Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been sharing more details of their marriage with just over two months to go until they say ‘I do’. The couple are promising a ‘moment of fun and joy’ so to get in that celebratory spirit, Royal Central rounds up everything we know, so far, about the first Royal Wedding of 2018.
The Big Day
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get married on May 19th 2018 at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. The ceremony starts at noon and is expected to last around an hour.
The Dean of Windsor, the Rt. Revd. David Conner, will conduct the service with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiating as the couple make their vows.
Ahead of the wedding, Meghan will be baptized and confirmed into the Church of England.
The Guest List
The Lord Chamberlain’s Office at Buckingham Palace is responsible for organizing royal weddings and invitations to the ceremony are due to be sent out shortly with St. George’s Chapel holding around 800 guests.
Harry and Meghan have also confirmed that they will invite members of the public into the precincts of Windsor Castle to share their big day. The 2,640 who are asked in will see the bride, groom and their guests arrive and depart from the ceremony.
The Newlyweds
The happy couple’s first royal outing as man and wife will see them take a carriage ride through Windsor. The route planned includes Castle Hill, High Street and the Long Walk. They will then return to Windsor Castle.
We do know that by this point, Meghan will be an HRH but we don’t know what the couple’s titles will be after the wedding – that will be revealed on the day itself.
The Reception
The couple’s guests from their wedding ceremony will enjoy a reception at St. George’s Hall, Windsor on the afternoon of May 19th 2018. The hall, restored extensively after the fire at Windsor Castle in 1992, will be the setting for the couple’s wedding breakfast.
In the evening, the Prince of Wales will host a second reception for Harry and Meghan, which will see them continue their celebrations with family and friends.
Mel B also recently appeared to confirm the Spice Girls would be getting back together to perform at Harry and Meghan’s wedding celebrations.
Put Out the Bunting
The couple are marrying on a Saturday meaning no extra Bank Holiday for this royal wedding but the UK government has already announced plans to allow pubs to stay open later on Friday 18th and Saturday 19th May as part of the celebrations.
The government is also encouraging people to hold street parties to celebrate and local councils are being urged to waive charges for road closures for street parties on the day of the Royal Wedding.
What we don’t know….yet….
There are still plenty of unknowns about Harry and Meghan’s big day. Who will design the bride’s dress (Erdem is the latest favourite), which tiara will she wear (let’s face it, there are plenty of options here) and what flowers will she carry (Meghan loves peonies) are getting lots of people excited.
More certain but still to be confirmed is the identity of the best man (most likely Prince William even though he said recently he’s still waiting to be asked) and the names of the bridal attendants (Prince George and Princess Charlotte seem certain to be in the party while Meghan’s close friend, Jessica Mulroney, has also been mentioned more than once).
The guest list is also getting lots of attention (will Donald Trump or Barack Obama be there is a debate that’s kept Twitter going for months now) but then with a Royal Wedding, just about all of it is subject to speculation. We want to know about the ring, the cake, the shoes, the speeches, the honeymoon, the first kiss….the excitement is building and we’re still two and a bit months away.
Royal Central will keep you posted as more details of the wedding are revealed and in the meantime, why not less us know what you think Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have planned for the first Royal Wedding of 2018.