Photo: AARON CHOWN/AFP
Prince HarryandMeghan Markle’sroyal weddingon May 19, 2018, captivated the world.
An estimated 1.9 billion people tuned in to watch the pair say their “I dos,” making it one of the biggest televised events in history. A wedding ceremony of such scale required a great deal of careful planning and hard work from everyone involved, from the wedding cake baker, Claire Ptak, who spent five days perfecting the couple’s lemon sponge confection with her team, to the dressmakers, who worked for “hundreds of hours” sewing fabric andwashing their hands every 30 minutesto keep the veil immaculate.
“A great level of detailwent into the planning of our wedding day,” Meghan acknowledged in an audio clip from the couple’s “A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex” exhibit in Windsor. “We knew how large the scale of the event would be, so in making choices that were really personal and meaningful, it could make the whole experience feel intimate.”
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It was a fitting goal for the couple, who alsogot engagedin an über-intimate manner. "It was a cozy night," Meghan told the BBC. “We were roasting chicken. It was just an amazing surprise. It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got down on one knee.”
Though the pair’s big day was highly publicized and televised for the world to see, there were some details that the public didn’t learn until much later — including the fact that Harry and Meghansecretly exchanged vows in a backyard ceremonythree days before their wedding, as they toldOprah Winfrey. In their Netflix docuseriesHarry & Meghan,the coupleshared several more special momentsfrom their nuptials, offering viewers an intimate peek at their first dance as well as Meghan’s mindset on the big day.
“On the day of our wedding, it’s like I went into a really calm space. I don’t know how I was so calm,“Meghan said. “I look back at that: How was I so calm? And all I wanted was a mimosa, a croissant. And to play the song ‘Going to the Chapel.’ Oh, that’s what I did. And it was great.”
In the series, Harry also spoke about the expectation for the couple to have a big wedding. “There was an expectation, right? Diana’s boy It was an expectation to have a public wedding,” he said. “It was like, ‘Mission complete with William. Now let’s see if this goes the distance with Harry and then we can actually go, “Job done”.’ "
From their A-list guest list to their traditional lunch reception and private late-night party, here’s everything to know aboutPrince HarryandMeghan Markle’s royal wedding.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding Details
Harry and Meghan got married on a weekend
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The couple’s wedding date of May 19, 2018, was unusual because it fell on a Saturday. Historically, British royals have chosen to hold their ceremonies on weekdays.Prince WilliamandKate Middletongot married on a Friday, whilePrince CharlesandPrincess Dianatied the knot on a Wednesday. As forQueen Elizabeth IIandPrince Philip, they exchanged vows on a Thursday.
Their wedding invitations were traditional
Netfix
A tweetfrom Kensington Palace revealed that the pair’s invitations, like the invitations of many royals before them, came from Barnard Westwood and featured the three-feathered badge ofPrince Charlesin gold ink. Inepisode three ofHarry & Meghan,viewers got to see a peek at the couple’s formal ceremony invitations as well as their more modern invites for their intimate evening celebration.
Their wedding venue had tons of royal history
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Unlike his brotherPrince William, who marriedKate Middletonat Westminster Abbey in London,Prince Harrysaid “I do” to Meghan atSt. George’s Chapelon the grounds of Windsor Castle. “Prince Harryand Ms. Markle are delighted that the beautiful grounds of Windsor Castle will be where they begin their lives together as a married couple,” Kensington Palace Communications Secretary Jason Knaufsaid in a statementat the time.
As PEOPLE reported in 2018, the chapel is at least 500 years old and has served as the site of numerous royal weddings, including those of Queen Victoria’s children. It is also the final resting place of several monarchs, including with King George VI, the Queen Mother Elizabeth, Henry VIII, Charles I, King Edward IV, King Edward VII, King George III, King William IV and King George V. WhenPrince Harry’s grandparents died —Prince Philipin 2021 andQueen ElizabethII in 2022 — they were also buried in the chapel.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding Guests
Their guest list included several A-listers
Samir Hussein/WireImage
The British royals weren’t the only VIPs attending Prince Harry and Meghan’s wedding. In addition to Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II, there were plenty ofAmerican A-listers in the pews. The bride’s palsSerena WilliamsandPriyanka Choprashowed up for the ceremony, as did herSuitscostars Abigail Spencer, Gabriel Macht andPatrick J. Adams(with his wife,Troian Bellisario).
Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriendsCressida Bonas and Chelsea Davy were also there, along with several famous couples likeGeorgeandAmal Clooney,Carey Mulliganand Marcus Mumford andVictoriaandDavid Beckham.Idris Elbaserved as the couple’s DJ andElton Johnperformed at their daytime luncheon. EvenOprah Winfreywas there!
“James Cordencame in last, arriving in a Henry VIII costume, saying he didn’t know what to wear to a royal wedding,” a guest told PEOPLE about the evening reception. The talk show hostlater explained, telling PEOPLE, “Harry asked if I would do, like, a performance of some kind. And so I did it, yeah. I wasn’t really dressed as Henry VIII, it was just dressed in a kind of Tudor outfit. But I guess I look a bit like Henry VIII, so that’s probably why.”
A seat next to Prince William was left empty
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While many believed the empty chair next toPrince Williamwas meant to honor his andPrince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, PEOPLE reported that it wasactually kept clearto giveQueen Elizabeth, who was seated in the second row, a better view of the couple’s nuptials.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding Party
Harry and Meghan had 10 children in their wedding
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WhilePrince GeorgeandPrincess Charlotteundoubtedlystole the showat their uncle’s wedding, they were in good company withfive other bridesmaids and three other page boys. “We had 10 bridesmaids and page boys under the age of 7, which everybody says is impossible to have them behaving, but they did it!” Harry said inhis recordingfor the “Royal Wedding” exhibit. Agreed Meghan: “It was a miracle!”
Counted among themwere bag designer Benita Litt’s daughters, Rylan and Remi, who call Meghan their godmother, and her son, Darren Litt, as well as Jessica Mulroney’s twin boys, Brian and John, and daughter, Ivy.
According to the Kensington Royal website, the bridesmaids wore Givenchy dresses made of ivory silk radzimir with short puff sleeves, pockets and pleated skirts. They also wore flower crowns that matched Meghan’s bouquet.
As for the page boys, they wore mini versions of the Blues and Royals frock coat with their initials embroidered into the shoulder straps.
Meghan’s best friend was given a special seat — and role
Toronto-based stylist Jessica Mulroney, Meghan’s good friend, was given a special seat. “[Meghan] made sure that Jessica was sitting in that first seat closest to where Harry and Meghan were standing,” Birks Vice-President Eva Hartling told PEOPLE.
According to Hartling, Mulroney alsoserved as the bride’s unofficial maid of honor.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding Looks
Meghan went for a natural makeup look
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Martin reasoned, “The last thing you want [is] to look at your wedding pictures and go, ‘Remember when highlighting was the rage?’ At the end of the day, you want to look like your best self.”
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“I had about seven or eight meetings with her, actually,” Waight Kellersaid of the royal. “From the very start, we had a few variations on the design but then very quickly it involved holding to the final creation that you saw.”
As the designer explained, the pair began with several sketches she presented, at which point the two women would talk through the dress’s lines, proportions and scale. “We quickly got to a pointwhere [Meghan] knew exactly what she wanted, having tried some of mock-ups that I had shown her,” she told reporters, adding, “She knows what she wants.”
Made of exclusive double-bonded silk cady material, the gown’s pure white hue and delicate fabric required extra-special care, withhand-washing required of the embroiderersevery 30 minutes. “Over a period of time, you build up oils on your hand and when you work on something of such purity — absolute pure white — you need to keep it immaculately clean,” Waight Keller later explained to reporters. “There were many people involved in the workmanship, and obviously, it took an enormous amount of hours to do it.”
The finished product, however, which Meghan paired with matching shoes Waight Keller made in a silk duchess satin, was a true thing of beauty.
Meghan’s “something blue” was hidden in her veil
Meghan revealed in the HBO documentaryQueen of the Worldthat hersomething bluewas a piece of fabric from her very first date withPrince Harry. “Somewhere in here, there’s a piece of blue fabric that’s stitched inside,” she said of her 16-foot-long veil.
In addition to the hidden material, the actress’s silk tulle headpiece had a special trim that wasembroidered with flowers from all 53 countriesin the Commonwealth, plus Wintersweet from Kensington Palace and the California poppy to represent her home state.
Embroidered crops of wheat, which symbolize love and charity, were placed at the front of the veil.
