Royal wedding 2018: Everything you need to know about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day
FROM the cost of the dress to who will walk Meghan down the aisle, here’s your ultimate guide to the royal wedding of the year.
THE bunting is up and the champagne is on ice.
May 19 is set to be the biggest day in the romantic calendar, when Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle in a televised ceremony in the UK town of Windsor.
So while you get your glad rags on and dust off your tiara — here’s your ultimate guide to the royal nuptials.
THE SERVICE
The wedding will be held at St George’s chapel inside Windsor Castle starting at midday UK time (9pm AEST) — and the royal family likes to run on time. The service will be conducted by Reverend David Conner and officiated by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who baptised Meghan Markle in a top secret service.
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Reverend Michael Bruce Curry will travel from Chicago to give the address at the service.
The wedding reception will be held at St George’s Hall, followed by a private evening shindig at Frogmore House.
INSTRUMENT OF CONSENT
The Queen has officially signed off on the wedding with a handwritten note called the “Instrument of Consent”.
It’s printed on vellum, used for state documents and includes the red dragon of Wales, the UK’s flowers — the rose, thistle and shamrock, as well as the rose which is the national symbol of the US and poppies representing California where Meghan was born.
The note is signed by the Queen and says she has consented to “the contracting of Matrimony between Our Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales, K.C.V.O., and Rachel Meghan Markle (sic).”
It comes after the Queen gave formal consent in March this year which is required under UK law.
HOW CAN I WATCH IT?
The wedding ceremony will be televised with blanket coverage from major Australian and international broadcasters. Watch guests begin to arrive from 6.30pm AEST, while the ceremony itself will start at 9pm AEST.
It will also be available to stream on the ABC and Channel 9, with an audio release on Apple Music and Spotify hours after it takes place. Sadly we won’t be able to watch the royal family busting moves on the dance floor, unless it’s on Instagram, as cameras are off limits inside the reception.
WHO’S INVITED
The couple invited 2640 people into the grounds of the oldest continually inhabited castle in the world for their big day. That includes 1200 members of the public, 200 members of charities the couple work with and 100 students from local schools, among others.
However many of those will be outside the chapel listening to the service via speakers. The capacity inside is for 800 people, with 600 people invited for lunch and another 200 invited to a private evening reception.
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Unlike Prince William and Kate’s 2011 wedding, this one is not an official state event so won’t have any heads of state and politicians. Former President Obama is unlikely to be there, despite being close friends with Prince Harry, and no UK politicians will be either.
The Spice Girls, Elton John, and Prince Harry’s exes, Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy are set to attend, along with Meghan’s ultra-glam crew of besties including Jessica Mulroney, Priyanka Chopra and Misha Nonoo.
THE BRIDAL PARTY
Prince William will be best man, while Meghan Markle will not have a maid of honour, with the bridesmaids and pageboys “all children” Kensington Palace has confirmed.
The group of ten will include future king, Prince George, and his sister Princess Charlotte. Prince Louis will stay at home as he will be less than one month old.
Florence van Cutsem, 3, who is the goddaughter of Prince Harry, daughter of Alice van Cutsem and Major Nicholas van Cutsem will be part of the bridal party along with Meghan’s goddaughters Remi Litt, 6, Ryland Litt, 7 — who are the children of her friends Benita and Darren Litt.
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Prince Harry’s goddaughter, Zalie Warren, 2, the child of Zoe and Jake Warren, is also included. Jessica and Ben Mulroney’s children, Ivy, 4, and twins Brian and John Mulroney, 7, will also be there, along with Prince Harry’s godson Jasper Dyer, 6, — the son of Amanda Dyer and Mark Dyer.
All senior members of the royal family will be there including the Queen’s husband, Prince Philip, following his recent hip surgery.
Princess Diana’s siblings will be in attendance, with her sister, Lady Jane Fellowes to do a reading in what is likely to be an emotional moment. Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, will drive to the chapel with her.
On Friday it was announced Prince Charles would walk Meghan down the aisle, after her father pulled out of the wedding after a scandal involving staged paparazzi pictures and heart surgery.
“Ms. Meghan Markle has asked His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to accompany her down the aisle of the Quire of St George’s Chapel on her wedding day,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.
“The Prince of Wales is pleased to be able to welcome Ms. Markle to the royal family in this way.”
Meghan’s half siblings, Thomas Markle Junior and Samantha Markle will not attend after a round of global media appearances that have caused huge embarrassment for the family.
INVITES AND DRESS CODE
Luxurious invites on die-stamped card have been produced by royal warrant holders Barnard & Westwood. They include the three feather badge of Prince Charles, with guests names added by a calligrapher.
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The dress code for men is uniforms, morning coats or lounge suits, while women wear “day dresses” and hats. Prince Harry could either wear his military uniform, as Prince William did at his wedding, or a simple morning suit.
THE DRESS
Meghan’s dress is reported to be a $180,000 beaded creation by London-based Australian designers Ralph & Russo. The duo was behind her engagement outfit and has also been worn by Beyonce, Rihanna, Angelina Jolie, Kylie Minogue and Gwyneth Paltrow.
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The brand was started by Tamara Ralph who graduated from the Whitehouse Institute of Design in Melbourne and met banker Michael Russo in 2003 before launching the company in 2006.
