By Wonderwall.com Editors
11:37pm PDT, May 19, 2023
The new titles
The morning of the royal wedding, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed a dukedom on her grandson as well as two other titles, which extend to his bride. "His titles will be Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel. Prince Harry thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex, and Ms. Meghan Markle on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex," the palace explained.
MORE: See the guests who attended Harry and Meghan's wedding
The wedding cake
American pastry chef Claire Ptak, who runs Violet Bakery in London, created the stunning wedding cake. The fresh flowers-topped dessert featured a lemon spongecake with an elderflower syrup drizzle (the syrup was made at the queen's residence in Sandringham from the estate's elderflower trees), an Amalfi lemon curd between the layers and a Swiss meringue buttercream icing that's also infused with elderflower. Claire and her team baked the cake in Buckingham Palace's kitchens, assembled it in situ at Windsor Castle the morning of the nuptials and added the flowers at the last minute so they'd look fresh.
MORE: The best photos from Harry and Meghan's wedding
The secret conversations
What, exactly, did Prince Harry to say to Meghan Markle when she joined him at the altar? And what did he tell best man Prince William while awaiting his bride? Lip readers who watched the service then spoke to MailOnline and E! News revealed that when Meghan got to the altar, Harry told her, "You look amazing." Before the ceremony began, the groom told his brother "I'm alright" but joked that "my trousers are too tight." And as the newlyweds wrapped up their carriage's climb up the Long Walk, Harry told his bride, "I'm ready for a drink now." Same!
The dress
Meghan Markle stunned in a haute couture wedding dress designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller, who in 2017 became the first female artistic director at the French fashion house Givenchy. The pure white silk cady dress features an open bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, a train and an underskirt made of triple silk organza.
The veil
Givenchy's Clare Waight Keller created a unique 5-meter-long silk tulle veil for Meghan Markle. "Ms. Markle expressed the wish of having all 53 countries of the Commonwealth with her on her journey through the ceremony. Ms. Waight Keller designed a veil representing the distinctive flora of each Commonwealth country united in one spectacular floral composition," the palace announced. Meghan also selected two personal favorites that she also wanted included: "Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), which grows in the grounds of Kensington Palace in front of Nottingham Cottage [where she lives with Prince Harry], and the California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), the state flower from Ms. Markle's place of birth, California," the palace explained. Seamstresses spent hundreds of hours hand-embroidering the flowers in silk threads and organza and washed their hands every thirty minutes to keep the tulle and threads pristine.
The tiara
Meghan Markle's "something borrowed" was her glittering tiara. Queen Elizabeth II lent the new Duchess of Sussex Queen Mary's diamond and platinum bandeau tiara, which was made in 1932, though the center brooch dates from 1893. "This brooch was given as a present to the then-Princess Mary in 1893 by the County of Lincoln on her marriage to Prince George, Duke of York," the palace explained. "The bandeau and the brooch were bequeathed by Queen Mary to [her granddaughter] The Queen in 1953."
The jewelry
Meghan Markle kept her accessories to a minimum, choosing to wear simple diamond earring and a glittering diamond bracelet, both made by Cartier.
The shoes
According to the palace, Meghan Markle's white wedding heels "are based on a Givenchy refined pointed couture design made of a silk duchess satin."
The second dress
While Prince Harry changed into a tuxedo, Meghan Markle — the new Duchess of Sussex — donned a second wedding dress for their evening reception. Stella McCartney designed the bespoke lily-white high-neck gown made of silk crepe. Meghan wore heels by Aquazzura that the palace described as being crafted from silky satin with nude mesh and featuring soles that were painted baby blue.
Diana's ring
When Meghan Markle stepped out in a new look to attend her evening wedding reception, eagle-eyed royal watchers noticed she'd slipped on a very special accessory: a large blue aquamarine ring that's believed to have once belonged to Princess Diana. Reports speculate that Harry gifted it to his bride. (Prince William's wife, Duchess Kate, got Diana's sapphire and diamond engagement ring.)
The reception ride
The new Duke and Duchess of Sussex departed Windsor Castle for their evening reception hosted by Prince Charles in high style. After helping bride Meghan Markle into a silver-blue Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero convertible, tux-clad Prince Harry drove off to Frogmore House. According to Kensington Palace, "this vehicle was originally manufactured in 1968 and has since been converted to electric power."
