Meghan, Harry’s wedding songs revealed as Stand By Me and This Little Light of Mine
TWO classic American songs will be played at Meghan Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry as the couple puts a modern twist on their traditional ceremony.
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PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle have included the ‘60s anthem Stand by Me in their wedding service as the couple put a modern twist of the ancient rites of royal marriage.
The Ben E. King classic, one of the best-selling and well-known songs of all time, will be performed by a gospel choir about halfway through the hour-long wedding ceremony at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Twelve hours before the couple walk down the aisle, Kensington Palace has released the order of service, which shows a mostly traditional royal Church of England wedding.
It also shows the precision in which the service will be carried out.
Prince Harry and his best man and brother Prince William will arrive at 11.40am (8.40pm AEST), while Prince Charles and his wife Camilla arrive at 11.42am (8.42pm).
Meghan Markle’s mother Doria Ragland enters the chapel at 11.45am (8.45pm), and the Queen arrives at 11.52am (8.52pm) — just eight minutes before the bride herself arrives at the chapel doors, to the sound of a fanfare.
The Dean of Windsor, David Conner, will read the preface, referring to the pair by their formal first names — Henry Charles Albert David and Rachel Meghan.
The Dean will ask the congregation if anyone objects to the marriage, and to declare it now.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will take the vows, asking first Harry then Meghan the same questions — will they love, comfort, honour and protect each other, forsaking all others, and be faithful, as long as they both shall live?
The pair will each answer “I will.’’
Ms Markle will not be asked if she will “obey’’ her husband, as traditional marriage vows once did.
The order of service was produced before Ms Markle’s father Thomas decided not to attend her wedding earlier in the week, so still lists him as walking her down the aisle.
It was confirmed on Friday that Harry’s father, Prince Charles, has stepped in, and will escort Ms Markle down the second half of the aisle to join her groom at the altar.
She will walk the first half of the chapel aisle alone, in another departure from tradition. Commentators are already fretting about how she will navigate the ancient steps outside St George’s Chapel alone in high heels.
Archbishop Welby, who will marry the pair, said he thought it was “wonderful’’ Prince Charles would walk Ms Markle down the aisle.
“He’s a very warm person and that he’s doing this is a sign of his love and concern and support,” he said.
The order of service shows Lady Jane Fellowes, the sister of Prince Harry’s mother the late Princess Diana, will read from the Song of Solomon, and there will be a number of prayers and classical hymns sung.
Harry, then Meghan, will make their final vows, promising to take each other as husband and wife “to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, or worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, and to cherish, til death do us part, according to God’s law.’’
At the end of the service, everyone will stand while they sing the national anthem God Save the Queen.
Prince Harry and Meghan will then leave the chapel to the rousing sounds of another gospel song — Etta James’ Amen/This Little Light of Mine.
Originally published as Meghan, Harry’s wedding songs revealed as Stand By Me and This Little Light of Mine
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