On May 19, 2018, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tied the knot in a fairytale ceremony that was watched by millions.
Meghan Markle wore one of the best royal wedding dresses for the big day and viewers were treated to some of the best royal wedding outfits, thanks to their star-studded guest list that included the likes of Amal Clooney and Victoria Beckham.
However, many other touching details from the day have been forgotten over the years. Here, we look back at some lesser-known facts and special pictures from the big day; from unique vows to non-traditional cakes and a subtle message woven into a very long veil.
Meghan’s sweet message in her veil
For Meghan’s ‘something blue’ on the big day, she added a sweet detail to her 16-foot-long veil. The veil featured a piece of blue fabric, which came from the dress she wore on her first date with Harry. Cute.
Charles walked Meghan down part of the aisle
When her father was unable to attend the wedding due to recent surgery, Meghan asked her father-in-law, then-Prince Charles, to walk her down the aisle. He met her at the quire and walked her towards her new husband, in a touching moment.
Two of Harry's exes attended
While it could be a little awkward to have an ex at your wedding, Harry actually had two former girlfriends on the invite list. Both Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy attended the ceremony, proving that Harry is on good terms with both.
Harry personally picked some of the flowers for Meghan's bouquet
Philippa Craddock crafted Meghan's timeless bouquet, with Prince Harry playing a role in its design. A Kensington Palace statement revealed that Prince Harry personally selected various flowers from their private garden at Kensington Palace to enhance the custom bridal bouquet. The chosen flowers encompassed sweet peas, jasmine, Forget-Me-Nots (a cherished favorite of Princess Diana), and myrtle, a traditional element in royal bouquets.
Meghan walked part of the aisle alone
Before meeting Charles at the quire, Meghan walked alone for part of her journey, making her the only royal bride in history to walk down the aisle alone. Her decision to start her bridal procession alone showed that, from the onset, she was not afraid to defy convention.
They donated their flowers afterwards
St. Joseph's Hospice in London was adorned with an abundance of flowers donated the day after Harry and Meghan's wedding. The floral arrangements, designed by the renowned high fashion florist Craddock, were sourced from a variety of royal estates.
This sweet photo of Meghan's bridesmaids and pageboys
Meghan's entourage of pageboys and bridesmaids seemed to be having a blast at the wedding. Posing for the cameras and giggling amongst themselves, the children accompanied Meghan as she walked down the aisle in matching outfits and flower crowns.
They didn't have a traditional wedding cake
Instead of a traditional fruit cake, Harry and Meghan opted for a lemon and elderflower cake, skillfully crafted by chef Claire Ptak, the owner of an East London-based bakery. Kensington Palace disclosed that the cake was infused with elderflower syrup sourced from the Queen's residence in Sandringham, extracted from the estate's elderflower trees.
Elton John performed at the reception
Plenty of famous guests were on the invite list for the royal wedding, including Sir Elton John, who entertained guests during the luncheon. Elton John was a close friend of the late Princess Diana and delivered a poignant performance of "Candle in the Wind" at her funeral.
They had a charity registry
Rather than traditional physical gifts on their wedding registry, the royal couple encouraged their fans, guests and loved ones to make donations to seven carefully chosen charities, including Crisis, The Wilderness Foundation, the Children's HIV Association and others.
*This* shot of Meghan's gorgeous veil
Meghan looked stunning in each of her outfits on the big day, but few images captured the sheer length of the five-metre (16-foot) veil attached to her beautiful gown. This birds-eye shot shows the newly wedded couple in all their glory, as well as a full-length view of the veil.
Nearly two billion people watched the event
An estimated 1.9 billion people across the globe tuned in to watch the historical event on TV and streaming services, making Harry and Meghan's nuptials one of the biggest televised events in history.
Meghan's pageboys were the twin sons of her best friend
Meghan’s long and intricately adorned veil was carried by page boys Brian Mulroney and John Mulroney, the twin sons of Meghan’s best friend and stylist Jessica Mulroney. The boys found the whole day very funny, giggling and posing for the cameras.
Harry had a unique wedding band
The tradition of using Welsh gold for royal wedding rings dates back to Queen Elizabeth's mother's wedding in 1923, and Meghan's ring was crafted from gold sourced from the Clogau St David’s mine at Bontddu in North Wales. But in a turn away from tradition, Prince Harry opted for platinum for his wedding band.
And who could forget Harry's words to Meghan as he met her at the altar?
All eyes were on Meghan as she joined her husband at the altar, and his sweet words to her made the whole country swoon. Harry whispered “you look amazing, I’m so lucky” to his bride before the happy couple gave their vows.
They drove to the reception in a vintage car
Leaving the luncheon at Windsor Castle, the royal couple chose to travel to their reception in style. Hopping behind the wheel of a vintage Jaguar from the 1960s, Harry drove his new bride to the reception at Frogmore House. Another sweet detail on the car was the license plate, which was E190518 - a reference to May 19, 2018, their wedding date.
