Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot in a romantic ceremony at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Palace on May 19, 2018. The extravagant nuptials brought out the couple’s nearest and dearest including Meghan’s mom, Doria Ragland, and Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Princess Diana’s family. Millions of people from all over the world watched Meghan and Harry exchange “I dos,” but if you’re like us and your royal wedding invite got lost in the mail, then these fun tidbits will make you feel like you were a guest.
- Meghan followed in Princess Diana’s footsteps. Harry and Meghan read traditional vows from the Book of Common Prayer, but if you listened closely, you would have noticed that Meghan omitted the word “obey,” just like Diana did when she married Prince Charles in 1981. Kate Middleton also did the same when she tied the knot with Prince William in 2011.
- Meghan made history. The former Suits actress made a bold feminist statement by choosing to begin her wedding procession alone before joining Prince Charles at the Quire. It was the first time any royal bride has ever walked down the aisle of her wedding without an escort.
- Both Meghan and Harry received new titles. Just hours before the wedding, Queen Elizabeth II announced that Harry is now His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, making Meghan Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex.
- It was a star-studded affair. Stars like David and Victoria Beckham, Oprah Winfrey, Priyanka Chopra, Serena Williams, Tom Hardy, and George and Amal Clooney were all on hand for the event, as well as Meghan’s former Suits costars.
- Harry’s exes attended the wedding. Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy both attended the nuptials, and according to Us Weekly, Meghan was totally OK with it.
- Meghan’s veil told a story. Per Meghan’s request, the veil — which was designed by Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller — featured flora from every single Commonwealth country.
- Meghan stuck to tradition. Meghan’s “something old” was Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara, which was lent to Meghan by Queen Elizabeth II.
- Meghan’s bouquet was full of meaning. Not only did it include flowers handpicked by Harry himself, but it featured Forget-Me-Nots, which were Princess Diana’s favorite flowers.
- Meghan’s dad wasn’t in attendance. Unfortunately, Thomas Markle missed the wedding as he was recovering from his recent heart surgery, but he did share his emotional reaction to TMZ. “My baby looks beautiful, and she looks very happy,” he said. “I wish I were there, and I wish them all my love and all happiness.”
- Harry and Prince Charles shared an incredibly sweet moment during the ceremony. After Charles walked Meghan up to the altar, Harry looked over at Charles and told him, “Thank you, Pa.”
- Millions of people tuned in. And by millions, we mean 29.2 million! According to Deadline, 29.2 Americans watched the live broadcast of the wedding, which is around 6 million more than Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding.
- Harry broke royal tradition. Unlike Prince William, Harry has chosen to wear his wedding ring, and not only that, but his band is made out of platinum. The royal family has been using Welsh gold since the Queen Mother’s wedding in 1923, but Harry decided to switch things up for his.
- Elton John was the special performer. After much speculation, Kensington Palace confirmed that Elton had the honor of performing for Harry and Meghan at their lunchtime reception. “Prince Harry asked Sir Elton to perform at the reception, which was hosted by Her Majesty The Queen at St George’s Hall, Windsor Castle,” the statement read. “Sir Elton performed for the newly married couple in recognition of the close connection he has with Prince Harry and his family.” Elton was a close friend of Harry’s late mom, Princess Diana and even performed “Candle in the Wind” at her funeral.