The rings
Meghan and Harry exchanged wedding bands drafted just for them by Cleave and Company. Hers is made from Welsh gold from the now-closed Clogau mine that was gifted to them by the queen. For a century — the tradition started with Queen Elizabeth II's mother — this rare gold has been used to make wedding bands for members of the royal family (including, most recently, Duchess Kate in 2011). "The queen on her 60th birthday, she got gifted a kilogram of this Welsh gold and she's been slowly chipping away at it with all these wedding rings ever since," the National Trust's Bethany Fenn told CBS News. During their carriage ride, Meghan slipped on her stunning three-stone diamond engagement ring, which is made up of a center stone from Botswana — where she and Harry went on their first getaway together — and two side stones from Princess Diana's personal collection. Prince Harry's ring is a platinum band with a textured finish. It too was made by Cleave and Company.
The bouquet
Floral designer Philippa Craddock created Meghan's bouquet, which featured white flowers including sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, astrantia and blooms that Prince Harry picked for just for her from their private garden. The bouquet also contained forget-me-nots — the favorite flower of Harry's late mother, Princess Diana. And, like all royal brides going back to the time of Queen Victoria, her posy of flowers also included a sprig of myrtle. "Many Royal Brides across the generations have chosen to carry a sprig of Myrtle, which represents love, in their bouquets," explained a recent tweet from the royal family's official account. "This tradition dates back to the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's eldest daughter."
The flowers
Floral designer Philippa Craddock also executed the floral displays at the wedding and reception venues, which featured foliage from the gardens and parklands of The Crown Estate and Windsor Great Park. She relied heavily on seasonal flowers to craft the displays, which included pollinator-friendly plants, branches of beech, birch and hornbeam and white garden roses, peonies and foxgloves. The Royal Parks also contributed more than 150 plants that were grown in their super-nursery in London's Hyde Park.
All the odes to Princess Diana
Prince Harry's aunt, Lady Jane Fellowes (left, with Doria Ragland) — the sister of the late Princess Diana — gave a reading from the Song of Solomon during his wedding to Meghan Markle. (She also read a poem at Diana's funeral in 1997.) Meghan carried Diana's favorite flower, forget-me-nots, in her bridal bouquet. She also wore a large aquamarine ring that reportedly belonged to Diana to the evening wedding reception. And her engagement ring, of course, contains two stones from Diana's private jewelry collection. Though many speculated that the seat next to Prince William inside the church was left empty to honor Diana, it turns out the open spot had a more practical purpose: Queen Elizabeth II was in the seat directly behind it and organizers wanted to ensure she had a perfect view of the nuptials.
The carriage
It was right out of a fairy tale! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle selected a vintage Ascot Landau carriage built in 1883, which is one of five Ascot Landaus kept by the Royal Mews, for their procession through Windsor Town after their wedding.
The team of horses
The wicker-sided Ascot Landau carriage carrying Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was pulled by a team of four Windsor Grey horses named Milford Haven, Plymouth, Storm and Tyrone (the latter two are father and son). Two other gorgeous horses on the team, Sir Basil and Londonderry, carried outriders during the couple's 25-minute trek through Windsor, England, on their way to their lunchtime reception.
The clergy — and that powerful sermon
The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, officiated Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's vows while the Right Reverand David Conner, the Dean of Windsor, conducted the wedding service. But it was an American — Chicago-based Episcopalian Bishop Michael Bruce Curry — who stole the show when he delivered a powerful, electric sermon all about the power of love in which he quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and memorably told guests, "Two young people fell in love, and we all showed up," and energetically declared "that's fire" after speaking about the Old Testament.
The exes
Still friends! Prince Harry's most famous exes — dancer-actress Cressida Bonas and lawyer-turned-jewelry designer Chelsy Davy — both attended his wedding to Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The music
British violinist and conductor Christopher Warren-Green led the orchestra for Prince Harry's service — it's his third royal wedding so far (he also ran the music show at Prince Charles' 2005 nuptials to Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince William's 2011 wedding to Kate Middleton). He worked with Sir James Vivian, the director of music at St. George's Chapel, and the chapel's choir. Meghan invited 19-year-old award-winning cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason to perform during the ceremony (he played three songs including "Ave Maria" while Meghan and Harry signed the register). But perhaps the most memorable musical moment during the wedding came when gospel powerhouse Karen Gibson directed The Kingdom Choir as they sang "Stand By Me" during the service and "Amen, This Little Light of Mine" at its conclusion.
