Get All the Details About Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Royal Wedding Day
Another royal wedding is right around the corner! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement on Monday, November 27 — and now, the couple is dishing details on their big day! Scroll down to see everything you need to know about Harry and Meghan’s wedding!
When are Harry and Meghan getting married?
Harry and Meghan will tie the knot on Saturday, May 19, 2018, Kensington Palace previously announced. The couple’s wedding will begin at 12 p.m. UK time, which is 7 a.m. EST and 4 p.m. PST in the United States. This spring will be an especially exciting time for the royal family as Prince William and Kate Middleton are expecting their third baby. In April, Queen Elizabeth will celebrate her 92nd birthday on the 21st, Kate and William will ring in their seventh wedding anniversary on the 29, and Princess Charlotte will turn three years old on May 2.
Where will Harry and Meghan’s wedding take place?
Harry and Meghan will exchange vows at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace revealed on Tuesday, November 28. “Windsor is a very special place for Prince Harry, and he and Ms. Markle have regularly spent time there during the last year,” a palace spokesperson said in a statement. “They are delighted that the beautiful grounds of Windsor Castle will be where they begin their lives as a married couple.” One hour after the ceremony ends, Harry and Meghan will ride in a horse-drawn carriage through the streets of Windsor. They will leave Windsor Castle via Castle Hill and continue along High Street through Windsor Town before returning to the castle along the Long Walk.
“They hope this short journey will provide an opportunity for more people to come together around Windsor and to enjoy the atmosphere of this special day,” Kensington Palace said in a statement regarding Harry and Meghan’s post-nuptials carriage ride. After the couple exchange “I Dos,” they will celebrate with friends and family with a lunchtime wedding reception at St. George’s Hall. That evening, Prince Charles will throw Harry and Meghan another party at a yet-to-be-disclosed location. The royal family has additionally confirmed that the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will officiate the royal marriage ceremony.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
According to a previous report, Harry doesn’t want his wedding to be extravagant — so Windsor Castle will be the perfect setting for the low-key nuptials! “Pomp and pageantry is the last thing he would want. I can see him wanting to get married at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. It would stop it from turning into a total media circus and give the day a sense of privacy that Harry so badly craves,” a source previously revealed.
Will Harry and Meghan’s wedding be on TV?
Yes! A palace spokesperson has confirmed the wedding will be televised. “The couple of course want the day to be a special, celebratory moment for their friends and family. They also want the day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too and are currently working through ideas for how this might be achieved. This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters of the bride and groom,” the message read.
Who will walk Meghan down the aisle?
Though rumors recently swirled that Meghan’s mom will walk her down the aisle, the actress’ half-sister, Samantha Grant, has insisted that it will actually be their father, Thomas Markle. “Muck about Doria walking Meg down the aisle is NOT true. Our father will walk her down the aisle,” she wrote on Twitter. And apparently, that’s just what Meghan wants! “She’s told Harry that she wants her dad to walk her down the aisle. Harry is totally supportive and will go along with whatever Meghan wants, even if the palace might not like it,” a source told Life & Style.
St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Why are Harry and Meghan getting married so quickly?
Royal expert Kate Nicholl recently told Entertainment Tonight that Harry’s special bond with grandfather Prince Philip has impacted both the timing and the venue of his upcoming wedding to Meghan. “He wanted something close to home for the Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen. In fact, one of the reasons that Prince Harry has wanted this wedding to happen quite quickly — this is really whirlwind by royal standards — is because his 96-year-old grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, is retired now and Prince Harry really wants him to be at his wedding.”
“He’s incredibly close to his grandfather and, [with Prince Philip] being 96, Harry thought it was it was a great thing to [have] the wedding sooner rather than later, so his grandfather could be there, fit, and healthy,” Nicholl explained. How sweet! On top of that, Meghan can’t wait to walk down the aisle. “She knew he was ‘the one’ from the very moment she set eyes on him,” an insider told In Touch. “She can’t wait to walk down the aisle.”
What do we know about Meghan’s wedding dress?
