‘I can’t wait to spend rest of my life with you,’ groom roared
THE reception for the royal wedding was a star-studded affair, with actor Idris Elba taking to the DJ decks and comedian James Corden acting as compère at the highly exclusive party.
In a contrast to the pomp and ceremony of the service at St George’s Chapel, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ended their first night of married life on the dance floor with a soundtrack of R&B hits and Eighties classics.
Close friends mingled with global celebrities among 200 guests under a glass marquee in the grounds of Frogmore House for a sit-down meal, emotional speeches and the letting down of hair. The evening, hosted officially by Prince Charles, saw younger members of the royal family mixing with Hollywood’s finest, who were banned from taking their mobile phones for fear of indiscreet photography.
George and Amal Clooney, who were briefly stopped at the gates before security guards recognised them, were joined by Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley and Elton John and David Furnish, while Elba, star of ‘Luther’ and ‘The Wire’ banged out the sounds.
The bride delivered her own speech, sweetly complimenting her new husband and expressing her joy at being welcomed into his family. The groom, with his brother and best man Prince William, made moving references to their late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who Harry has said would have adored his new wife.
Earlier, the Duke had praised the Duchess for her “grace”, raising the roof as he told her: “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
The evening was marked by a spectacular firework display over Frogmore House, where the couple’s relationship blossomed in its early days.
As comic actor and television presenter Corden held the entertainment together, there were rumours of surprise guest appearances by such as Harry Styles, the former One Direction singer who had been spotted in the area.
Charlie van Straubenzee, a friend of the family, is reported to have joined Prince William in teasing the groom mercilessly.
Then, as the dancing started, the Duke and Duchess, who is said to have excellent taste in music, led the way.
The newly weds are said to have eschewed a slow first dance for livelier tunes and are reported to have chosen Whitney Houston’s ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ as an opener to a selection of soul classics.
A live band also played favourites including Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ ‘Dancing In The Street’ and ‘Heat Wave’, before Sam and Dave’s 1967 hit ‘Soul Man’.
‘My Girl’ by The Temptations was also on the revellers’ playlist along with Stevie Wonder’s ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours’, Marvin Gaye’s ‘How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You’ and the 1966 hit ‘Knock on Wood’.
The strains of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’ also drifted over the grounds of Windsor Castle before seguing into Franklin’s 1968 classic ‘Think’, with its Civil Rights era cry of “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!”
In the early hours, soul music gave way to hits from the Eighties and Nineties, with the Eurythmics and Madonna’s ‘Holiday’ being spun by guest DJ for the night, A-list film star Elba.
Die-hard revellers finally made their way home at around 2am, with buses back to London for after-parties arranged by the most eager.
The Duke and Duchess spent the night at Windsor Castle before making a private getaway yesterday.
Wedding guests staying at the nearby Coworth Park Hotel in Ascot, where Prince Harry had slept the night before the service, appeared bleary eyed but joyous yesterday morning.
Corden told hotel staff it had been an “amazing” evening. However, as he left shortly after breakfast alongside his wife Julia Carey he would not be drawn on the details of the party.
The hotel had played host to many of the Duchess’s co-stars in the long-running American television legal drama ‘Suits’, including Patrick Adams, who appeared at breakfast in sunglasses.
Some guests, including Gina Torres, who plays Jessica Pearson in the series, were spotted clutching an armful of souvenir newspapers featuring photographs of the big day.