Let the countdown begin.
Updated 13 February 2018.
The announcement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement sent the world into a frenzy. With their romantic prince-meets-Hollywood starlet love story, akin to that of actress Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco, who isn’t excited to speculate over the details of their big day?
According to Prince Harry’s communications secretary, Jason Knauf, the couple “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”.
So with this in mind, we’ve set our calendars and pulled together a go-to guide on the royal couple to ensure you’re in the know about their big day.
The date:
Confirmed by Kensington Palace via Twitter, the couple will wed on the 19th of May this year. Already famous for breaking royal traditions, the duo have chosen the event to take place on a Saturday. Past royal weddings have occurred on weekdays – a Thursday for Queen Elizabeth II, and a Friday for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Speculation has already arisen over the unusual date choice with some believing it was set with enough time for the Duchess to recover from the birth of her third child, due in April. Others believe that Prince Harry’s close bond with grandfather Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, helped determine the date. Aged 96, Prince Philip retired from official duties last year amid some speculation around his health.
The location:
The ceremony will occur at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle and already holds special significance for Prince Harry who was baptised at the same location. The venue seats approximately 800 people and, unlike a traditional wedding, the royal family will pay for the majority of the celebration’s costs. With Prince William and Kate Middleton’s big day calling for an extravagant $34 million, we can only imagine how much this wedding will cost.
The logistics:
Kensington Palace has announced that the couple will marry at midday before travelling through Windsor, Berkshire, in a carriage at 1:00pm. They will be married bv the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, while Rt Rev David Conner, dean of Windsor, will be conducting the service.
Following the marriage service at St George’s Chapel, the carriage procession will pass through notable spots including Castle Hill, High Street, Sheet Street, Kings Road, Albert Road, Long Walk and back to Windsor Castle before reuniting with their wedding guests at St George’s Hall.
According to a statement released by Kensington Palace: “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.”
The dress:
While there has been much speculation over ‘who’ and what Markle will wear, the details are yet to be confirmed. This hasn’t stopped us (and every avid royal watcher) from speculating however, with our votes being for a Canadian designer or one of Markle’s other favourites such as Erdem, Marchesa or designer friend Misha Nonoo.
Markle wore a Ralph and Russo gown in the engagement photos which might be an indication of what she’ll wear on the big day. Either way, there’s no doubt that it will both be elaborate and trend-setting with the details likely to be kept a very close-guarded secret.
The bridesmaids:
Similar to Pippa Middleton’s wedding last year, we’re assuming Prince George and Princess Charlotte will make an appearance in their too-cute roles as pageboy and flower girl. Actress Priyanka Chopra, tennis player Serena Williams, designer Misha Nonoo and stylist Jessica Mulroney are a few of Markle’s close friends rumoured to be included in the bridal party line-up.
The ring:
Anything but ordinary, Markle’s engagement ring was designed by Prince Harry and made by the jeweller of Queen Elizabeth II , Cleave and Company. Completely priceless and a tribute to Princess Diana, the ring features a centre diamond from Diana’s own jewellery collection. With the engagement ring so spectacular, we can’t wait to see how the wedding band will complement it.
Wedding prep:
On top of the usual wedding prep for any bride-to-be, Markle must also be baptised and confirmed by the Church of England. As an American, she will also have to become a British citizen to fulfil her duties.
Stay tuned for more details to come!
Words: Ella Francis
Photos: Getty Images
Watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement interview in full:
