride speech by Michael Middleton, who recounted the moment he realised William's affection for Kate. Both William and Harry mentioned their late mother, Princess Diana, and shared how much she would have loved Kate. William and Kate then departed in an open-topped RAF-personalised Fiat 500, heading to the Belgian Suite at Buckingham Palace, where they spent their wedding night.
However, the reception was not without its controversies. Prince Harry claimed that William and Kate ignored his wishes regarding the seating arrangements. Harry and Meghan followed an American tradition of seating couples together, but William and Kate allegedly changed the place cards to ensure spouses were seated separately. This caused tension between the couples, with Harry expressing his displeasure in his book, "Spare".
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Will and Kate attended Harry and Meghan's wedding reception at St George's Hall in Windsor Castle.
Will and Kate caused some chaos at the reception by changing the seating plan. Harry and Meghan had asked couples to sit together, following an American tradition. However, Will and Kate wanted to maintain the British tradition of spouses sitting separately and changed the place cards at the last minute.
Yes, their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were part of the wedding party. Prince George was one of the page boys, and Princess Charlotte was a bridesmaid.
