Royal wedding news digest
WINDSOR, United Kingdom: With just two days to go until the wedding of Britain's Prince Harry and US television star Meghan Markle, she confirmed on Thursday that her father will not attend following heart surgery.
Here is a round-up of the latest news:
Thomas Markle, an Emmy Award-winning TV lighting director, had been due to walk his daughter down the aisle.
However, he will not be coming, Markle said, after reports that he had undergone heart surgery.
Markle is recuperating in hospital, the 73-year-old was quoted as saying by US celebrity news website TMZ.
“I'm ok. It will take a long time to heal. Staying in the hospital a few more days. Not allowed to get excited.”
TMZ said he was alert and coherent and said doctors had implanted stents in his blood vessels. — Car crash sister Meanwhile Meghan's halfsister Samantha Grant was in hospital with a suspected broken ankle and a fractured knee after her boyfriend Mark drove into a concrete barrier trying to avoid a photographer, he told TMZ.
Grant suffers from multiple sclerosis and is already wheelchair-bound as a result.
— Uninvited brother in Windsor
Half-brother Tom Markle Junior was in Windsor ahead of the wedding, despite not having an invite.
Last month he urged Harry to bail out of the wedding to his “jaded, shallow, conceited” halfsister who he said would make a “joke” of the royal family.
But he appeared to have had a change of heart. The Daily Mirror newspaper quoted him as saying: “My sister's going to be one of the best things ever to have happened to the royal family.
“She will be the perfect modern princess. I wish Meg and Harry nothing but a happy and healthy future together.”
He said the letter was a “moment of madness” and a cry for help while at “breaking point” dealing with the pressure.
“Despite her job, there will be no acting by her on Saturday for sure. She'll be unable to hide her happiness.” — Privates on parade Around 250 soldiers, sailors, marines and air crew are due to take part in the wedding and the military staged a rehearsal in the streets of Windsor.
“There's a lot of planning and preparation that goes into this,” said the Royal Navy's state ceremonial officer Eddie Wearing.
“The guys will be able to cope with the pressure on the day because we have done a lot of training and it's all about repetition.
“Nerves are a good thing and a bit of healthy nervousness is good in my book. We are absolutely ready to go.” — Cafe royal With anticipation already building in Windsor, the town's Heidi coffee shop is offering customers royal wedding themed lattes.
The souvenir shot is topped of with a high-resolution depiction of the couple on the day they announced their engagement. — Hitting a high note Two choir boys who will sing during the wedding said they were nervous and excited to be performing, after weeks of rehearsals.
Leo Mills, 11, and nine-yearold Nathan Mcharo are among 12 young choristers who will sing during the service.
“I'm super excited. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. If it's handed to you, you take it,” said Mills.
“We've been rehearsing often for the last three or four weeks.”
Mcharo added: “I've got a bit of nerves but that's all right because we're confident.”