Harry and Meghan: Wedding Suggestions and Musings

[O-H Anglophile]

Yes, and Meghan's first name is Rachel. If they were going to go full formal, it would have been Prince Henry and Ms Rachel Markle. Kate has never been known by her middle name. It seems having the invitation sent by Charles and not the queen, and simple touches like the names used, little less formal.

My point was, Catherine's name on her wedding invitation was "Miss Catherine Middleton", not "Miss Catherine Elizabeth Middleton" so comparabe to Ms. Meghan Markle. I didn't think I was that unclear.

 

[CTchic]

But Kate goes by Catherine formally whereas Meghan does not go by Rachel at all. The only people that call Kate Kate are the media and presumably her nearest and dearest.

Everyone calls Meghan Meghan and never Rachel. She does not introduce herself as that either.

 

[Lady Reem]

Meghan, Rachel are her two legal names. She has been referred to as Meghan since she was a child. It’d be very odd to start calling her something else.

 

[Mbruno]

Meghan, Rachel are her two legal names. She has been referred to as Meghan since she was a child. It’d be very odd to start calling her something else.

That was not the point. The OP's argument was that Meghan's full name was not printed in the invitation because Harry's wasn't either; instead only Harry's title and first name were printed. Other posters then noted that, if the underlying rule was to print first names only, then they should have used Rachel instead of Meghan.

Many people with two given names actually go by their "second" name on a daily basis. That is actually fairly common in some languages like Portuguese where the first name may be a rather common name that many people have and the second name is what is really used at school for example to differentiate one pupil from another in the same class. I don't think it is that common though with English names.

Personally, I like Rachel better than Meghan, but I agree that, if she has used Meghan as her primary given name for most of her life, she is not going to change it now.

 

[burbankstorylady]

Is it normal not to have the Lord Chamberlain in the invite? I mean, even with the Prince of Wales hosting the wedding for his son, the event should fall under the Lord Chamberlain's office, no?

 

[Marlo]

Is it normal not to have the Lord Chamberlain in the invite? I mean, even with the Prince of Wales hosting the wedding for his son, the event should fall under the Lord Chamberlain's office, no?

You might want to check the invitation again.

 

[Osipi]

As the Lord Chamberlain is always a peer and a member of the monarch's Privy Council, my guess is that it is his office that handles and processes the RSVPS. The Lord Chamberlain is the chief functionary of the court, and is generally responsible for organizing all court functions.

Hence, those that received invitations to the wedding are directed to respond to the Lord Chamberlain's office.

 

[Mbruno]

As the Lord Chamberlain is always a peer and a member of the monarch's Privy Council, my guess is that it is his office that handles and processes the RSVPS. The Lord Chamberlain is the chief functionary of the court, and is generally responsible for organizing all court functions.

Hence, those that received invitations to the wedding are directed to respond to the Lord Chamberlain's office.

I think the OP was making the point that the invitations to William’s wedding were issued by the Lord Chamberlain “ by command of the Queen” whereas the invitations to Harry’s wedding were sent by the Prince of Wales directly.

 

[jacqui24]

I think the OP was making the point that the invitations to William’s wedding were issued by the Lord Chamberlain “ by command of the Queen” whereas the invitations to Harry’s wedding were sent by the Prince of Wales directly.

Wedding invitations are usually sent by the parents rather than grandparents. In William's case, it was obviously different as he is in the direct line to the throne. The Queen's younger children had their invitation sent out by the Queen because obviously she's their mother.

 

[Marlo]

H&M's official commemorative wedding china goes on sale.

https://us.hellomagazine.com/royalt...tm_medium=social&utm_campaign=internaltwitter

 

[Mbruno]

Wedding invitations are usually sent by the parents rather than grandparents. In William's case, it was obviously different as he is in the direct line to the throne. The Queen's younger children had their invitation sent out by the Queen because obviously she's their mother.

