ROYAL WEDDING
Highlights of Harry, Meghan’s big day
Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, kisses his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on Saturday as they leave from the West Door of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England.
Best wishes and congratulations to the bride and groom! In a fairytale wedding at England’s Windsor Castle on Saturday, Prince Harry married American actress Meghan Markle, making them the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The major moments you need to know from their historic, star-studded nuptials:
‘Lucky’ Harry melts hearts
The bride was radiant in a sleek silk dress, which she matched with a flowing, 161⁄2-foot veil and diamond bandeau tiara on loan from the queen. Two pageboys helped carry her veil as she walked down the aisle and was met midway by Prince Charles, who escorted her in the absence of father Thomas Markle, who recently suffered a heart attack and was reportedly unable to attend on medical advice.
Meghan beamed as she approached the altar, where Prince Harry could be seen telling her, “You look amazing. I’m so lucky.” Although understandably nervous at times, the newlyweds smiled throughout the ceremony and laughed at the crowd’s whoops and cheers when they exited the chapel for their first married kiss.
Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, looked on, teary-eyed, and appeared to receive comforting words from Charles outside.
African-American minister
The landmark wedding moved the royal family into the modern era with the help of Bishop Michael Bruce Curry, who paid homage to Duchess Meghan’s African-American heritage by quoting Martin Luther King Jr.: “We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will be able to make of this old world a new world. Love is the only way.”
He continued with an old slave spiritual from the antebellum South about the transformative power of love.
“They sang a spiritual, even in the midst of their captivity,” Curry said. “It’s one that says there is a balm in Gilead, a healing balm — something
that can make things right. There isa balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.”
The ceremony marked the most diverse royal wedding yet, with a black preacher (Curry), cellist (Sheku Kanneh-Mason) and gospel group (The Kingdom Choir), which sang Stand by Me and This Little Light of Mine.
A tradition-breaking kiss
The lovebirds broke from palace tradition when they locked lips on the steps of St. George’s Chapel, becoming the first royal couple to forego a first smooch on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in nearly 30 years.
They followed the kiss with a 25minute carriage procession through Windsor to greet adoring onlookers, many of whom had camped out for days to catch a glimpse of them.
“We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love.”
A rule-breaking beard
Leading up to the big day, speculation raged about whether Prince Harry would shave his beard.
According to military standards, facial hair is forbidden for people in uniform. But Harry, a former soldier and captain general of the Royal Marines, bucked tradition by wearing his uniform with a well-groomed beard intact.
Cute kids make waves
William and Kate’s eldest children, ages 4 and 3, couldn’t have looked cuter as they held handswith other young bridesmaids and pageboys entering the church.h But
t e i r reactions after the ceremony became instant memes, as fans shared GIFs of Charlotte’s exaggerated royal wave and George’s smaller, seemingly agitated gesture on social media.
Major celebrity style goals
Celebrity guests including Victoria Beckham, Serena Williams, Carey Mulligan and Priyanka Chopra turned heads in their high-fashion ensembles, but it was Oprah Winfrey and Amal Clooney who stole the show, wearing the same designer.
Winfrey opted for a lightpink frock paired with a feathered hat — a lastminute switch after realizing yesterday that her original dress was too white, friend Gayle King said on CBS.
Clooney arrived with husband George in an eye-popping canary-yellow dress, which she accessorized with a wide-brimmedhat with netting.