Franklin Dean
Pippa Middleton, the younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, married James Matthews on May 20, 2017, at St Mark's Church in Englefield, Berkshire, England. The wedding was attended by close family and friends, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Harry. Notably, Prince Harry's girlfriend at the time, Meghan Markle, was also in attendance, despite rumours of a no ring, no bring rule for guests. While there was speculation about whether Queen Elizabeth II would attend, she did not make an appearance, which was not unexpected as the Queen rarely attends weddings or funerals unless they are royal engagements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Pippa Middleton's wedding | 20 May 2017 |
| Queen's attendance | Unlikely |
| Reason for Queen's absence | The Queen rarely attends weddings or funerals unless it is a royal engagement |
| Number of guests | 150 |
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What You'll Learn
The Queen rarely attends non-royal weddings
Pippa Middleton, the younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, married James Matthews on May 20, 2017. The wedding was highly anticipated, with media and public interest piqued by the guest list, which included several members of the royal family. While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Harry, and his girlfriend Meghan Markle were all in attendance, Queen Elizabeth II was notably absent.
It is not uncommon for the Queen to skip non-royal weddings. However, she has been known to make exceptions and attend non-royal weddings on rare occasions. In 2012, she surprised a newlywed couple by attending their wedding at Manchester Town Hall. The couple had sent an invitation to the Queen, not expecting her to attend, and were stunned when she took a detour from her schedule to congratulate them.
While the Queen's absence from Pippa Middleton's wedding was not unexpected, it is unclear why she chose not to attend. Some have speculated that Pippa may have wanted to avoid a media circus and security personnel by not having the Queen present. However, the official reason for the Queen's absence remains unknown.
Despite the Queen's absence, the wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews was a grand affair, with around 150 guests in attendance, including close family, friends, socialites, and celebrities. The ceremony took place at St. Mark's Church in Englefield, Berkshire, followed by a reception at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
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Pippa Middleton is the Duchess of Cambridge's sister
Pippa Middleton is the younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. Pippa rose to fame after her star turn as a bridesmaid at the royal wedding of her sister in 2011. The Duchess of Cambridge was, of course, in attendance at Pippa's wedding to James Matthews in 2017, along with Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle.
Pippa's wedding was a grand affair, with around 150 guests in attendance. However, one notable royal family member who was missing from the event was Queen Elizabeth II. While it is unclear whether Pippa extended an official invitation to the Queen, it was always unlikely that she would attend, as she rarely attends weddings or funerals unless they are royal engagements.
In the lead-up to the wedding, there was much speculation about whether Meghan Markle would be in attendance, due to a supposed "no ring, no bring" rule that only allowed married or engaged couples to attend. However, Pippa and James made an exception for Meghan, inviting her to both the ceremony and the reception.
Pippa's wedding to James Matthews was highly anticipated, with the world waiting with bated breath to see how the nuptials of the Duchess of Cambridge's sister would unfold. The wedding was described as the closest thing to a British royal wedding in 2017, and the media and public were eager to catch a glimpse of the festivities.
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Prince Harry's girlfriend Meghan Markle attended
It is unclear whether the Queen attended Pippa Middleton's wedding. The Queen rarely attends weddings or funerals unless they are royal engagements. However, she has been known to break her own rules from time to time.
Prince Harry's then-girlfriend, Meghan Markle, attended the wedding reception of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews on May 20, 2017. Markle was not present at the church ceremony, reportedly to avoid attracting too much attention and distracting from the bride's big day. Prince Harry drove to London to pick up Markle and then drove back to the Middleton estate for the reception.
Markle's attendance was notable because of the rumoured “no ring, no bring” rule, which would have prevented unmarried couples from attending together. However, Middleton and Matthews extended an invitation to Markle to attend the evening party after the ceremony, suggesting she was becoming an important part of Middleton's social circle.
Markle and Prince Harry's relationship began in July 2016 and was made public by the press in November 2016. The couple first appeared together in public in December 2016 and took a trip to Botswana, where their romantic connection blossomed. They attended a wedding in Jamaica in March 2017, and their engagement was announced on November 27, 2017. Markle became known as the Duchess of Sussex after marrying Prince Harry in 2018.
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Pippa's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, were there
Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Matthews in 2017 was a grand affair, with around 150 guests in attendance. The ceremony took place at St Mark's Church in Englefield, Berkshire, with the reception held at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, also in Berkshire.
Pippa Middleton's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, were there to witness their daughter's wedding. Carole and Michael Middleton had purchased the Georgian Grade II-listed manor house in Bucklebury, which boasts an 18-acre garden, in 2012. The reception was held in a marquee on their estate, with guests instructed to bring a second outfit for the evening celebrations. The Middletons' party supply company, Party Pieces, may have helped them secure some discounts for the wedding, which was estimated to cost around £246,000, about 15 times the average cost of a British wedding.
Carole and Michael Middleton walked their daughter down the aisle at St. Mark's Church. Pippa's gown was designed by Giles Deacon, and she wore a Stephen Jones veil, a Maidenhair Fern tiara, and Manolo Blahnik shoes. Carole Middleton and her daughter Pippa had reportedly wondered whether Meghan Markle's presence at the wedding would cause unnecessary chaos, but ultimately, Meghan attended the reception with Prince Harry.
While the wedding was a grand affair, it was not a royal wedding, and Queen Elizabeth II did not attend. The Queen rarely attends weddings or funerals unless they are royal engagements, and Pippa's wedding did not qualify as such. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, were in attendance, along with their children, Princess Charlotte and Prince George, who had starring roles as a bridesmaid and page boy, respectively.
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The wedding had 150 guests
The wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews on May 20, 2017, was a grand affair with 150 guests in attendance. The guest list included close family and friends, socialites, celebrities, and royalty. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, was in attendance, overseeing the starring roles of her children, Prince George as page boy and Princess Charlotte as bridesmaid. Kate's husband, Prince William, was also present.
Pippa's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, were there to witness their daughter's wedding, along with her brother, James, and his girlfriend, TV presenter Donna Air. The groom's parents, Dave and Jane Matthews, were also in attendance, as was his brother, Spencer Matthews.
Prince Harry, who was dating Meghan Markle at the time, was another notable guest. There was much speculation about whether Meghan would attend due to a rumoured "no ring, no bring" rule, but she did attend both the ceremony and the reception. Prince Harry even drove an hour and a half to London to pick her up and then drove another hour and a half to the reception at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
The wedding was held at St Mark's Church in Englefield, Berkshire, and the guest list included around 150 people. The event was carefully planned, with security measures in place to prevent wedding crashers and ensure the privacy of the couple and their guests. The total cost of the wedding was estimated to be around £246,000, which is said to be about 15 times the average cost of a British wedding.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Queen Elizabeth II did not attend Pippa Middleton's wedding.
The Queen rarely attends weddings or funerals unless they are royal engagements.
Pippa Middleton's wedding guests included her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, her brother James and his girlfriend, TV presenter Donna Air, and her sister, Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, along with Prince William, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte. Prince Harry and his girlfriend, Meghan Markle, also attended the wedding.
Yes, there was a "no ring, no bring" rule at Pippa Middleton's wedding, which meant only married or engaged couples could attend together. However, Meghan Markle was an exception to this rule.
No, Meghan Markle did not attend the wedding ceremony. She was, however, expected to attend the wedding reception at the Middleton family home.
