On April 29, 2011, the world watched as Prince William wed Kate Middleton. With a five-hour time difference between England and America, fans were tuning in at 5 a.m. to get a glimpse of the arrivals, the clothing, the out-of-this-world hats guests are expected to wear—all leading up to the prince’s arrival with his brother, Prince Harry, and eventual televised vows between he and his bride. Who would she be wearing? What would they be saying? Would there be tears?
Fast-forward seven years to May 19, 2018, and it was Prince Harry’s turn to walk down the aisle. The rebellious son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, it seemed Harry would never settle down though he did have a few long-term girlfriends, leading the world to believe he had found the one. But, in what has been called a true fairy-tale story, it was not until Harry was set up on a blind date with actress Meghan Markle in June 2016 that he found true love. This was not your typical love, especially for a prince, but more of what someone would find in a Hallmark movie. Markle is not from England but rather Los Angeles; was a successful actress, appearing on the TV series Suits, on which she played Rachel Zane; had been previously married, to Trevor Engelson for two years; and is biracial. She also happens to be a handful of years older than her new husband but it’s 2018 so age is just a number. The two became engaged in 2017 and Markle began her transition from admired actress to future wife of a prince, and in late May it became official. In case you missed some of the ceremony or you simply want to relive the fairy tale, we have you covered. Get your tissues ready!
GUEST LIST
Princess Diana would be so proud of her boys, both humanitarians, the practice of promoting human welfare being something Meghan is deeply committed to. That being said, it is no surprise some major humanitarian celebs (and overall fabulous ones) were in attendance:
- Oprah
- George and Amal Clooney
- Sir Elton John (who later performed at the midday ceremony)
- David and Victoria Beckham
- the cast of Suits
- Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian
- Idris Elba
- James Corden and Julia Carey
- James Blunt
- Priyanka Chopra
- Nacho Figueras
Also invited were the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire, who could not wait to take selfies with the celebs, and David Beckham was seen snapping one with a young girl who could not have been more elated. What a beautiful day. Also in attendance were Prince William, serving as best man, and his wife, Kate, who was the children wrangler as their son George and daughter, Charlotte, was in the bridal party.
WHO DID MEGHAN WEAR?
Most bets were on Stella McCartney but everyone was shocked when it was Givenchy. A long, flowing white gown with an epic train two pageboys had to help carry and a long veil with a diamond tiara, she was living every girl’s dream. Her mother looked so proud, as a mom should when she sees her daughter breaking down barriers by becoming royalty, despite a lot of family controversy that could have hindered this bigger than big day. Markle’s father was not in the best of health to attend the wedding so she walked halfway down the aisle by herself then Prince Harry’s father, Prince Charles, met her and walked her the rest of the way. It was a beautiful moment, showing that you can create your family; it does not have to be the one you are born with.
THE CARRIAGE
After we were swept away by Harry’s tears when he saw his bride, biting his lip at the sight of her beauty, and the way he gracefully pushed her veil back and adjusted it so as not to ruin her hair or shift the tiara, and after the exchange of vows and the closing moments of the ceremony, the newly married couple exited to take a carriage ride around town. This was after a mix of tradition and a gospel choir that needed to be infused into the palace; shake the Queen’s hips up a little bit. Then it was time to celebrate and the Duchess did not disappoint in a halter Stella McCartney dress, at a party where slippers were handed out to guests after a night of dancing, love, and most of all, a Cinderella story come true. I like to think of her as a mix of Cinderella and Tiana (from The Princess and the Frog), personally!
*Markle also wore one of Princess Diana’s rings in honor of her husband’s late mother, who, as I said above, would be so proud of the men her sons have become and the ladies they have chosen to spend the rest of their lives with. Congrats to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex!