Bank holiday ruled out as royal wedding to be held on Saturday
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to tie the knot on 19 May
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will marry on 19 May in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The couple have chosen a Saturday for their wedding and a venue that holds a central place in the history of the royal family.
Windsor Castle, west of London, is one of the Queen’s main residences.
The 15th century chapel is more intimate than Westminster Abbey, where Harry’s older brother William married Kate Middleton in 2011. Kensington Palace announced the wedding date in a statement yesterday.
Prince Harry and Ms Markle announced their engagement last month after an 18-month romance.
The prince, 33, who is fifth in line to the throne, and the American actress, 36, met through a mutual friend last year and managed to keep their relationship secret from the media for several months.
The wedding date has created a minor conflict for Prince William, who is president of the English Football Association – the wedding is on the same day as the FA Cup final, but the Duke of Cambridge is tipped to be Prince Harry’s best man.
Prince Harry and Ms Markle have gone against tradition by choosing a Saturday. Royal weddings usually take place on a weekday. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge married on a Friday, and the Queen on a Thursday.
Meanwhile, 19 May is also the day in 1536 when Anne Boleyn, the mother of Queen Elizabeth I, was executed on Tower Green for alleged adultery.
However, the date choice avoids the issue of whether the royal celebration should be a bank holiday.
The May date for the wedding has been chosen with consideration for the fact that the Duchess of Cambridge due to give birth to her third child in April.
The couple’s two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, look set take on the roles of pageboy and bridesmaid for the ceremony.
Palace aides have already said that Prince Harry and Ms Markle’s wedding will “reflect their characters and personalities” and be a moment of “fun and joy”. Ms Markle, who is to become a British citizen, is being both baptised and confirmed ahead of the religious ceremony. The Royal Family are paying for the wedding, including the church service, music, flowers and reception.