This post tells you how you can participate in the celebration of the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Find out the details of how you can watch this highly anticipated event on May 19, 2018.
Royal Wedding Details
Where You Can Watch
How to Visit Windsor Castle
St. George’s Chapel
Other Things to Do in May
Free Tours by Foot
TIP: While the Royals can afford to splurge on this wedding, us 'commoners' aren't always so fortunate. For ways to save money during your visit to London, read our Guide to London on a Budget. Also, you may want to consider one of the many tourist passes and discount cards. Our post London City Passes | Which Tourist Pass is Best? can help you figure out which pass, if any, is right for you.
Royal Wedding Details
At midday, on May 19th of this year, the couple will wed at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Unlike the huge, lavish wedding of Prince William & Kate Middleton (now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge), this will be a more intimate event at a much smaller venue. Prince Harry and Ms. Markle have commented that they want the public “to feel part of the celebrations, too” which means there will be quite a few ways to feel involved in this highly anticipated royal event.
Ms. Markle and Prince Harry are allowing 2,640 members of the public onto the grounds of the Castle, selected from students of schools close to the Castle, suggested guests chosen by the lords lieutenant, and members of charities supported by the couple. After the ceremony and the carriage procession, Prince Charles, Prince Harry's father, will host a private reception for close friends and family.
Traditionally royal weddings are held on weekdays, so hosting a wedding on a Saturday are bucking a tradition.
Coincidentally, the wedding takes place on the same day as the FA Cup Final - a huge event in British football. For this reason, the ceremony is set to begin at noon so festivities will have completed by the time the match begins in the evening!
How to Watch
Keeping up with the idea of involving the public, the couple will be taking a carriage procession through the streets of Windsor as soon as the church service ends, which will be approximately at 1:00 pm. The route will proceed along Castle Hill, High Street, Sheet Street, Kings Road, Albert Road, Long Walk and Windsor Castle.
The public is invited to come and line the streets to see the couple - but make sure you get there early as some members of the public are likely to camp out days in advance! For information on how to get there, check out our post on Windsor Castle.
It has recently been announced that pubs are given special permission from the Government to remain open late that day, so members of the public can celebrate together throughout the country at their favourite local drinking spot. Most pubs in London will be celebrating that day, but for some suggestions of the best pubs, check out one of our recommendations.
How to Visit Windsor Castle
Windsor is an amazing place to visit any time of the year, Royal Wedding or not! Check out our post on Windsor Castle before you go.
Or consider joining our Royal Westminster Tour before you go to give you the background history of the Royal Family up until the modern day!
St. George’s Chapel
This beautiful 15th-century chapel is located on the Windsor Castle Estate. It may not be known throughout the world like Westminster Abbey, but the Chapel has a notable place in history.
Weddings
St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle is one of the many locations where you can find celebrations of royal weddings in addition to Westminster Abbey (William and Kate) and St. Paul’s Cathedral (Charles and Diana).
King Edward VII, then the Prince of Wales, married Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863.
Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales married Camilla Parker-Bowles (now the Duchess of Cornwall) in 2005.
Prince Harry and Ms. Markle’s wedding in 2018.
In October 2018, another of Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren, Princess Eugenie, will wed Jack Brooksbank.
Monarchs and Royals buried at St. George’s Chapel
The Chapel is also the burial place of many monarchs, most of whom are buried with their spouses. Here are some of the most well-known monarchs, along with the dates of birth and death:
King Edward IV (1442-1483) and his wife, Queen Elizabeth Woodville, upon whom the novel and TV series "The White Queen" is based upon.
King Henry VIII (1491-1547). He is buried with his third wife, Jane Seymour.
King Charles I (1600-1649) whose reign was particularly tumultuous and included three civil wars as well as ongoing battles with Parliament. The King’s rule was short-lived when Parliament accused and convicted him of treason. He was beheaded under the rule of Oliver Cromwell. His headless body is in the tomb at St. George's Chapel.
King George III (1738-1820) was the reigning king during and after the American Revolution. If you haven't seen the movie "The Madness of King George"? You should!
King George VI (1895-1952) and his wife Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, parents of the current queen, Queen Elizabeth. King George VI is known for his unexpected ascendancy to the throne in 1936 when his when his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated due to the scandalous nature of his relationship and eventual marriage to Wallis Simpson, a twice-divorced American woman. Alongside King George VI and Queen Mother’s resting places are the ashes of Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth’s sister. (If you have been watching Netflix smash series "The Queen" you will know all these people well!)
Related posts
For those who can't get enough of the Royal Family and the places that have played a role in their lives, check out our posts:
Buckingham Palace Tours
Self-guided tour of the sights near Buckingham Palace
Windsor Castle Tours
Royal Westminster Tour
St. Paul’s Cathedral