This gorgeous shot of the happy couple
A photographer caught this iconic image as Meghan and Harry left the chapel after exchanging their vows. While the light is dappled, Harry looks completely in love with his new bride, holding her hand as they greet the party outside. It's perhaps not one of the more popular images from the day but it's a beautifully candid one.
The reveal of Meghan's party dress
Meghan followed the popular tradition of changing into a different gown for the evening celebrations of her wedding - after all, you can't really dance in that veil! She opted for a chic Stella McCartney dress before the party started, which was revealed in this now-iconic picture of the two.
Idris Elba DJ'd at the party
There were plenty of big names on the invite list for the royal wedding including actor and musician Idris Elba, who also performed at the reception. Elba spoke about the unusual proposal on The Ellen Degeneres Show. According to Elba, Harry approached him and said “‘Hey man, what are you doing on the 19th May?’ And I was like ‘Nothing’. He goes ‘Hmm, would you DJ at my wedding?’ I was like, ‘Is this a joke? Are you joking?’ And he’s like ‘Serious’”.
Their star-studded guest list was full of A-listers
Royal weddings are often star-studded affairs, and Harry and Meghan’s was no exception. In fact, owing to Meghan's TV career, it was possibly *the* most star-studded royal wedding, ever. The guest list was brimming with famous guests, including Amal and George Clooney, Serena Williams, Oprah Winfrey and David and Victoria Beckham.
Meghan wore a seriously affordable nail polish
Despite the diamonds and the Givenchy gown, not everything Meghan wore on the big day came with a hefty price tag. Her nail varnish, Ballet Slippers by Essie, is surprisingly affordable, retailing at less than £7. The light pink shade is a Royal Family staple, much-loved by the Duchess of Cambridge, too. The late Queen Elizabeth was also reportedly a fan of the classic shade.
Meghan never had a makeup trial before the big day
Meghan Markle's wedding makeup echoed her everyday style, with a simple, effortless elegance. The princess worked with makeup artist Daniel Martin for her look, who revealed that they weren’t able to meet up beforehand to do a customary makeup trial due to their busy schedules. Not that you'd ever guess it - her makeup was impeccable.
Meghan's tiara belonged to the Queen Mother
Meghan’s whole outfit was stunning and people across the globe loved her traditional yet minimalist look. However, it may surprise some people to find out that she opted for a tiara that deviated from the traditional pronged crown. The diamond and platinum bandeau she wore for her big day originally belonged to Queen Mary, Elizabeth II's grandmother.
Meghan defied tradition with her vows
When standing at the altar with her husband, Meghan became the latest woman in the royal family to do away with the traditional wedding vows, which historically include a pledge for the bride to "obey" her husband. She followed in the footsteps of Princess Diana, who controversially omitted the vow at her 1981 wedding, and Kate, who did the same in 2011.
They framed their private vows
Meghan revealed to Oprah Winfrey in a now-famous interview that she and Harry have their vows framed, but it's not the ones exchanged during the grand royal wedding; instead, they framed the vows from their private ceremony. We might never know exactly what these vows say, but we’re sure they’re adorable.
Meghan's mother had only just met her daughter's new father-in-law
While the majority of the royal family attended the ceremony, Doria had only met Meghan’s new father- and mother-in-law a few days before, where they had tea at Clarence House. She also met Queen Elizabeth for the first time on the day of the nuptials.
They had a private ceremony three days before
While the royal wedding is the one everyone remembers, Harry and Meghan actually officially tied the knot a few days before. A fun Meghan and Prince Harry fact: the happy couple exchanged private vows to each other in the backyard of their home before getting married before the world.
Cheeky Charlotte stole the show
In a sweet moment, bridesmaid Princess Charlotte playfully stuck her tongue out at photographers as she arrived at the ceremony. Several outlets were reminded of an image of Charlotte’s uncle Harry, when he was captured sassily responding to photographers while exiting a car to visit the hospital following the birth of his cousin, Princess Beatrice, in 1988.
Diana's old sister made a touching speech
Prince Harry asked Lady Jane Fellowes, Princess Diana's older sister, to give a reading at his wedding. Honouring her late sister, she chose lines from the Song of Solomon, including, "The winter is past, the rain is over and gone... Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it."
They donated £90k of their wedding profits to charity
With a surplus of £90,000 in profits from the BBC broadcast of their royal wedding, Meghan and Harry chose to make a charitable donation. They donated specifically to Feeding Britain, an organization dedicated to combating hunger in the U.K.
They gave out goody bags to their guests
The couple provided gift bags for their wedding guests, though it later emerged some of those recipients listed them on eBay, with one of them having an asking price of over £2,300. The bags reportedly included chocolate, shortbread, water and a letter from Meghan and Harry.
The adorable moment Harry lifted Meghan's veil
Talk about fairytale wedding. This part of the ceremony made for one of the most romantic royal moments of all time, as Harry and Meghan started their happily married life together.
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