Cup tied! Harry names the day
Wedding date will clash with two cup finals
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle set up a major diary clash for millions of families last night after scheduling their wedding for the same day as two football cup finals.
The Royal couple yesterday announced that they had opted for Saturday May 19 to tie the knot at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
The pair chose the date because they did not want a Friday wedding, which would have prompted calls for the Government to grant a bank holiday.
They also opted for later in May as they wanted to give the Duchess of Cambridge time to recover from the birth of her third child, which is due in April.
But it means they have ended up scheduling the event on the same day as the most important fixtures in the footballing calendar – the Scottish and English Cup Finals.
The Palace insisted last night there would not be a direct clash, saying the wedding was likely to take place in the morning, with both the Scottish and English Cup Finals in the afternoon. But MPs said it was a shame that the two national events were taking place on the same day, potentially sparking awkward diary clashes for families keen to watch both – and battles over the television remote control.
It also raises questions over whether or not the Royal Family realised the football finals were on the same day. The clash is particularly awkward for Prince William, who as president of the English Football Association would normally attend the cup final showpiece.
Royal author Phil Dampier spoke for many yesterday when he tweeted: ‘You don’t get married on FA Cup final day, every bloke knows that! Not sure William will be happy.’ Last night, former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: ‘It is a shame because these are both really important unifying national occasions.
‘It would have been a good thing if they had been on separate Saturdays, but that’s just the way it is.
‘I’m sure those who took the decision will have taken various things into consideration, but the peak of the national game might have been a date they could have considered avoiding.’
Tory MP Nadine Dorries said: ‘I’m a big fan and huge defender of Prince Harry, I always have been and I am looking forward to the wedding immensely.
‘It’s a pity it’s on the same day as the FA Cup final, as many people would have wanted to watch both. But it must be incredibly difficult to find dates for such an international event.’
A Royal aide said the couple opted for a weekend wedding – a break with recent convention – because they wanted as many members of the public to be involved as possible, whether by watching it on television or in person at Windsor.
The Mail understands Harry and his fiancee had always been keen to avoid having to declare a bank holiday, wanting the wedding to seem a bit more fun and informal.
‘Most couples get married on a Saturday and it wasn’t as if they had to worry about another couple already having snagged the date,’ said a source.
A palace insider told the Mail: ‘They won’t clash. It will be a great day for Royal watchers and football fans alike.’
‘Incredibly difficult to find dates’