A thoroughly modern marriage
The sun shone down on Windsor as crowds lined the streets and senior royals and A-list celebrity guests gathered for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. It was a day when love reigned, when tradition mingled with modernity, cultures blended and the royals welcomed change into their midst. Juliet Rieden reports on the glorious day.
In their engagement interview, Prince Harry said he really missed having his mother around to share in his happiness. But Meghan Markle reassured her fiancé, “She’s with us.” On their wedding day, the first thing to greet Prince Harry as he walked up the West Steps to enter St George’s Chapel was a beautiful white floral tribute arch to his mother Diana, Princess of Wales. The floral theme of lush green foliage and white peonies (Meghan’s favourite flower), coupled with white garden roses (Diana’s favourite) and a medley of additional white blooms, all gathered from The Savill Garden in nearby Windsor Great Park by florist Philippa Craddock, was continued inside the chapel.
The festive atmosphere surrounding the nuptials had started many hours previously, with an estimated 120,000 flag-waving
royal revellers descending on the small town of Windsor. It was a picture perfect summer’s day – somewhat a rarity for England, but the royals seem to have a knack for good weather, as it was just as warm and sunny when Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot seven years previously.
This was a private wedding, with 600 guests, no heads of state or politicians, no foreign relations diplomacy, just Harry and Meghan with those closest to them from their combined worlds – Britain, the United States and the Commonwealth. But it also felt as if the whole world was invited to watch what turned out to be an intimate ceremony packed with powerful emotion – and a good few A-list guests as well!
Oprah Winfrey was one of the first to arrive, in a soft blush-coloured dress by Stella McCartney. The mogul later admitted on her Instagram account that she had originally picked a cream version of the dress but she discovered that it photographed white, meaning she would have inadvertently broken one of the biggest wedding guest dress-code rules there is. So, with 24 hours notice, the British designer and her team had stayed up all night to create a pink version instead. The fashion house was also responsible for another celebrity guest’s exquisite outfit – Amal Clooney’s canary yellow dress, which was an early standout in the crowd as she strolled arm-in-arm with husband George Clooney. Tennis royalty Serena Williams, a long-time friend of Meghan’s, also added glam to the star-studded event, as did Meghan’s former Suits co-stars.
The royal party arrived next, starting with Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer. In that memorable speech from his sister’s funeral, he had vowed to watch over Diana’s boys, so this day would have been especially poignant for him. Sarah, Duchess of York, who wasn’t invited to Kate and William’s wedding, looked chuffed to be part of the occasion as she marched towards the chapel, in an elegant navy and pink suit. She was warmly greeted by Jack Brooksbank, her daughter Princess Eugenie’s fiancé; the young couple will also marry at St George’s Chapel, in October. Eugenie and her sister Princess Beatrice – who had toned down their normally eyecatching headwear – arrived at the chapel with their father, Prince Andrew, and other royals.
Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, who had travelled with her daughter in the official car to the chapel, looked radiant in a pale green Oscar de la Renta dress and day coat.
There was a great roar from the crowd when Prince Harry and Prince William emerged from their car, bedecked in their matching Blues and Royals frock-coat uniforms, and waved cheerfully to the crowds.
Last to arrive was Her Majesty the Queen, resplendent in a vibrant lime outfit and matching hat, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. At 96 years old, he was looking surprisingly spritely, particularly after having had hip surgery just weeks previously. It is thought Prince Harry chose to have his wedding at Windsor to ensure his beloved grandparents could be there.
And then it was time for the magic to begin. When Harry’s bride, Meghan, arrived in that impeccably elegant Givenchy gown with its
As a composed Meghan joined him at the altar, Harry said, “You look amazing.”
exquisite embroidered silk tulle veil trailing behind her, she made a powerful statement. She walked up the aisle on her own, a confident, modern, independent woman, followed by her 10 attendants of six bridesmaids and four pageboys, who ranged in age from two to seven.
Halfway up the aisle, Meghan was joined by the man who an hour later would be her father-in-law, the Heir Apparent Prince Charles. The break in protocol came in the wake of Meghan’s father, Thomas, pulling out of the ceremony just days before, due to requiring emergency heart surgery. The Prince of Wales welcomed this American bride to the House of Windsor, watched by her mother, Doria, sitting pride of place at the very front of the chapel. The 61-year-old couldn’t hide her emotion and started to well up, and there were moments when Prince Harry also looked to be brushing aside tears. “Thank you, Pa,” he said to his father as an incredibly composed Meghan joined him at the altar. When Harry saw Meghan he said, “You look amazing.” He lifted his bride’s veil and the couple held hands tightly as their beautiful wedding ceremony began.