My best guess to answer the OP’s question is that, because the invitations came from the PoW, they could not be issued by the Lord Chamberlain since the PoW , unlike the Queen, cannot “command” the Lord Chamberlain to do anything.

 

[jacqui24]

My best guess to answer the OP’s question is that, because the invitations came from the PoW, they could not be issued by the Lord Chamberlain since the PoW , unlike the Queen, cannot “command” the Lord Chamberlain to do anything.

I agree with that. Although it is being handled through the Lord Chamberlain's office. It's only HMQ that can command the Lord Chamberlain.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Do the wedding invitations indicate an RSVP? If Yes, what is the amount of time that the invited person has to respond?

 

[Somebody]

I agree. I am a 36 year old single woman, it feels bizarre to be called Miss still. Traditionally Ms was a divorced woman (Meghan) or a woman who didn't take her husband's title. Now a days many women, adults with careers and lives of their own, feel Ms as the more appropriate term for a grown woman. Though I am happy for anything but when I get called 'Mam'. Nothing makes me feel older then when I get that.

Yes, and Meghan's first name is Rachel. If they were going to go full formal, it would have been Prince Henry and Ms Rachel Markle. Kate has never been known by her middle name. It seems having the invitation sent by Charles and not the queen, and simple touches like the names used, little less formal.

Would full formal have been to use full names so Henry Charles Albert David) and Rachel Meghan? However, they didn't do that for previous royal marriages either. The invitation is consistent with the engagement announcement.

 

[Somebody]

Personally, I like Rachel better than Meghan, but I agree that, if she has used Meghan as her primary given name for most of her life, she is not going to change it now.

For all of her life (except for Suits).

 

[jacqui24]

Do the wedding invitations indicate an RSVP? If Yes, what is the amount of time that the invited person has to respond?

Yes. RSVPs are to be sent to Lord Chamberlain's office. I'm assuming there is some etiquette rule that's not explicitly stated as to when RSVPs to be sent back?

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Regarding the wedding cake; I expected Harry and Meghan to choose a more unconventional filling though lemon and elderflower is quite unusual. I suspect that their wedding will be more modern than William and Catherine's, especially since Harry is lower down in the line of succession so he has more of a freedom (for the future king one expects to have a rather traditional wedding, IMO). I'm a Brit who has always disliked fruit cake, and when I was little I was highly disappointed when I ate some at weddings thinking it was chocolate I'm glad that Harry and Meghan have gone for something a little different.

 

[xenobia]

I have two names (let's say Maria Elisabeth). I've always been Elisabeth. Throughout Scandinavia, it's very common. I understand from this discussion that it's not the same thing in the UK.

 

[Jacknch]

Yes. RSVPs are to be sent to Lord Chamberlain's office. I'm assuming there is some etiquette rule that's not explicitly stated as to when RSVPs to be sent back?

I would imagine that the formal invitation will be accompanied by an information sheet detailing things like when the RSVP needs to be returned by. I'm guessing it needs to be done a few weeks prior to the wedding.

 

[Andy T]

I have two names (let's say Maria Elisabeth). I've always been Elisabeth. Throughout Scandinavia, it's very common. I understand from this discussion that it's not the same thing in the UK.

It's not at all uncommon in the UK. I know a single family in which the grandfather, 3 children, 3 spouses, and 2 grandchildren have been called by their second/middle names since birth.

 

[Fijiro]

Sometimes back, I googled famous people who use their second names; this list includes two very famous Britons
Sir Thomas Sean Connery
Sir James Paul McCartney
Former Canadian Prime Minister Joseph Philippe Pierre Trudeau
William Bradley Pitt
Christopher Ashton Kutcher
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon
Hannah Dakota Fanning
Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Henry Warren Beatty
Walter Bruce Willis

 

[evolvingdoors]

For actors and people from showbiz who may be memebers of a guild it may boil down to: another actor/producer/director whatever, is already using that name. So some end up going with a Middle name for the first name, some get a new professional name all together.