Waight Keller explained the inspiration behind the special accessory. “I came up with the ideaof maybe representing each of the countries, the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, through their flora and fauna. [Meghan and I] both loved the story of that. It also meant that [every] single one of those countries also journeyed up the aisle with her. It was a really poetic moment.”
Her tiara was both her “something old” and “something borrowed”
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Meghan’sQueen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiarawas not only gorgeous, with large and small brilliant diamonds and a detachable center brooch with 10 more diamonds surrounding it, but it also served as her"something old” and “something borrowed,” too.
In addition to the diamond-laden tiara and thestunning engagement ringplaced on her finger, the bride was decked out in a pair ofdiamond stud Cartier earringsand a diamond-studded Reflection de Cartier bracelet.
Prince Harry wore a military uniform
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Prince Harryexplained his wedding ensemble choice of a Blues and Royals frock coat uniform inan audio clipfrom the “A Royal Wedding: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex” exhibit in Windsor. “I chose the frock coat as a uniform, with permission from my grandmother, because I think it’s one of the smartest household cavalry uniforms,” he can be heard saying in the clip. “It’s one of my favorites, and I was very fortunate to be able to wear that on the day.”
Meghan’s wedding bouquet featured a tribute to Princess Diana
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Harry and Meghan’s wedding bands were mismatched
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Wedding Ceremony
Prince Charles walked Meghan halfway down the aisle
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In the absence of Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, whom a source told PEOPLE wasunable to attend the ceremonydue to “medical reasons,“Prince Charlestook a significant role in the ceremony, meeting Meghanhalfway down the aisleto walk her the rest of the way on his arm. “It was Meghan’s wish, and she is grateful for the Prince of Wales to be doing it,” a royal source told PEOPLE.
In the couple’s Netflix docuseriesHarry & Meghan,Meghan spoke about Charles walking herdown the aisle. “Him, as my father-in-law, was important to me,” she said.
The bishop quoted Martin Luther King Jr.
Rather than having a senior member of the Church of England speak at their wedding, Harry and Meghan chose American Bishop Michael Bruce Curry to deliver a special sermon.
According to an insider, Curry was chosen to speak for his role as the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and his talent as a wonderful orator. “[As a wonderful speaker and preacher, it would behighly appropriatefor him to be invited to speak,” the insider said of the choice.
In his speech, Curry quotedMartin Luther King Jr.’s 1957 “Love Your Enemies” speech, saying, “We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we discover that, we will be able to make of this old world a new world. Love is the only way.”
Meghan omitted the word “obey” from her vows
Prince Harryand Meghan chose to recite astandard set of vowsat their church ceremony, in which they promised to “have and to hold” each other from their wedding day forward, “for better, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health.” Meghan did not promise to “obey” Harry, however — something her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, and sister-in-law,Kate Middleton, also forwent at their ceremonies.
A gospel choir sang “Stand By Me” — and the couple walked out to Etta James
Near the end of the wedding, guests were also treated to a performance from an orchestra, with 19-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason playing a solo — a request from Meghan herself, whopersonally called to ask the musicianto play.
Harry and Meghan shared their first married kiss on the steps of St. George’s Chapel
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day.BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images
While most American couplesshare their first kiss after saying “I do,” Harry and Meghan followed in the footsteps ofPrince Charlesand Princess Diana andPrince WilliamandKate Middleton, who shared their first kiss after the wedding. With no royal balcony at their wedding venue of St. George’s Chapel, however, theylocked lips for the first timeon its steps instead.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Lunch Reception
The Queen hosted a lunchtime reception for Harry and Meghan
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Once there, they were treated to avariety of canapés, including salmon, asparagus and panna cotta with quail egg (to name a few), plus larger bowl canapés (fricassee of free range chicken with morel mushrooms and young leeks, pea and mint risotto with pea shoots, truffle oil and parmesan crisps and ten-hour slow-roasted Windsor pork belly with apple compote and crackling) and dessert canapés, including champagne and pistachio macaroons, orange crème brûlée tartlets and miniature rhubarb crumble tartlets.
Harry also gavean impromptu speechat the event. “It was very off-the-cuff, which was lovely,” a guest told PEOPLE.
Elton John performed at the lunch reception
According to a guest of the newlyweds, John played several songs for the pair, including “Tiny Dancer,” which he dedicated to Meghan.
