Some would say it was a whirlwind romance, while others admire the couple for seizing the moment. Whatever you think about the love story of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, one thing’s for certain: We all are curious about the royal marriage and much-awaited nuptials!
Here’s all the charming details they have released so far, and it sounds like it’s straight out of a fairy tale!
The Royal Marriage: All We Know About The Wedding Ceremony, So Far
It will be a morning ceremony for the couple, as they are set to exchange vows at noon (7:00 pm Singapore time) on the 19th of May, Saturday. The ceremony will be held in St. George’s cathedral on the Windsor castle grounds, where Harry was also baptised. About 800 guests can fit comfortably in the chapel.
Windsor castle is the world’s largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world, as Queen Elizabeth II still considers it her official home.
The entire ceremony is expected to last for about an hour.
What Will the Chapel Look Like?
Florist Philippa Craddock and her team will be decorating the chapel with white garden roses, foxgloves, and peonies.
Beech, birch, and hornbeam branches will accompany the lush array of blooms from the gardens of the royal family.
But she doesn’t have to do much because the historical, centuries-old chapel, which was built in the 1400s, is stunning enough as it is. With its elaborate vaulting, towering stained-glass windows, pillars, eclipse-shaped roof and elegantly intricate floors, it’s the picture-perfect venue for a royal wedding.
What Will Ms Markle Wear?
So far, there has been no confirmation about who will design Meghan’s wedding gown.
Like Kate Middleton, she will likely be delighting us with two royally gorgeous bridal looks. Some speculate that she will choose between her favorite designers —Alexander Mcqueen, Ralph & Russo, Inbal Dror, and Roland Mouret.
But what’s for sure is that she’ll look absolutely stunning on her big day, no matter “who” she decides to wear!
Will She Be Wearing a Tiara?
Royal protocol says Ms Markle can only don a tiara once she’s wed. But she might just walk down the aisle wearing one! Some wonder if she will choose the Spencer Tiara that Harry’s mum Princess Diana wore on her wedding day. But she has many crown jewels to choose from, so we’ll surely be surprised!
Will There Be Bridesmaids and Page Boys?
In keeping with royal tradition, young bridesmaids and page boys instead of groomsmen will be part of the ceremony.
According to an official Royal Family statement, the wedding will have six young bridesmaids — Princess Charlotte; Prince Harry’s goddaughters Zalie Warren and Florence van Cutsem; Meghan’s goddaughters Rylan and Remi Litt; and Ivy Mulroney, the daughter of Meghan’s best friend Jessica Mulroney.
The four page boys will be Prince George, Prince Harry’s godson Jasper Dyer, Brian Mulroney and John Mulroney. The sons of Meghan’s best friend Jessica Mulroney, have also been selected to be page boys during the historic occasion.
Who Will Be Attending the Royal Wedding?
About 1,200 members of the public will arrive on the Windsor Castle grounds at 9 a.m. (4 p.m. SG Time) to enjoy the festivities.
The guests will arrive shortly after, driven by coach to the chapel’s Round tower before they walk to the South Door of St. George’s Chapel. The royal family will follow, taking the Galilee Porch — some by car, while others will proceed there by foot.
Harry and William will be walking together, while Meghan’s mum will be riding with her to the chapel. After much speculation, it seems Meghan Markle’s father will not be walking her down the aisle due to a heart surgery.
If her mum Doria decides to give her away, she will be the second mum in history to do this. In 1885, Queen Victoria walked her daughter Princess Beatrice down the aisle.
600 people have been invited to the ceremony, with 200 more attending the evening reception.
What Will Her Title Be After They Exchange Vows?
Prince Harry’s last name is technically Mountbatten-Windsor, but he went by Harry Wales when he was still in school. Now, he’s usually called Prince Harry, but on more formal occasions, he is referred to as His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales.
Once they are wed, Meghan Markle’s title will not be “princess,” because only female descendants of the royal family can hold this title, like Princess Charlotte.
