Mum grabs 40 winks before big night out!
tennis ace Serena Williams, shared not one but three photographs of herself posing in the grounds in a flamboyant black and floral Valentino gown, while stylist Jessica Mulroney – whose twin sons had carried Meghan’s train earlier in the day – was pictured in a £6,000 low-cut gold beaded dress by Indian designer Naeem Khan.
US actress Troian Bellisario, 32, shared giddy videos of herself and fellow actresses Abigail Spencer and Sarah Rafferty getting off the coach and swapping their designer stilettos for comfortable slippers provided by the bride.
‘How amazing is this?’ she can be heard saying in one of the videos. ‘These shoes have come off. They have slippers for us. Slippers!’
Meghan is also believed to have given her closest friends – none of whom was chosen to be a bridesmaid – bespoke bracelets worth £450 as a mark of their friendship and support on her big day.
Once inside the grounds, guests were guided to a giant marquee at the back of the house, which was bedecked with stunning floral displays by royal florist Philippa Craddock.
Liveried waiters circulated, offering guests drinks – English sparkling wine and ice-cold beer – and trays of light canapes, themed in the style of ‘spring meets summer’.
These, and the three-course sitdown dinner, all comprised seasonal organic produce, much of it sourced from Prince Charles’s Duchy Estate.
Insiders say that the meal was punctuated by informal toasts and speeches – most memorably a brief toast by the bride herself, who, in a historic break with tradition, stood up to thank Harry and his family for their kindness.
In return, Harry gave a gushing, off-the-cuff speech praising Meghan for ‘navigating everything with such grace’ after a turbulent week. ‘We make such a great team,’ he said. ‘I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.’ Guests reportedly burst into cheers when he referred to her as his wife for the first time.
Actor and talk show host James Corden, who attended the reception with his wife Julia, acted as compere, introducing speakers and keeping guests laughing by gently ribbing Harry for ‘punching above his weight’.
Dotted throughout the gardens were outdoor games, including a giant chessboard, fairground performers and stalls offering latenight snacks – from burger and ice cream vans to candy floss kiosks and bars stocked with several types of expensive whisky.
Bespoke cocktails were flowing from a ‘round the world’ bar, whose top offering was the ‘When Harry Met Meghan’, combining rum and ginger beer.
Musical entertainment came from DJ Sam Totolee, a celebrity favourite who has previously played at the weddings of both Pippa Middleton and Rod Stewart, and Uma Thurman’s engagement party.
At one point later in the evening, British actor Idris Elba – who has DJ’d in some of the world’s top clubs – apparently took over for a brief turn on the decks.
But that didn’t stop Meghan from making her own musical requests, and she is believed to have been behind the list of Sixties soul songs that were played by covers band Atlantic Soul Orchestra, which calls itself ‘the country’s hardest-hitting and most authentic soul band’.
The newlyweds’ first dance is believed to have followed a similar theme, with Harry and Meghan eschewing a slow song for the 1966 hit Land Of A Thousand Dances by American soul singer Wilson Pickett (and not, as has been reported elsewhere, Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody).
The final coaches departed at around 3.30am, with insiders reporting that George Clooney was among the last to stagger off the dancefloor.