Everything You Need to Know About Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Royal Wedding
The royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry is just around the corner. Here’s a cheat sheet of everything you need to know about the big day:
The Date
On Dec. 15, Kensington Palace announced that Meghan and Harry will tie the knot on Saturday, May 19, 2018.
Other notable May weddings in the British royal family: Princess Margaret and Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones (May 6, 1960) and Peter Phillips (Princess Anne’s son) and Autumn Kelly (May 17, 2008).
The Time
On Feb. 12, 2018, Kensington Palace announced that Meghan and Harry’s wedding ceremony will begin at 12 p.m. London time (7 a.m. EST; 4 a.m. PST), followed by a carriage procession one hour later around Windsor Town. The couple will also celebrate with a reception at St. George’s Hall, according to the Palace.
On the same day, the Palace announced that The Archbishop of Canterbury will officiate the wedding with The Dean of Windsor conducting the service.
The Cost
As noted in the official announcement, the Royal Family will take care of Meghan and Harry’s wedding bill. For comparison, Kate Middleton and Prince William’s 2011 wedding cost an estimated $34 million, with $32 million going to security alone .
The Location
According to Kensington Palace, Meghan and Harry will say “I Do” at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where Harry was christened when he was three months old in 1984. According to The Guardian, the chapel holds about 800 guests (compared to Westminster Abbey’s 2,000). As noted above, Harry’s cousin Peter Phillips tied the knot there with his Canadian bride, Autumn Kelly, in 2008. St. George’s Chapel is also where Harry’s father, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall, held their televised religious blessings after their civil ceremony in 2005.
The Palace announced on Feb. 12, 2018 that Harry’s father, Prince Charles, will host a private evening reception for the newlyweds, their close friends, and family.
The Ceremony
Bishop Michael Bruce Curry will give the wedding address, Dean of Windsor, the Rt. Revd. David Conner, who will conduct the Service, and the Most Revd. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, will officiate Meghan and Harry’s marriage vows.