Some predict that Harry will be named Duke of Sussex after the wedding, which would make Meghan the Duchess of Sussex. But she can still be referred to as a princess, when referencing Harry — HRH Princess Henry of Wales.
If they become parents, their children will hold the titles of Lords and Ladies. So adorable!
The Royal Marriage Reception: All The Delicious Details, So Far!
Where Will the Reception Be?
There will be two wedding receptions to celebrate the royal marriage! A lunch reception will be held inside Windsor Castle, hosted by Queen Elizabeth. The next reception will be hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House and, according to previous reports, will have a carnival or festival theme. Guests invited to this after-party are all part of the couple’s “inner circle.”
One of the most anticipated parts of the ceremony will be when Ms Markle will once again break royal tradition and deliver a speech written for her groom during the reception.
What Will the Menu Be?
The Royal head chef Mark Flanagan tells ABC News that Harry and Meghan have been very hands-on when it comes to planning their wedding feast. They’ve tasted everything, he reveals, with the 30 Windsor castle chefs only making suggestions.
“They’ve been involved in every detail. We’ve been really fortunate with the date of the wedding… all the British vegetables are just coming into season,” explains Flanagan. “The couple wanted us to make sure that we used all of the local, seasonal produce as much as possible throughout their menu.”
No details have been revealed about the Frogmore House’s reception menu, which will be prepared by another catering company.
Back in March, the couple shared that Claire Ptak of Violet Bakery will be creating their royal wedding cake. According to an official Kensington Palace tweet, they have requested that Ptak “create a lemon elderflower cake that will incorporate the bright flavours of spring. It will be covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.”
Who Will Be Entertaining the Guests?
At first, there were rumours that the Spice Girls would be reuniting to perform at the royal wedding, but it has not been confirmed. Other possible acts could be award-winning British artists Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, and Sir Elton John.
But so far, the only confirmed musical acts at the wedding are 19-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who won the 2016 BBC Young Musicians contest and gospel band Karen Gibson and the Kingdom Choir.
In Lieu of Gifts, This Is What the Royal Couple Want…
Guests of the couple have been requested to donate to seven different charitable organisations in lieu of presents.
They have set up a Royal Wedding Charitable Donations page for their guests’ reference. The charities included on their list are:
- CHIVA (Children’s HIV Association) — for kids living with HIV in the United Kingdom and Ireland
- Crisis — charity for the homeless
- Myna Mahila Foundation — a women empowerment charity for Mumbai’s slums
- Scotty’s Little Soldiers — for the orphaned children of British Soldiers.
- StreetGames — a sports-oriented charity that helps children be productive parts of their communities
- Surfers Against Sewage — a marine conservation charity
- The Wilderness Foundation UK — a nature and science-targeted charity
Where Will the Royal Couple Be Honeymooning?
No word yet as to which luxury destination the couple has chosen for their royal honeymoon. However, what’s been confirmed is that they won’t be jetting off immediately after the nuptials. This is because they are scheduled to have a public appearance a week into their royal marriage.
This hasn’t stopped royal fans from speculating, though. Others think they will be heading back to Botswana, a place they vacationed in as a new couple, or the Seychelles, where Prince William and Kate Middleton spent their honeymoon. Maybe they’ll surprise us and head over to our side of the globe? Asia can be totally romantic! We’ll just have to wait and see.
Meanwhile, if you want to keep the royal mood on after watching this much-anticipated wedding of the year on Saturday 19 May, just tune into National Geographic on Sunday 20 May to watch Prince Harry’s Story: Four Royal Weddings, and Operation Royal Wedding.
Telecast Details
Premieres Sunday, 20 May, 8pm
National Geographic
(Singtel TV Ch. 201 | StarHub TV Ch. 411)
Also streaming on FOX+
Sources: CNN, Brides, ABC News, TIME, The Times UK, Town and Country
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