Now it’s time for a REAL party!
A HINT of the classic mixed with a touch of the cool – and that’s just the car that whisked the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to their fun-fuelled evening reception.
Looking like glamorous characters from a James Bond movie, the newly married couple climbed into a silver-blue E-Type Jaguar.
E for electric that is – the quintessentially British 1968 sports car had been converted to eco-friendly power in keeping with the couple’s green credentials.
A personalised number plate detailing the date of their wedding added the final touch.
Their destination – the classic Frogmore House in Windsor Great Park – had also been given a twist.
In fact, their dinner party had more in common with a West End club night than a traditional wedding breakfast, with Harry’s favourite House tracks ‘curated’ by DJ Sam Totolee (who also performed at Pippa Middleton’s wedding), a ‘drinks of the world’ themed bar, and candyfloss and ‘dirty burgers’ as midnight snacks.
One source reported a cocktail featuring ginger and rum was put on the menu as a cheeky nod to Harry’s red hair. It was named ‘When Harry Met Meghan’, a play on the film When Harry Met Sally.
The party was a notably relaxed, more youthful occasion than the afternoon reception.
The intimate guestlist of 200 meant there was no room for mere acquaintances, nor even many minor royals. Pippa Middleton and Harry’s party-girl ex Chelsy Davy were expected to be absentees.
There was something of a carnival atmosphere in the gardens of the 230-year-old stately home, which once belonged to King George III. These days it is used mainly for entertaining.
The sit-down dinner was strictly organic, sourced at the request of Prince Charles, and the light-bite canapés were themed ‘spring meets summer’. The meal, paid for by the Prince of Wales, started at 7.30pm and finished at around 10pm.
Its three courses were understood to have been peppered with ‘naughty’ speeches from Prince William and a joint effort from Tom Inskip, known as ‘Skippy’ and Tom Van Straubenzee. Any crude nods to Prince Harry’s playboy past were held back until the older guests had departed.
Inskip – Harry’s closest confidante – was also under strict instructions to downplay Prince Harry’s Las Vegas trips – all before he met Meghan.
Guests are also understood to have returned to London late last night for an ‘after-after party’ at celebrity favourite Chiltern Firehouse in Marylebone. Another party had been planned in a soundproofed private home in Chelsea.
It was quite a contrast with the earlier ‘stand-up’ wedding breakfast in Windsor Castle’s St George’s Hall, which saw 600 guests enjoy ‘bowl food’ and canapés such as Scottish langoustines wrapped in smoked salmon, croquette of confit Windsor Lamb and champagne and pistachio macarons. Harry and his father then gave speeches. Suhani Jalota, the founder of the Indiabased Myna Mahila charity, said of Harry’s speech: ‘He was talking about his wife. Everybody was clapping because it was the first time he was using that term for Meghan so it was really nice.’
She described a speech by the Prince of Wales as ‘lovely’, adding: ‘Essentially it was just about how Harry was as a child and growing up. And about the couple and how beautiful they are together.’
Another guest said: ‘Charles nailed it in his speech. He talked about Harry being a baby needing bottles and diapers, then said, “Look how well he turned out.”’
At one point a grinning Prince Harry turned to his guests, asking: ‘Can anyone play the piano?’ before Elton John gave a moving medley of four hits – Your Song, Tiny Dancer, Circle Of Life and I’m Still Standing.
‘He was incredible. It became like a mini-concert in the reception area,’ said one guest. ‘Some people were even crying.’
The reception included the cutting of the lemon and elderflowerflavoured wedding cake.
‘Elton John was incredible – some people even cried’