The groom's uniform
Prince Harry looked dashing in the dark-blue frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals that was tailored by Dege & Skinner on Savile Row. The new Duke of Sussex, who served more than 10 years in the British Armed Forces, looked handsome in the single-breasted frockcoat made of blue doeskin and accented with regimental braiding.
The bride's ride
After spending the night at the Cliveden House Hotel in Taplow with close friends and her mom, Doria Ragland, Meghan — accompanied by her mother in a 1950 Rolls-Royce Phantom IV — made their way to Windsor Castle. Doria then went on to the church on her own while Meghan arrived soon after with two of her page boys, who arranged her veil for her walk up the chapel steps.
The groom's arrival
After spending the night at the Coworth Park hotel in Ascot, Prince Harry — accompanied by best man Prince William — arrived at St. George's Chapel's West Steps where he acknowledged 200 representatives from some of the charities he's associated with who were gathered in the Horseshoe Cloister below.
The bride's down-the-aisle escort
After Thomas Markle Sr. was forced to cancel plans to walk his daughter down the aisle on her wedding day in the wake of an unexpected heart surgery days before the wedding, Meghan Markle asked her soon-to-be father-in-law, Prince Charles, to do the honors. She entered the church with her young bridesmaids and page boys and started her walk solo. Charles greeted her halfway down and continued with her to the altar. "The Prince of Wales is pleased to be able to welcome Ms. Markle to the family in this way," the palace said in a statement.
The proud grandparents
Queen Elizabeth II — the last royal to arrive at St. George's Chapel before the ceremony, per protocol — was beaming as she prepared to watch her beloved grandson, Prince Harry, tie the knot. Despite recent health issues including a hip replacement surgery a month prior, his grandfather — the queen's husband of 70 years, Prince Philip — was also by the monarch's side.
The sister-in-law's return to the spotlight
Less than four weeks after giving birth to her third child with Prince William, Prince Louis of Cambridge, Duchess Kate was back in the public eye looking as beautiful as ever as she joined the royal family for brother-in-law Prince Harry's wedding. The crowds got the first glimpse of her when she arrived with the young bridesmaids and page boys ahead of bride Meghan Markle. Kate also made an impression for her fashion — she re-wore the same cream Alexander McQueen coat dress she previously donned for Princess Charlotte's christening in 2015 and for the queen's official birthday celebrations in 2016.
The bridesmaids and page boys
Meghan Markle's wedding party — she didn't have a maid of honor — was made up of 10 young attendants, most notably Princess Charlotte, 3, and Prince George, 4. Other young children in the group included Prince Harry's godchildren Florence van Cutsem, 3, Zalie Warren, 2, and Jasper Dyer, 6; Meghan's goddaughters Remi, 6, and Rylan Litt, 7; and Ivy, 4, and twins Brian and John Mulroney, 7, the children of Meghan's friends Ivy and Ben Mulroney (a Canadian TV host and son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney).
The veil attendants
Twins Brian and John Mulroney, 7 — the children of Meghan Markle's close friends Ivy and Ben Mulroney, a Canadian TV host and son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney — accompanied the bride into the church after arranging her 5-meter-long veil.
The lunchtime wedding reception venue
Queen Elizabeth II hosted a wedding reception for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's approximately 600 guests a short walk from the church inside the stunning St. George's Hall in Windsor Castle.
The wedding singer
Surprise! Elton John performed at the lunchtime wedding reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at St. George's Hall at Windsor Castle following the royal wedding. "Prince Harry asked Sir Elton to perform," the palace revealed, adding that the music legend was asked "in recognition of the close connection he has with Prince Harry and his family." Elton, of course, was close friends with the late Princess Diana and memorably performed at her funeral in 1997.