Though Meghan hasn’t officially revealed the designer of her gown, it has been rumored that her close friend Misha Nonoo — who introduced her to Harry! — and her longtime stylist, Jessica Mulroney, might help create the frock. It’s thought that Meghan could also work with two of Princess Diana‘s favorite designers, Catherine Walker and Amanda Wakeley, or the designer of Kate Middleton’s 2011 royal wedding gown, Alexander McQueen.
In fact, the leap in bets for Alexander McQueen has been so huge that Betfair suspended all betting on Meghan’s choice of a designer! “We previously had Ralph and Russo as the 2/1 favorites, and there’s also been a lot of talk of Erdem as a big front-runner. However, we’ve now suspended this market after seeing some interesting betting on Alexander McQueen this morning who went from 16/1 to 8/1 in a very short space of time,” a spokesperson for Betfair revealed.
However, Good Morning America reported in late January that Meghan had officially chosen a wedding dress with the help of her friend and stylist Jessica! Royal reporter Omid Scobie revealed, “Meghan Markle has officially picked a wedding dress designer and has had her first fitting at Kensington Palace. Friend and bridal expert Jessica Mulroney is guiding Meghan through the process and quietly flew into London on Jan. 10, spending four days at the couple’s Nottingham Cottage home. I’m told that they went through a number of options with the designer and Meghan was ‘incredibly excited’ to see things start coming together. Right now only a small, select group of people know the designer’s name, so don’t expect to find out anytime soon. Even Harry made himself scarce during the first fitting.”
What will Meghan’s wedding dress look like?
In a previous interview with Glamour, Meghan described her perfect wedding dress: “I have the luxury of wearing beautiful pieces of clothing every day for work, so my personal style — wedding or not — is very pared down and relaxed. Classic and simple is the name of the game, perhaps with a modern twist. I personally prefer wedding dresses that are whimsical or subtly romantic. Delphine Manivet and Christos Costarellos are faves of mine for their uniqueness and beauty. And I will always be a fan of Ellie Saab. J. Mendel is spectacular as well, especially for more structural designs.” She also said she “happens to love” a “low ballerina-inspired neckline” on wedding gowns and her all-time favorite celebrity wedding dress belonged to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy.
What will Meghan’s wedding hair look like?
In an exclusive interview with Closer Weekly, royal family hairstylist Sean Donaldson of Sean Donaldson Hair predicted Meghan will wear her hair in a loose updo on her wedding day. “Being British and knowing the royal family, and seeing many royal weddings, she’ll be keeping her hair long for sure. I would imagine she probably would soften the color around her face just a little bit. I imagine that she would very lightly — by one or one and a half shades — would lighten around the hairline,” he said.
“I think she’s going to bring in her own edge and own style, but at the same time she’s still marrying into the royal family and they have their ways and their looks, so I would imagine that Meghan’s hair will go up,” he continued. “I can’t imagine her doing half up half down because I think she’s going to want it distinguished between her and Kate, since this is the next brother, son of Princess Diana — and this will be the next big royal family since Kate and William’s.”
Who will be in Harry and Meghan’s wedding party?
Though the couple has not yet commented on their possible wedding party members, a previous report suggested Meghan wants her future sister-in-law Kate be one of her bridesmaids. Regardless of having an official role in the wedding, Kate reportedly has to follow one style rule on Harry and Meghan’s special day — she has to wear a hat! It is additionally thought that Meghan’s famous friends Priyanka Chopra and Serena Williams could be in the wedding as well as her close pals Lindsay Roth, Jessica Mulroney, Janina Gavankar, and Heather Dorak.
Meghan and her half-sister have been estranged for about a decade, so it’s assumed Samantha may not be included in the wedding. On top of that, In Touch reported that she won’t even be inviting her to the wedding! As for Harry, we’re sure his older brother William will be in his wedding party. Additionally, William and Kate’s two children, Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2, could very well be a ring bearer and flower girl.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Who will be invited to Harry and Meghan’s wedding?
