It’s a Windsor wedding in May
Couple opt for intimate ceremony at castle... and millions will watch on TV
HARRY and Meghan have spurned the splendours of Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral for their wedding.
Instead they will marry in the more low-key St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Officials say the wedding will almost certainly be televised – although the full details have yet to be agreed.
The couple plan to include the public as much as possible for what they want to be a ‘joyous and fun’ day. The Queen and Prince Charles will pick up the bill for the event, expected in early May.
While Harry and Meghan have chosen not to follow in the footsteps of family members in using central London landmarks, their venue boasts a rich royal history. The 15th century Gothic chapel is one of the Queen’s favourite places of worship.
For Harry and Meghan the most important factor however was that they loved the building and its surrounds. They have made secret visits to Windsor, which is where the Queen now spends most of her working week.
St George’s holds around 800 guests, compared with the 2,000 capacity of Westminster Abbey where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wed in 2011.
It will prove easier to control the crowds of well-wishers at Windsor.
Harry and Meghan want the event to reflect their gregarious personalities, and may even include a carriage ride round the grounds. The couple are in charge of all the details and aides cannot confirm whether the reception will be in the castle itself or in the small royal residence of Frogmore in the grounds.
In a statement, Kensington Palace said: ‘Windsor is a very special place for Prince Harry and he and Ms Markle have regularly spent time there over the last year and a half. They are grateful to the Queen for granting permission for the use of the chapel. The couple of course want the day to be a special, celebratory moment for their friends and family.
‘They also want the day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too and are currently working through ideas for how this might be achieved.
‘This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters of the bride and groom. Prince Harry and Ms Markle are leading the planning process for all aspects of the wedding.’ The Queen and Prince Charles will pay for the core aspects of the event, such as the church service, the associated music, flowers, decorations and the reception afterward.
It is understood that Meghan’s divorced parents, Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland, both of whom have experienced bankruptcy, will contribute very little, if anything.
There was no confirmation yesterday of whether, as expected, the service would be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who has already indicated his willingness to conduct it, in spite of Meghan being a divorcee.
Palace aides would not say whether Meghan’s reclusive father, who is an award-winning Hollywood lighting director, would walk her down the aisle. He lives in Mexico and has not met Harry.
With its magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling and beautiful stained glass windows, St George’s has been the setting for many historic events including the funeral of the Queen’s father, King George VI.
It holds the tombs of ten sovereigns and is used for royal Easter services and occasions such as the service to mark the Duke of Edinburgh’s 90th birthday and celebrations including Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee.
Construction was started in 1475 by Edward IV and completed under Henry VIII in 1528.