The food
The 600 guests at the couple's lunchtime wedding reception hosted by the queen enjoyed canapés including Scottish langoustines wrapped in smoked salmon with citrus crème fraiche, grilled English asparagus wrapped in Cumbrian ham, garden pea panna cotta with quail eggs and lemon verbena, heritage tomato and basil tartare with balsamic pearls, poached free-range roasted chicken bound in a lightly spiced yogurt with roasted apricot, croquette of confit Windsor lamb, roasted vegetables and shallot jam and, last but not least, warm asparagus spears with mozzarella and sun-blush tomatoes. The selection of bowl food included fricassee of free range chicken with morel mushrooms and young leeks, pea and mint risotto with pea shoots, truffle oil and parmesan crisps and slow-roasted pork belly with apple compote and crackling. There were sweet canapés too — champagne and pistachio macaroons, orange crème brûlée tartlets and miniature rhubarb crumble tartlets. To wash it all down? Pol Roger Brut Réserve Non Vintage Champagne, a selection of wines and an apple-and-elderflower mocktail. Yum!
The reception speeches
Prince Harry gave a lunchtime reception speech described by one guest as "off-the-cuff" and "lovely," People magazine reported. "He did all the 'thank yous,'" the guest revealed, and was cheered when he said "my wife and I." Harry also "promised that all the Americans wouldn't steal the swords and said, 'Please, when you leave, be quiet as you don't want to wake the neighbors,' which was quite fun." Meanwhile his father, Prince Charles, also spoke at the lunchtime reception hosted by the queen. "Charles gave a brilliant speech. Harry was very emotional," a guest told People, explaining that it was "very sweet actually, very heartfelt." Charles told guests "how proud" he was of the man his son had "grown into." The sweetest part? "He ended it calling him 'My darling old Harry' [and saying] 'I'm so happy for you.'"
The evening wedding reception venue
Prince Charles is hosting an evening reception for about 200 guests at Frogmore House, a royal residence built in the 1680s that's half a mile away from Windsor Castle. It's also where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle posed for their official engagement photos, which were snapped by fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski, who was also tapped to serve as the official wedding photographer.
The vows
Both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle promised "to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part." And nope, Meghan did not promise to obey Harry. As they exchanged rings, each said, "I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honor you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
The best man
Prince Harry's big brother, Prince William, publicly served as his best man. Harry publicly served as William's best man when the Duke of Cambridge married Kate Middleton in 2011.
The TV husband
Meghan Markle's former co-star Patrick J. Adams — who plays her husband on "Suits" — and wife Troian Bellisario attended her wedding to Prince Harry at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The co-stars
Meghan Markle's "Suits" co-star Gina Torres attended her wedding to Prince Harry at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018. Also on hand from the USA show that Meghan starred on for seven years? Gabriel Macht, Sarah Rafferty and Rick Hoffman.
The church
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married at the historic St. George's Chapel, which was designed in the English Perpendicular Gothic style and built in the 14th century by King Edward IV, on the grounds of Windsor Castle. Harry's uncle, Prince Edward (Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip's youngest son) memorably wed Sophie Rhys-Jones there in 1999. The chapel is also where King Henry VIII is buried — and where Queen Elizabeth will someday be laid to rest.
The castle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding venue is located on the grounds of ancient Windsor Castle — the queen's weekend home located in the English county of Berkshire — which was originally built in the 11th century.
The celebrity guests
Oprah Winfrey attended the royal wedding at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The celebrity guests
Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian attended the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The celebrity guests
Meghan Markle's close friends, actresses Abigail Spencer and Priyanka Chopra, attended the royal wedding at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The celebrity guests
Idris Elba and fiance Sabrina Dhowre attended the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The celebrity guests
James Corden and wife Julia Carey attended the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The celebrity guests
Actress Carey Mulligan and her musician husband, Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons, attended the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The celebrity guests
"Peaky Blinders" star Charlotte Riley and Tom Hardy attended the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The royal guests
Everybody who's anybody in the royal family was on the guest list for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nuptials. In one row sat Prince Charles, wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess Kate, Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and her fiance, Jack Brooksbank. Above them were Sophie, Countess of Wessex, her daughter, Lady Louise, plus Princess Anne and her husband, Timothy Laurence. And that's just for starters…
The royal guests
Though she's divorced from Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was a guest at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018.
The royal guests
Prince Harry's beloved cousin Zara Tindall — Princess Anne who's expecting her second child in the summer — shared a laugh with husband Mike Tindall, a former pro rugby player, as they arrived for the royal wedding on May 19, 2018.
Diana's family
Prince Harry's uncle Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer — and brother of Princess Diana — was an honored guest along with his third wife, Karen, Countess Spencer.