Though previous reports claimed Queen Elizabeth wouldn’t attend the event, Kensington Palace has suggested the monarch will watch Harry and Meghan tie the knot. Though we don’t yet know the actual royal wedding invite list — a Kensington Palace spokesperson said the guests “will be announced in due course” — it is assumed that Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in addition to Meghan’s parents, Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle, will be invited. Other royal family members including Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, and Princess Anne, along with their respective families, will likely make the cut.
It is also thought that British Prime Minister Teresa May, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Barack and Michelle Obama could attend (many are saying the Obamas are not invited). Harry and his family are also close with many celebrities including Elton John, David and Victoria Beckham, Cara Delevingne, Suki Waterhouse, Kylie Minogue, Hugh Jackman, Keith Urban, and Nicole Kidman. Finally, it’s believed Kate’s family — sister Pippa Middleton, brother-in-law James Matthews, brother James Middleton, and parents Carole and Michael Middleton — will make the guest list.
Who will perform at Harry and Meghan’s wedding?
We don’t know for sure, but we do know that Ed Sheeran would love to be offered the gig! During a recent visit to Buckingham Palace, reporters asked Ed if he’d like to sing at Harry and Meghan’s May 2018 wedding and he replied, “Yeah, why not!” Considering one of Ed’s latest hits, “Shape of You,” was one of the most popular songs of 2017, he seems like a great pick! Back in 2011, singer Ellie Goulding performed at Kate and William’s royal nuptials. And, since Ellie is a close friend of Prince Harry, she could also be a contender for his wedding performer! Harry is additionally friends with musicians including the Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl, and The Killers, so there’s a chance we may see A-list entertainment at the special event.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
What do we know about Harry and Meghan’s wedding cake?
According to The Telegraph, Harry and Meghan want a wedding cake made of bananas! Why, you ask? First, Harry reportedly loves “anything with banana.” And, right after Harry and Meghan’s romance was confirmed last year, the actress took to Instagram to post a cheeky photo of two bananas cuddling. If the pair really has a banana cake, it would be a break in royal tradition. Fruit cake is typically served at royal weddings because it lasts long enough for a piece to be served at the future christening of the couple’s first child.
What kind of food will be at Harry and Meghan’s wedding?
“Meghan is adding some American touches [to the reception], like crab cake appetizers,” an insider told In Touch. The pair has also considered having a food truck serve burgers at the end of the night, as is customary at glitzy Hollywood bashes, “but Meghan’s worried the royals will think it’s tacky.” On top of that, we’re assuming there will be red wine served at the event since Meghan’s former blog The Tig is named after a bottle of Tuscan red wine. And if it’s anything like Kate and Will’s wedding, the food will be extravagant and delicious. They reportedly hired the same catering company called Table Talk.
Will Harry and Meghan get a prenup?
Probably not. “I don’t think they will,” said UK family lawyer Julian Hawkhead. “If there was any drive to do so it would have come from the senior members of the royal family. There has been absolutely no such direction to do this and in fact, I’m reminded of when Prince William and Kate Middleton were engaged to be married, the Palace made it quite clear that they had no expectation that there should be any such prenuptial arrangement made.” And if they split up, Meghan likely won’t get a half of Harry’s royal fortune. “Her financial claims would increase over the years though not through any formula or incrementally year by year, but one would expect a wife in Meghan’s position to have greater financial claims after a 10-year marriage than after a two-year marriage,” Hawkhead added.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Who is paying for Harry and Meghan’s wedding?
A statement released by Kensington Palace revealed: “the royal family will pay for the wedding.” Sounds great for Meghan’s family, especially since the nuptials will reportedly cost a whopping $30 million! According to Life & Style, a large chunk of the expenses will be on security, with an insider revealing just that will cost the couple $25 million. Plus, they are reportedly spending $2 million just on private planes to fly guests to the United Kingdom. When Harry’s older brother William tied the knot with Kate in 2011, the royal family spent $34 million on the wedding. While Harry and Meghan’s event will be much smaller, they are still reportedly inviting close to 700 people to their nuptials.
Where will Harry and Meghan honeymoon?
The duo may actually honeymoon in the United States, Meghan’s home country! Harry is a longtime supporter of Walking with the Wounded, a group that sponsors Walk to America, a three-month-long hike that will take place from May to July 2018. That said, the newly-married couple may travel to the United States during that time to show their support.
Will Meghan’s name change when she marries Harry?
When the two tie the knot, Meghan could adopt the royal family’s last name and become Rachel Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor if she wants. “Junior members of the royal family have the option of using the surname,” royal historian and author Carolyn Harris told Town & Country. Since Harry also informally uses the last names Windsor and Wales, Meghan could go by those, too. Additionally, it is thought Meghan will receive the royal target Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex when she marries Harry.
Will Meghan have to become a UK citizen?
Yes! Meghan will become a UK citizen and get baptized in the Church of England. First, Meghan needs to join the Church of England, of which, of course. her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, is the head. Her dad is an Episcopalian and her mother is a Protestant, so her personal religion likely isn’t that different from the Church of England, but she will still need to be baptized and confirmed. “In the Church of England this may involve water being poured on your head at the font, or the church may have a special pool and you will be fully immersed in the water,” explains the church website. “However it happens, it’s a great occasion, full of joy.” Meghan will then have to get her UK citizenship, since she’s an American citizen by birth.
Will Meghan be the first black royal in England?
No, England has had a queen with African ancestry before! In the 1700s, Sophie Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in Germany married King George III, and she became the first-ever person of color in the throne. Apparently, six bloodlines of the queen’s could be traced to Portuguese royalty Margarita de Castro y Sousa, who was of African descent, according to PBS. In portraits, her skin is lightened and her African features are played down by the artists of the time.
How did Harry propose to Meghan?
During their official engagement interview on Monday, November 27, Harry and Meghan revealed the prince popped the question at the couple’s Nottingham Cottage home at Kensington Palace in November 2017. “It was just a typical night for us,” Harry said, to which Meghan added, “What were we doing? Just roasting chicken? Trying to roast a chicken and it was just an amazing surprise. It was so sweet and natural and romantic. He got on one knee.” Harry continued, “She didn’t even let me finish! Then there were hugs and I had the ring on my finger and I was like, ‘Can I give you the ring?’ So it was a really nice moment it was just the two of us and I think I managed to catch her by surprise as well.”
Harry then presented his bride-to-be with a gorgeous, white gold and diamond engagement ring. “I would estimate Meghan’s ring to be roughly a 2.5 to 3-carat cushion cut diamond. Cushions are cut deep, so they appear even smaller than what they really are,” celebrity jeweler George Khalife, aka “George the Jeweler,” told Life & Style. “I would say the ring is valued at roughly $60,000, with the two side stones having belonged to Princess Diana, and the main stone coming from Botswana, a country close to Prince Harry’s heart.”
Did Harry and Meghan take engagement photos?
Yes, on two separate occasions! Just hours after Harry and Meghan announced their royal engagement in late November, the couple posed for their first photocall in the Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace. For the shoot, Harry looked dapper in a navy blue suit while Meghan wowed in a winter white coat over an emerald green dress. Her best accessory was, of course, her new engagement ring from Harry!
About a month later, the duo released three engagement portraits on the Kensington Palace Instagram account. “Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have chosen to release [these official portraits] to mark their engagement. The [photographs] was taken by photographer @AlexiLubomirski earlier this week at Frogmore House, Windsor,” the gorgeous pics were captioned. We later learned that the sheer, black gown Meghan wore in the photos was designed by British brand Ralph & Russo and cost $75,000.
Do Harry and Meghan want to have kids?
Yes! Following their engagement announcement, the duo confessed they want to have children in the “near future.” When asked in an interview about having a baby right now, Harry replied, “Not currently, no. [But] of course, you know, I think one step at a time. Hopefully, we’ll start a family in the near future.” A source later told Us Weekly that Harry and Meghan definitely want to have children… just not yet! “There is absolutely no pressure on the couple to have children at all,” a source explained. “Should they not want any, that would be fine. However, both are keen to start a family in the future, but don’t expect anything immediately.” We’re so excited for the couple to start their own royal family.
This article originally appeared on our sister site, Closer Weekly.
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