The service was a meaningful blend of royal pomp and Church of England solemnity, combined with the exuberance of more American touches, such as the rousing sermon by US Bishop Michael Curry.
St George’s Chapel has probably never seen anything like the Chicagoborn preacher, whose address was powerful, outspoken and raised the roof (and a few bemused eyebrows amongst the more conservative guests). It was followed by a fabulous, poignant rendition of Stand by Me, sung by a British gospel choir.
“It was unreal, that’s how it was… and a history-making moment,” said Karen Gibson, the leader of the Kingdom Choir, about performing at the event. “It feels like it’s something new. Brand new and fresh.”
Diana’s sister, Lady Jane Fellowes, delivered a reading and, as with all the sermons, the theme of love conquering all prevailed. Like Kate before her,
The theme of love conquering all prevailed and the whole ceremony was sealed with a kiss.
Meghan chose not to “obey” in her vows, and unlike his brother and other royal men, Prince Harry opted to wear a wedding ring, a platinum band crafted by royal jewellers Cleave and Company, who also made Meghan’s engagement ring.
The whole ceremony was sealed with a sweet and impromptu kiss at the top of the steps outside the church, the couple framed by those beautiful flowers. The ecstatic crowd – not to mention the millions watching at home – cheered as Harry and Meghan locked lips. And even though the ceremony was notable for its modern approach, there was one tradition nobody could say no to: a horsedrawn carriage procession through the hundreds of thousands of wellwishers, some of whom had camped overnight to be there.
Both Harry and Meghan looked overjoyed as they clutched hands and waved at everyone; you couldn’t have asked for a more perfect end to such an inclusive, joyful ceremony. The pair then headed into St George’s Hall to meet their guests at a lunch reception, compered by Prince William.
At the reception, Prince Charles was seen with Meghan’s mother on his arm and gave an emotional speech that moved many to tears. For the Prince of Wales, watching his youngest son marry the love of his life was a very special day. His Royal Highness talked about watching his little boy move on to become a fine young man and called his son “darling old Harry”.
Prince Harry’s speech revealed his overwhelming joy as the newlywed announced he was the happiest man in the world. He reportedly then jokingly asked whether anyone in the room could play the piano and introduced Sir Elton John, who played Tiny Dancer, which he dedicated to the bride, Your Song and Circle of Life from The Lion King.
Earlier Bishop Curry had evoked Dr Martin Luther King and those sentiments summed up this very special union. “We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love and when we do that we will make of this old world a new world.”
Weddings are always about the bride. The dress, the hair, the bridesmaids. And Meghan, in her stunning off-the shoulder Givenchy gown, accompanied by her clutch of gorgeous little attendants, was every bit the fairytale bride as she ascended the steps of St George’s chapel.
But this wedding – with its wonderful mix of tradition and playfulness – was, at its heart, all about Harry. The boy we had watched as he walked, at the age of 12, in the funeral procession behind his mother’s casket, and who endured unimaginable heartbreak over the ensuing years, had finally found true happiness.
Seeing him wipe away tears as he held Meghan’s hand at the altar and, later, lovingly kiss her on the chapel steps, made our hearts lift and we felt a sense that Diana’s boy was going to be okay. In his American bride, Harry has found a soulmate – a woman who shares his commitment to humanitarian work, his sense of fun and who appears to be unfazed by the pressures of the couple’s new roles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The choice of song for their big day – Stand by Me – could not have been more fitting.
Graceful, refined and chic, the pure white Givenchy gown Meghan Markle wore to wed Prince Harry was an elegant triumph, created by the first woman to lead the French fashion house, Clare Waight Keller. The open bateau neckline revealed a hint of shoulder and emphasised the bride’s slender waist. Ms Waight Keller developed an exclusive double bonded silk cady with a soft matt lustre to perfect the sculptural look Meghan desired. With slim three-quarter sleeves and a train that flowed in soft round folds over an underskirt of triple silk organza, the impeccably tailored gown was demure and chic.
Givenchy is perhaps best known for creating the timeless dresses Audrey Hepburn wore in many of her films, most notably, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Hubert de Givenchy also dressed Audrey for her own wedding to Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti. However, the present Artistic Director of the famed fashion house is a British woman who was brought into the historic haute couture atelier to modernise its timeless codes: minimal elegance and expert craftsmanship. In that respect, Ms Waight Keller’s influence on the historic fashion house reflects the role the Duke and Duchess of
Sussex play in the monarchy.
The veil was five metres of silk tulle trimmed with hand-embroidered flowers that represented each of the 53 Commonwealth nations, including kowhai for New Zealand. It was held in place by the Queen Mary diamond bandeau tiara of brilliant platinum-set diamonds. The dainty bouquet included flowers handpicked by Prince Harry.