Eltonlater spoke to CNNabout his attendance at the pair’s nuptials, saying, “It was very, very wonderful to be there. To have a black gospel choir, a multiracial bride, a black cellist, who was wonderful, a preacher — it felt like a party, and it felt like progress had been made. Thank God, thank God.”
InHarry & Meghan,the Duchess of Sussex spoke about her momDoria Ragland’sreaction to John’s performance. “I couldn’t find my mom, because she had beelined to the stage to watch Elton John sing,” Meghan revealed.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Evening Reception
Harry and Meghan had an outfit change
Meghan and Harry leave Windsor Castle to attend an evening reception at Frogmore House.Steve Parsons - WPA Pool/Getty
The bride topped the look off with a pair of18-karat white gold Cartier drop earringsand agiant aquamarine cocktail ringthat once belonged to Princess Diana. On her feet, she wore a pair of Aquazurra heels with light blue bottoms.
As forPrince Harry, he changed out of his formal military attire and into something a little more dance-friendly: a black tuxedo.
Their wedding cake broke from royal tradition
"The texture is really lovely and the flavor is quintessentially spring and British,” Ptak said of her masterpiece, which took her and a team of six bakers five days to bake and ice.
In an interview withTatler, published in April 2023, Ptak revealed that Meghan gave herfree rein of the cake design.
“Meghan, she specifically said to me, ‘I don’t want to tell you what to do… the reason why I’ve chosen you is because I love your baking and your work and your point of view and your ethos,” she said. “And I was like, “Oh my god, that’s so cool. The best job brief ever!’ "
Idris Elba served as a DJ
When it came to the music for their reception, the couple wanted only the best to get their friends and family members on the dance floor — Golden Globe-winning actorIdris Elba. Elba lateradmitted to being nervous about the gig, telling theDaily Mail, This wasn’t like my cousin’s wedding. This [reception] wasn’t at the community hall,” he later said. “This was a big, big deal.”
Adding to his jitters was his close, personal relationship with the couple. “[Harry and Meghan are] good friends and I wanted to make sure they had a great time, so there was a lot of pressure,” he said.
Ultimately, however, Elba nailed the gig with a little help from the bride. “Meghan had sent me a playlist, so I knew what she wanted already,” he explained.
A source told PEOPLE that Elba hadthe A-list guests busting a groove. “It was a huge dance party, everyone was letting loose and had a blast,” the source revealed.
Elba later revealed that the brideseemed to particularly enjoy the music. “I think Meghan was the one that was really letting it go,” Elba toldET Canadain an interview published on March 9, 2023.
“You know, she was real … she just had a lot of fun. It was her wedding. So she had the greatest time,” the actor said.
George Clooney served up cocktails— andSerena Williams played some games
OWEN HUMPHREYS/AFP/Getty
The Casamigos tequila founder acted as a bartender during the evening, serving up cocktails toPrince Harryand Meghan’s nearest and dearest. “George Clooneyhopped behind the barand was mixing drinks for guests,” a source told PEOPLE.
In addition to Clooney’s concoctions, reception-goers were treated to ginger beverages —a nod to Harry’s famous red locks.
Food included baked potato, pork belly and meringue for dessert, according to a royal wedding insider, who spoke to PEOPLE.
Williams also got in on the fun at the reception. “Serena did play beer pong,” a source told PEOPLE. “She’s super old-school like that.”
Harry and Meghan had a fun first dance
Netflix
Years after the wedding, the pair revealed that the tune they chose for their first dance wasPickett’s “Land of 1000 Dances.”
“I just really wanted the music to be fun. Even our first dance,” Meghan said in a clip from theirHarry and Meghandocuseries.
“Just spinning like a whirlwind. It was so great,” she recalled of the special moment.
They both gave touching reception speeches
Both the bride and groom had some sweet words to share with their guests on their big day.
Harry’s big momentwas light-hearted, with him playing guessing games with his guests about his media-given nicknames and warmly thanking his father for hosting the couple’s special night.
As for Meghan’s speech, whichbroke royal protocolin her father’s absence, it was “very well-crafted … brilliant,” according to one wedding-goer. The guest told PEOPLE, “She’s a very warm person.”
“There is no doubt how in love they are,” the guest added after witnessing their exchanges.
source: people.com