 

[Princess Larisa]

I remember some people had a hard time understanding that Prince Daniel’s full name is Olof Daniel, but his ‘’calling name’’ has always been Daniel and there was no talk of calling him anything but Prince Daniel. It’s the same for Meghan.

 

[ladongas]

Sometimes back, I googled famous people who use their second names; this list includes two very famous Britons
Sir Thomas Sean Connery
Sir James Paul McCartney
Former Canadian Prime Minister Joseph Philippe Pierre Trudeau
William Bradley Pitt
Christopher Ashton Kutcher
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon
Hannah Dakota Fanning
Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Henry Warren Beatty
Walter Bruce Willis

Alexandrina Victoria R

 

[MARG]

Harry got his proper name even though he has been called Harry since his birth because Harry is just a nickname, Meghan is not. Rachel is her first given name, Meghan her second, but like Harry, she has been called Meghan since she was a child,

 

[Lady Nimue]

I noticed that only with Meghan's and Harry's wedding invitation did it specify day dress and hat for the women. None of the others mentioned the woman's attire (I don't think).

 

[ACO]

William and Kate's had the same dress code on the bottom of their invitations.

 

[Pranter]

Nope William invitation just says uniform, morning coat or lounge suit. Harry's also says day dress with hat



LaRae

 

[Countessmeout]

Sometimes back, I googled famous people who use their second names; this list includes two very famous Britons
Sir Thomas Sean Connery
Sir James Paul McCartney
Former Canadian Prime Minister Joseph Philippe Pierre Trudeau
William Bradley Pitt
Christopher Ashton Kutcher
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon
Hannah Dakota Fanning
Robyn Rihanna Fenty
Henry Warren Beatty
Walter Bruce Willis

Note, with the exception of Trudeau, these are celebrities. It is a very old tradition to have a 'stage name'. Its habit with many to simply use one of their middle names instead. Perhaps because their middle name is more memorable, catchy, then their first like Rihanna. Dakota is a lot more catchy/memorable then Hannah. Bruce much more fashionable for show business then Walter and so on. Others like Martin Sheen chose to anglicize their name as when they tried to get auditions, his latino name seemed to be a stumbling block. His Charlie chose to use his father's stage name, while his brother Emilio chose to use his birth name. Nicolas Cage was the opposite of Charlie, and wanted to escape his family reputation and make it on his own and changed his name from Nicola Coppola, to Nicholas Cage.

I have two names (let's say Maria Elisabeth). I've always been Elisabeth. Throughout Scandinavia, it's very common. I understand from this discussion that it's not the same thing in the UK.

The difference seems to be, unless I am wrong Maria Elisabeth would be your first name. Together? Like Prince Carl Philip, it would be wrong to call him just Carl as both Carl and Philip are his first name. Its called a double barrel first name. Or Maria Teresa of Luxembourg. Casually, you may drop one. I have a friend whose family has 4 daughters, 2 are Mary X and 2 are Maria X. They all go by what ever the X is. In English speaking countries, its not unheard of but its more uncommon to have double barrel first names. Sometimes you will see with a - to show they are together. Rachel is not 'Rachel Meghan' as one name. Meghan is her middle name. Like the queen is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, but her first name is Elizabeth, not Elizabeth Alexandra.

My surprise stems from the invitations tend to be very formal. And usually in formal papers, you'd use the Proper name (not the called by name). Like we will see her referred to as Rachel in her vows.

 

[Lady Nimue]

Nope William invitation just says uniform, morning coat or lounge suit. Harry's also says day dress with hat. LaRae

Nor did any of the others, like Edward's and Sophie's. Interesting, as for the latter's wedding there was a particular dress code because it was a late afternoon wedding going into evening for the reception. I seem to recall that there were no hats. So where was the dress code conveyed, or did people just know because of the time of the wedding? Seems like with most weddings indicating the men's attire is enough to signal what the women should wear.