The timetable
On May 19, 2018, the time has finally come: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will walk down the aisle. The hour-long ceremony begins at 12 noon and is conducted by David Conner, Dean of Windsor. The couple will then say their vows in front of Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury.
The couple will then take a carriage ride from the Royal Chapel through Windsor Town to Windsor Castle, where the wedding ceremony will take place.
Afterwards, at around 6 p.m., 200 selected guests will continue to Frogmore House, where the celebration will continue into the evening.
The location
Harry was practically born with a special fondness for Windsor: his christening took place there in1984 and he also spent his first time together with Meghan here. So it quickly became clear that their wedding would also be celebrated here. By the way: Alongside Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, which lies to the west of London, is one of the royal family's official main residences and is often occupied by the Queen at weekends.
The chapel
St. George's Chapel dates back to the 15th century and has often been the chosen location for royal celebrations and weddings (Prince Charles and Camilla tied the knot here in 2005).
The chapel has room for 800 guests and is one of the most beautiful medieval churches in England for good reason: even without wedding decorations, you will be left dreaming and amazed.
The wedding service will begin at 12noon at St George's Chapel. The Dean of Windsor will conduct the service and The Archbishop of Canterbury will officiate as the couple make their vows. pic.twitter.com/dTS56fy22c
- Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) February 12, 2018
The best men
With Harry, it's unsurprising that his brother Prince William will be the "best man" . Conversely, Harry also stood by William at his wedding to Kate Middleton. After it was long rumored who Meghan would have as maid of honor, it is now clear that none of her friends will take on the role of "Maid of Honor". This was even confirmed by the palace:
She has a close circle of friends and didn't want to favor one over the other,
a palace spokesperson said in a statement quoted by "People", among others. "Everyone has been actively involved in helping her prepare for the day and will continue to be there for her in the days leading up to it. She is very happy to have their support."
The guests
The guest list is top secret. 600 gold-edged (!) invitations have been sent out. Of these, 400 will "only" be at the wedding ceremony and reception afterwards. 200 lucky ones will also be able to join the party afterwards. The fact is that in addition to numerous royal relatives, the divorced parents of the bride, Doria Roland and Tom Markle, will of course also be celebrating. Three siblings of Harry's late mother Princess Diana are also expected to attend.
In addition, 2,640 "ordinary mortals" have been invited to the castle courtyard - to cheer the arrival and departure of the "Newly Weds".
Politicians such as the Obamas, who are friends from the USA, are not allowed to be among the guests. As Harry has now moved far down the line of succession to the throne, it was decided after consultation with the government that it was therefore not necessary to invite state guests.
The dress code
As is customary at royal weddings, there is also a dress code for the invited guests: the men can choose between uniform, tailcoat or suit. Swords and badges are prohibited this time. Perhaps to avoid awkward appearances like David Beckham's at Prince William's wedding. Back then, the footballer adorned his cut with the "Order of the British Empire" badge - albeit on the wrong side.
The ladies should please come in morning dress - i.e. festive, but not in a long dress, but of course with a hat.
The ring
After Prince William gave his Kate Diana's famous sapphire ring as an engagement present, Harry came up with something very special for Meghan: After a year and a half of dating, he gave her a self-designed gold ring including a white diamond from Botswana. Background: The couple had traveled to the country to celebrate Meghan's 36th birthday. The stone is set with two small diamonds from a brooch from Harry's mother Diana's estate. The prince revealed that he wanted to make sure she was with them on this crazy trip. The design was created by the Queen's favorite jeweler: Cleave and Company.
