Royal family thanks wedding well-wishers
WINDSOR: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot at Windsor Castle on Saturday in a royal wedding like no other, mixing British pomp and African-American culture in front of a celebrity congregation and cheering crowds.
The royal family thanked people who attended or watched the wedding.
“Thank you to everyone who came to Windsor and those who followed from around the UK, the Commonwealth, and the world,’’ the royals said.
The family tweeted its thanks late on Saturday night while Harry and his bride were attending a private soiree hosted by Harry’s father, Prince Charles.
The new Duke and Duchess of Sussex exchanged vows in St George’s Chapel in a historic ceremony, sealed with a kiss, which brought the biracial US TV star into the heart of the British monarchy.
Firebrand US pastor Michael Curry delivered a full-throttle address invoking slaves and the power of love, and a gospel choir sang classics Stand By Me and This Little Light of Mine.
The couple grinned during Curry’s dramatic address about the power of love, in which he quoted civil rights icon Martin Luther King.
“I’m talking about some power. Real power. Power to change the world,” the African-American preacher intoned.
There were no political leaders among the 600 guests but many celebrities, including Idris Elba, James Blunt, Tom Hardy and James Corden.
Some of Markle’s former co-stars in US hit television series Suits attended, as did Harry’s ex-girlfriends Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas.
With the words “I will”, 33-year-old Harry, and US former actress Meghan, 36, declared they would love, comfort, honour and protect each other.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby declared them husband and wife — sparking huge cheers from crowds watching on big screens outside.
The newlyweds later toured Windsor in an open-topped carriage, waving and smiling to the thousands of flag-waving well-wishers lining the streets.
The bride’s father Thomas Markle followed the wedding on television and voiced regret he was unable to attend.
“My baby looks beautiful and she looks very happy. I wish I were there,” he said.
The evening reception at nearby Frogmore House was attended by 200 close friends and family.
Harry drove his bride to the party himself in an open-top E-Type Jaguar with the number plate E190518 — the wedding date.
In another of the numerous personal touches, the prince hand-picked flowers for Ms Markle’s bouquet from their home at Kensington Palace.
Her five-metre veil also contained floral designs from her native California and all 53 Commonwealth countries.
“You look amazing,” Harry told his bride as she arrived.
He and his brother Prince William — his best man — wore the blue doeskin frock coat uniform of a major in the Blues and Royals, the regiment Harry served with in Afghanistan.
The couple met on a blind date in July 2016 and had a whirlwind romance, crisscrossing the Atlantic as she continued filming Suits in Toronto.
Harry was scarred by his mother Diana’s death in a Paris car crash in 1997 when he was just 12, and he had to mourn in the full glare of the world’s media.
His wedding featured a hymn used at Diana’s funeral.
Sixth in line to the throne, Harry is one of the most popular royals, while Ms Markle, a divorcee, is seen as a breath of fresh air for the monarchy.