Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s royal wedding is almost here!
As they gear up for their upcoming spring nuptials, ET’s breaking down everything you need to know about their special day. From what time to set your alarm to what their cake will taste like, we’ve got you covered with a complete guide to what’s sure to be the biggest event of the year for the royal family and their fans.
When is the wedding?: Saturday, May 19
Where are they getting married?: Meghan and Harry will say “I do” at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England.
What time is everything happening?: The day will start with a church service, which will begin precisely at 12 p.m. GMT (that’s 7 a.m. for the East Coasters, and 4 a.m. for all of you on Pacific Standard Time). One hour later, the public will get their first glimpse of Meghan and Harry as newlyweds when they take a carriage procession from the chapel along the High Street and through Windsor Town before returning to Windsor Castle. Later, Meghan and Harry will attend two separate receptions.
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How many people were invited?: Approximately 600 guests were invited to both the service at St. George’s Chapel and a lunchtime reception at St. George’s Hall, which will be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. Around 200 guests were also invited to the private reception Prince Charles will host at Frogmore House.
Additionally, 2,640 members of the public will be allowed into the grounds of Windsor Castle. Meghan and Harry asked Lord Lieutenants to personally invite 1,200 people to join the celebrations, including young people who have shown strong leadership, and those who have served their communities.
Who’s on the guest list?: While we’re still awaiting the official list of attendees, we’re expecting a slew of celebrities to attend Meghan and Harry’s nuptials, including the Spice Girls, David Beckham, Elton John, Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra and the actress’ Suits co-stars. We also have our fingers crossed that Rihanna, Cara Delevingne and Margot Robbie will be on hand to watch the lovebirds say “I do.”
Who’s in the wedding party?: As the nuptials gear closer, we’re starting to get more information about who may be standing by Meghan and Harry’s side as they exchange vows. We already know Prince William will stand in as Harry’s best man (though he joked he has yet to be asked!), and a source tells ET that there’s a few ladies who could serve as the brunette beauty’s maid of honor.
“Lindsay Roth is her best friend from Northwestern [University], Heather Dorak [her Pilates instructor] from Los Angeles and [stylist] Jessica Mulroney are her closest friends,” the source says. “Meghan served as Lindsay’s maid of honor when she was married a year ago.”
Who are the page boys/flower girls?: Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, would be filling these roles. But this month we learned that Meghan and Harry may be including a few other children on their special day. A source believes Jessica and Ben Mulroney’s daughter, Ivy, could join Charlotte as a flower girl, as well as Benita Litt’s daughters, whom Meghan once referred to as her “fairy goddaughters” on her Instagram page. As for kids on Harry’s side, the source says his mentor, Mark Dyer, has a young son that could potentially be a page boy. The source also believes Harry will include his cousins’ kids — Zara Tindall’s daughter, Mia, and Peter Phillips’ daughters, Isla and Savannah.
Will there be ushers?: Yes. Seeing as hundreds of guests are expected to attend, Meghan and Harry will certainly need help ushering people into St. George’s Chapel. “Harry has several close friends since childhood who all could serve as ushers,” a source told us earlier this month. “Charlie and Tom van Straubenzee, Tom Inskip, Guy Pelly, Adam Bidwell and Arthur Landon, along with Mark Dyer, are among Harry’s very closest friends.”
Have Meghan and Harry hired a photographer?: They have! While plenty of photographers will lineup outside of St. George’s Chapel, the lovebirds have chosen Alexi Lubomirski as their official photographer. He’s the same person that shot their stunning engagement photos.
What does Meghan’s wedding ring look like?: Meghan’s ring is truly one of a kind, as Harry commissioned the triad design himself! It includes two side diamonds with a larger center stone, all in a yellow gold setting (reportedly Meghan’s favorite). The smaller diamonds on the band are from the personal collection of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, while the main stone is from Botswana, the site of their earliest vacation together, and a country Harry often visits. The custom sparkler, pictured below, is valued at a reported $66,750.
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What type of dress will she wear while walking down the aisle?: To be determined! Information about Meghan’s wedding gown has been kept under tight wraps, but we do know that Jessica flew to London earlier this year to help her friend choose a dress designer. According to Vanity Fair, Meghan will have two, custom-made wedding dresses — the first is “an elaborate yet traditional bridal gown” for the ceremony and reception, and the second is “a glamorous, more sophisticated” gown she’ll change into for the evening to “party the night away” with less restriction.
Meghan is keeping the details of the gowns top-secret. VF reports that her designer has been sworn to secrecy — and not even Prince Harry knows who he/she is.
ET recently caught up with celebrity designer Mark Zunino. Though he’s not sure who’s creating the custom dress — “I’m trying to get it out of Jessica!” — he estimates Meghan’s gown will cost “at least $100,000 or more.”
“You know, [it will cost] $100,000 to $300,000, because she’s going to showcase everyone: herself, her family, his family, the country, our country, Canada. She’s representing everything,” Zunino shared. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she picked a Canadian designer, but something that is either her roots or respectful to the country that she’s marrying into.”
Perhaps Meghan will pick a similar style to this gorgeous Anne Barge number she wore in an episode of Suits?
Do the guests have to follow a dress code?: Yes. As the official invitations revealed, anyone attending Meghan and Harry’s wedding is expected to dress in uniform, a morning coat, lounge suit or a day dress with a hat, like this one Kate Middleton wore at Zara Phillips’ wedding to Mike Tindall in 2011:
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What type of cake are they serving?: Pastry chef Claire Ptak is baking a cake that’s perfect for spring! Kensington Palace revealed the dessert will have a lemon elderflower flavor and be “covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.”
Just like Meghan, Claire is originally from California, but now lives in London. She opened up her own shop, Violet Bakery, in 2010, and was previously featured on Meghan’s lifestyle blog, The Tig, before she shut it down due to royal etiquette.
Who is their florist?: Kensington Palace revealed London-based floral designer Philippa Craddock will create the displays at St. George’s Chapel and for St. George’s Hall. The floral displays at the Windsor chapel will be created using locally sourced foliage, much of which will be taken from the gardens and parkland of The Crown Estate and Windsor Great Park.
Do they have a registry?: No. In lieu of gifts, Meghan and Harry have asked their expected 600 guests, as well as anyone else who wants to honor them, to make a donation to one of seven charities they hand-selected. “The couple have personally chosen seven charities which represent a range of issues that they are passionate about, including sport for social change, women’s empowerment, conservation, the environment, homelessness, HIV and the Armed Forces,” a tweet from Kensington Palace read.
Where are they going on their honeymoon?: According to a report from Travel + Leisure, the couple are planning to make their first trip as newlyweds to Namibia, a country in southwest Africa. It’s a perfect place for the two, as it’s ideal for privacy and provides plenty of adventures and beautiful sites to see, including safari tours, the Sossuvlei sand dunes, exotic animal sightings, the Skeleton Coast and more.
The magazine also reports that it’s rumored that the pair will be staying at Namibia’s newest luxury camp, Natural Selection’s Hoanib Valley Camp. According to Natural Selection’s website, the company is “a collection of owner-operated safari camps and lodges united by the common aim of providing our guests with unique and exceptional safari experiences and being a part of the conservation solution for Africa’s wildlife.”
Hear more on everything we know about the royal wedding (so far!) in the video below. And be sure to keep up with all of ET’s coverage of the royal family right here as we count down to May 19.
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