Anything Harry and Meg can do...
Echoes of the last Royal bash at Eugenie’s party to end all parties...
THE Clooneys were absent, as were the Beckhams. But as one of Princess Eugenie’s friends noted: ‘Who needs them when you’ve got Robbie Williams and he wows your guests with an impromptu set?’
Just as Harry and Meghan’s black-tie wedding reception back in May was lavish and star-studded, so too was Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s celebration.
It seemed there was no expense or celebrity spared, though Williams aside, perhaps Eugenie’s team of A-listers did seem just a little B-team by comparison.
After Friday’s church service and the Queen’s champagne lunch, around 300 family and friends joined the ninth in line to the throne and husband Jack Brooksbank for a tequilla-fuelled party at Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, home to the bride’s parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
There was wild dancing, humorous and emotion-filled speeches, a singalong, gourmet pizza and liveried waiters serving bespoke cocktails, including one called a Genie In The Bottle – named after the bride – comprising rose water, vodka and cassis.
To rapturous applause and the delight of the happy couple, former Take That star Williams jumped on stage late into the celebrations and sang hits like Let Me Entertain You and Angels.
Everyone said it was the ‘party to end all parties’. Which is exactly what they said about Meghan and Harry’s bash. Not that Eugenie was competing of course.
With George Clooney and David Beckham committed elsewhere, it was left to Demi Moore to fill the Hollywood glamour role and Jamie Redknapp to represent the footballing world.
And while there was no James Corden this time around, Eugenie and Jack seemed more t han tickled by comics Jack Whitehall and Jimmy Carr.
From the pop world – in addition to Williams – came Ricky Martin and Ellie Goulding.
The only celebrity with a foot in both events was, appropriately, middle-of-the-road singer James Blunt.
In one celebrity sphere, however, Eugenie comfortably trumped her cousin. At one point, she joined supermodels Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne and Naomi Campbell in a ‘fake catwalk’ routine on the dancefloor.
In truth, the two couples are close, with Harry and Eugenie sharing a similar sense of humour. To his deep regret, Harry and Meghan had to miss the party as they fly to Australia today on an official tour.
Back in May, Harry had whisked his bride off to their party in an open-top Jaguar that smacked of 007. On Friday, Eugenie and husband Jack went one better, making the same journey in an Aston Martin originally made for the James Bond movie Spectre.
Festivities kicked off around 7.30pm in a £100,000 purpose-built marquee. Carried along by a blast of goodwill, the bride and groom arrived to a standing ovation. The Duke of York, Sarah Ferguson, Eugenie – in full-length pale pink evening gown by American fashion designer Zac Posen – and sister Beatrice hosted tables named after the bride and groom’s favourite movies and places.
One table was called Mahiki after the nightclub Jack once helped to run. Prince Andrew’s table included Demi Moore and Naomi Campbell.
Throughout dinner, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra played a musical medley. Bottles of Casamigos tequila sat on every table (the groom flogs the stuff for a living) along with bottles of vintage wine.
The bride’s sister and maid of honour Princess Beatrice was MC for the night. ‘She was super,’ said one guest. ‘She took the mic and was very off-the-cuff and really natural. She said how happy she was for her sister.
‘Jack gave a lovely speech telling everyone how it was love at first sight when he met Eugenie. He said it was the best day of his life.
‘Eugenie also said a few words and I think her speech was the funniest. She told us they’d both kept diaries and she read an excerpt she wrote on the night in 2010 when they met. It was along the lines of “Dear Diary, I met this really cute guy called Jack”.
‘She paid tribute to her mum, dad and sister and told everyone how much she loves them. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house. All of the speeches were really moving. They were very much the highlight of the night.’
Dr Anthony Wallersteiner, headmaster of Stowe School, where Jack was a pupil, s ai d: ‘ The speeches were amazingly warm, witty and positive.’
He said that Jack told guests of his new bride: ‘She lights up my life and makes me feel complete.’
The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales did not attend the evening event but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ‘joined in the fun and had a great time’.
The marquee was festooned with a cascading floral display in autumnal colours created by wedding florist Ron Van Helden. Outside, trees were bedecked with colourful garlands of light ropes.
It was Fergie who persuaded Robbie Williams to take to the stage as a surprise for the newlyweds and the star told guests he was ‘chuffed’ to be asked to sing.
‘He was very happy with how it all went and had a great night,’ a friend said.
The last guests to leave – Cara Delevingne and sister Poppy – departed at 5.30am.
Yesterday, as many as 500 guests kept the celebrations going strong with a ‘festival and funfair’ in the grounds of Royal Lodge featuring bands, a ferris wheel, dodgems, ice cream vans, popcorn stalls, burger vans and a coconut shy. ‘There were lots of Bloody Marys for the hangovers,’ said a source.