Royal Wedding: Will And Kate's Invitation Suite

The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The couple's wedding invitations were issued by the Queen and featured the reigning monarch's crest. The invitation was a command, with the Queen ordering the Lord Chamberlain to invite the chosen guests. The wedding was not a full state occasion, and the couple decided on much of the guest list of about 1,900 people. The invitations were printed on white cardstock, with the Queen's royal cypher in gold foil at the top. The envelope flap included the royal crest in red, with the return address of the Lord Chamberlain at Buckingham Palace.

Design and format

The wedding invitation of Prince William and Kate Middleton was issued on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II and featured the reigning monarch's crest. The invitation was a command, with the Queen commanding the Lord Chamberlain to invite the chosen guests. The original invitation was addressed by the royal calligrapher and sent in a white A7 envelope with the recipient's address printed in a script font. The envelope flap featured the royal crest in red and the return address of the Lord Chamberlain at Buckingham Palace. It was sealed with a gold crown faux wax seal.

The invitation card was printed on white cardstock measuring 5 x 7 inches. It featured Queen Elizabeth II's royal cypher at the top in gold foil. The text was written in dark, scripted writing and included the following details:

> The Marriage of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, K.G. with Miss Catherine Middleton

The dress code for the wedding was specified as "Uniform, Morning Coat, or Lounge Suit" for men and "Day Dress with Hat" for women.

The overall aesthetic of the invitation was very formal, with gilded edges and elegant typography. The use of gold and red colours throughout the design added a regal touch to the invitation.

In terms of format, the invitation followed a traditional structure, including the names of the bride and groom, the date, time, and location of the ceremony, as well as any additional details such as the dress code. The invitation was sent out in advance of the wedding, which took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England.

Issuing and addressing

The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The invitations to the wedding were issued on behalf of the Queen and were accompanied by the reigning monarch's crest. The Lord Chamberlain at Buckingham Palace was listed as the return address.

The original invitations were addressed by the royal calligrapher, but reproductions of the invitation are left blank for the recipient to fill in themselves. The envelope flap features the royal crest in red and is sealed with a gold crown faux wax seal. The inner envelope includes the name(s) and address of the recipient.

The invitation reads:

> "The Marriage of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, K.G. with Miss Catherine Middleton."

The use of "Miss" is in keeping with traditional etiquette for a bride during her first marriage.

The invitations were sent to approximately 1,900 guests, including foreign royalty, diplomats, military officials, members of religious organisations, and the couple's chosen personal guests.

The response to the invitation is to be sent to the State Invitations Secretary within the Lord Chamberlain's office.

Wording and language

The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The invitation to the royal wedding was issued on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II and featured the royal cypher at the top, with the reigning monarch's crest. The envelope included the royal crest in red, as well as the Lord Chamberlain at Buckingham Palace as the return address. It was sealed with a gold crown faux wax seal.

The invitation was a command, with the Queen commanding the Lord Chamberlain to invite the chosen guests. This is in contrast to the wedding invitation of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, which was a request for the presence of the invited guests and considered less formal.

The wording on William and Kate's invitation read: "the Marriage of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, K.G. with Miss Catherine Middleton." The use of "Miss" is notable, as it indicates that the bride has not been previously married.

The invitation included details about the ceremony, which was set to begin at 11:00 British Summer Time (BST). It also mentioned that Catherine would arrive at the abbey by car, rather than the traditional carriage.

The response to the invitation was to be sent to the State Invitations Secretary within the Lord Chamberlain's office.

Overall, the language and wording of the invitation followed formal and traditional etiquette, reflecting the importance and grandeur of the royal wedding.

Dress code

For the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, guests were asked to adhere to a specific dress code. The invitation requested that male guests wear a uniform, morning coat, or lounge suit.

The dress code for a lounge suit, or semi-formal event, is a step down in formality from black tie and is suitable for a semi-formal daytime wedding. Men are expected to wear a classic suit or tux with a tie, and women should wear formal evening wear, such as floor-length dresses or evening pantsuits.

The morning coat, also known as formal day attire, is a type of formal dress code typically worn for daytime events. For men, this includes a morning coat, waistcoat, and formal trousers, often paired with a tie or ascot. Women are expected to wear more formal dresses, typically with a hemline that falls below the knee, or a formal pantsuit.

A uniform dress code typically refers to military or other official uniforms and is the most formal option for men. Women's uniforms vary depending on the organisation and rank, but they are generally more formal and include military-style jackets and skirts or trousers.

Although a dress code for female guests was not specified on the invitations, it is assumed that they were expected to follow the standard royal protocol of wearing a formal day dress with a hat.

RSVPs

The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The couple's wedding attracted much media attention, with the ceremony being viewed live by tens of millions of people around the world.

The wedding invitations for Prince William and Catherine Middleton's big day were sent on behalf of the Queen and were accompanied by the reigning monarch's crest. The invitation commanded the Lord Chamberlain to invite the chosen guests.

The invitations requested that guests reply to the address of the State Invitations Secretary within the Lord Chamberlain's office. The Lord Chamberlain at Buckingham Palace was also listed as the return address on the envelope.

The guest list for the wedding included approximately 1,900 people, with the ceremony taking place in the abbey. A second list of around 600 guests was invited to a luncheon reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by the Queen. The final list, consisting of about 300 names, was for an evening dinner hosted by the Prince of Wales.

The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton was not a full state occasion, which meant that the couple had more flexibility in deciding on the guest list. However, the guest list still included a significant number of Commonwealth leaders, prime ministers of the Commonwealth realms, foreign royal families, diplomats, military officials, and other dignitaries.

The overall cost of the event was estimated to be around £23.7 million, with the Australian newspaper Herald Sun reporting that A$32 million was spent on security alone. The wedding day was also made a public holiday throughout the United Kingdom and several British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.

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