The designers have beaten other top designers, Stewart Parvin, Roland Mouret, Erdem and Alexander McQueen, but Meghan may have a second outfit for the evening.
THE CAKE
Instead of traditional fruit cake, the cake will be a lemon elderflower concoction by Claire Ptak, the owner of London-based bakery, Violet. It will be designed to “incorporate the bright flavours of spring” covered in buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.
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The California-raised chef started her business with a market stall cooking from home and now works as a food stylist and writer. Meghan has previously interviewed her for her website, The Tig.
🎥 Watch as baker Claire Ptak begins work on the #RoyalWedding Cake! pic.twitter.com/OTdcF9hc0a
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 18, 2018
FLOWERS
Flowers will include seasonal branches of beech, birch and hornbeam, as well as white garden roses, peonies and foxgloves grown especially on the Windsor estate. They will be designed by self-taught florist Philippa Craddock, with some pollinator-friendly plants also sourced from the Royal Parks.
After the wedding, they will go to charity. Ms Craddock, who has also done flowers for Christian Dior and the wedding of Ronan and Storm Keating, said it’s been an “absolute pleasure” to work with the couple.
THE FOOD
The menu will follow the seasonal, local ethos with asparagus, artichokes, broad beans and peas from the local area and Queen’s own gardens served up to guests.
The couple have been conducting secret taste tests since March with the royal kitchen’s head chef, Mark Flanagan, who said the spring has provided inspiration, suggesting lamb could also be on the menu.
“Luckily the seasons have just fallen perfectly and that’s become the main focus in the decision making of the menus. The couple have been very involved in every detail of it.”
Meghan is a renowned foodie and had previously named her lifestyle blog, The Tig, after her favourite Italian red wine. Eight hundred guests will be invited to a lunchtime reception, however thousands of others also invited inside the castle will miss out, instead being told to bring their own picnic.
THE HOTEL
Meghan will stay with her mother at Cliveden House on the National Trust’s Cliveden Estate the night before the wedding. The five-star hotel has a “Prince of Wales” suite that costs more than $2700 per night with a separate dressing room and luxurious artwork and fittings.
Prince Harry and Prince William will spend the night at a Dorchester collection property in Coworth Park with a mansion house, spa, barn and polo field.
SECURITY
Stalkers, snipers and terror attacks are a huge concern for police amid what will be the largest security operation in Windsor’s history. More than 100,000 people are expected to pour into the medieval city and will have to pass through a “ring of steel” to enter.
Police will have a network of automatic numberplate recognition technology, CCTV and “hostile vehicle” barriers along with “many security measures you can’t see” in place. Dogs, mounted units, the national air police service will also be used.
CARRIAGE RIDE
After the vows, the couple will ride through the narrow cobbled streets in the Ascot Landau carriage, escorted by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. It has previously been used by the Queen to travel to Royal Ascot, for her coronation, the silver jubilee and on state visits.
Two similar types of carriage were also used to carry best man Prince Harry and bridesmaid, Pippa Middleton at Kate and Prince William’s wedding in 2011. If it rains, the couple will switch to the covered Scottish state coach.
A dress rehearsal was held on Thursday with thousands of members of the public turning up to watch.
More than 250 members of the Armed Forces will provide ceremonial support at the #RoyalWedding, including regiments and units with a special relationship with Prince Harry. pic.twitter.com/O9tT0cVKC2
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) May 17, 2018
THE ARMY
More than 250 people from army regiments associated with Prince Harry will play a ceremonial role, including members of the Household Cavalry, the State Trumpeters and a Captain’s Escort.
The streets will also be lined with members of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Gurkha rifles and other units. Prince Harry joined the army in 2006 and became a Captain over the course of two tours in Afghanistan.
MUSIC AND PHOTOS
Music at the chapel will include a mix of choirs, an orchestra, trumpeters and 19-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who Meghan personally phoned to ask that he play.
Official photos will be taken by Alexi Lubomirski, a renowned fashion photographer who was also behind their engagement photos at Frogmore House.
“I could not be more thrilled or honoured to photograph this historic occasion. Having taken Prince Harry and Ms Markle’s engagement photos, it brings me such joy to be able to witness again, the next chapter in this wonderful love story,” he said.
STREET PARTIES
The wedding will take place on the same day as the FA Cup final and is expected to be a huge event in the UK, with the BBC waiving their licence fee to allow people to watch the celebration.
Drinking laws will also be relaxed to allow pubs across England and Wales to keep serving until 1am rather than 11pm for the night of Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19. Despite being under the flight path for Heathrow Airport, Kensington Palace said they have not made any request to have planes diverted during the day, meaning broadcasters may battle with the sound at some points.
WHO’S PAYING?
The wedding will be paid for by the royal family, with the couple to pay the cost of Meghan’s dress. Security will be a public expense, hence the attempts to make the event as inclusive for as many people as possible.
Wedding website Bridebook predicts the cost could be eye-watering $58 million — earning it a place in the top 10 most expensive weddings of all time.
THE HONEYMOON
The couple will go on a honeymoon, but not straight away, with their first working engagement to be held the week after the wedding at a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?
Details about the wedding rings, jewellery and the official title the couple will be known as have not yet been revealed — although it’s expected to be the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Who will be playing and what it could look like inside have also been kept under wraps.
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