Amid pomp, Markle confirms dad won’t attend wedding
Bride-to-be alludes to her father’s health as reason
WINDSOR, England — In the shadow of Windsor Castle’s fairytale turrets, the majestic clip-clop of hooves and a brass band’s soaring notes rang out Thursday as throngs alternately cheered, clapped and sighed.
All that was missing was the bride and groom.
It was just a dry run, but an elaborate rehearsal of the stately carriage procession planned for Saturday offered the crowds lining the streets of this ancient city a close-up view of the pomp and pageantry to come when American actress Meghan Markle marries Prince Henry, sixth in line to the British throne.
Thursday’s faux festivities took place under the watchful eyes of a vast security force — a preview of the grim need to tightly guard against threats two days hence — with police using facial recognition technology to scan the crowds and spotters lining rooftops as helicopter blades thudded overhead.
Even mere commoners’ nuptials are subject to lastminute familial drama, and this globally watched royal union was no different, at least in that respect.
Ms. Markle, in a carefully worded statement, announced Thursday that her father would not attend the wedding, alluding to, but not detailing or specifically blaming, his health problems.
“Sadly, my father will not be attending our wedding,” the royal bride-to-be said in her statement, issued by Kensington Palace, which oversees media relations for the couple. “I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health.”
The palace did not disclose details about Thomas Markle’s health issues, but the celebrity website TMZ said the 73-year-old, a former Hollywood lighting director who now lives in Mexico, was hospitalized in California after a procedure to clear blocked coronary arteries. That followed days of sometimes confusing and contradictory reports about staged paparazzi-style photos of the senior Markle making preparations to travel to Britain.
British media reports speculated that Ms. Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, could replace her father in walking her down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, but no announcement has been made.
With plentiful bunting and all manner of memorabilia on sale, Windsor looked every inch the regal backdrop — although a few locals grumbled about the bother of blocked-off roadways and shut-down parking garages.
But even some of those inconvenienced by the crush were good-natured.
“I feel like I’m cheating a bit; I only meant to pop round to the opticians’ to pick up my new spectacles,” joked Rob Faulkner, a 33year-old Windsor resident who ambled up to police barricades to watch the rehearsal procession.
Uncharacteristically for Britain in this changeable season, the weather for Thursday’s run-through was decisively bright and sunny.
The forecast for Saturday was clear as well — hailed by some royal fans as a happy portent in a country that lately hasn’t seen a surfeit of feel-good news.
The last two years have seen Britain buffeted by “Brexit” — the shocking June 2016 vote to exit the European Union — together with high-profile terrorist attacks in London and Manchester.
About 800 friends, relatives and VIPs will be inside the chapel for the service, with about 1,000 members of the public invited to the palace grounds.
The latter list included Amelia Thompson, a survivor of the 2017 bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. And rather than bring a family member as her plus-one, the 12-yearold girl designated the grandmother of a victim who died, British media reported.