Harry and Meghan: Wedding Suggestions and Musings

[MARG]

I know - I'm hoping that doesn't happen. I want to see a long processional to build up suspense leading to the wedding.

That's one of my favorite parts of these royal weddings. The arrivals are everything.

Harry and Meghan said they wanted to include the public and the only way that is going to happen is the arrival and departure. The photo of Edward, Charles and Andrew walking down is wonderful. The crowds were cheering and they looked so happy and full of expectation, laughing and interacting with the people. It sure beat them arriving in a car.

Sadly, I don't think we are going to see the guests arrive or depart, except for the royal family waving them off from the Chapel steps. I always remember HM taking off after one of the small children made a break for it. I can't remember whose wedding it was or who the child was but it was such a very ordinary family thing I chuckled,

 

[Osipi]

Sadly, I don't think we are going to see the guests arrive or depart, except for the royal family waving them off from the Chapel steps. I always remember HM taking off after one of the small children made a break for it. I can't remember whose wedding it was or who the child was but it was such a very ordinary family thing I chuckled,

I believe that was Andrew and Sarah's wedding and the child was William. It was when Andrew and Sarah were leaving in a carriage for their honeymoon and William decided he was going to chase the carriage and the Queen went chasing after him to rein him in.

 

[Pranter]

Wasn't it William who behaved so badly at Sarah/Andrew's wedding...sticking out his tongue and acting silly? I read somewhere the Queen was not at all happy about his behavior and said something to his parents about it.


LaRae

 

[CyrilVladisla]

This link shows the carriage route.
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVy9whpX0AAUllj.jpg

 

[muriel]

I wouldn't say the BRF has a tenuous connection to the place these days, but it is used for private things rather than public ones. Diana laid in rest there, as I recall, and George's baptism was held there.

I referred to the BRFs link with the chapel at Hampton Court being tenuous, not the one at SJP

 

[ACO]

This link shows the carriage route.
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVy9whpX0AAUllj.jpg

This is a video of the actual route.

https://twitter.com/x/status/963001812038160384

 

[FashionMaven]

I believe that was Andrew and Sarah's wedding and the child was William. It was when Andrew and Sarah were leaving in a carriage for their honeymoon and William decided he was going to chase the carriage and the Queen went chasing after him to rein him in.

HAHAHA! That is hilarious. Is that anywhere in a video?

This is a video of the actual route.

https://twitter.com/x/status/963001812038160384

My God that approach up to Windsor Castle is nothing short of majestic.

Funny, this is my least favorite part of the whole thing.
My favorite is the bride walking up the aisle toward the groom and the exchange of the vows.

I love that part too - I wrote and rewrote that post so many times... I really meant to say it was one of my favorite parts and that the processional part was my favorite part aside from the actual ceremony.

But as it's a royal wedding, what makes it different to me is the spectacle leading up to the actual ceremony - which pretty much looks like any other ceremony to be honest, except in size.

But normal people don't have long regal processionals to and from the church with half the country screaming their heads off. Gone are the days of the huge processionals like before Diana and Charles' wedding or even Andrew and Fergie, but the processionals like Catherine's and Wil's are still awesome.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Nice to see the updates of the wedding - St. George's looks gorgeous inside, those stained glass windows are especially beautiful. It was fun to see the time lapse of the wedding route too - quite different from William and Catherine's in London!

 

[FashionMaven]

Harry and Meghan said they wanted to include the public and the only way that is going to happen is the arrival and departure. The photo of Edward, Charles and Andrew walking down is wonderful. The crowds were cheering and they looked so happy and full of expectation, laughing and interacting with the people. It sure beat them arriving in a car.

As for Meghan at least, going by this video of Sophie and Edward's wedding, she will likely come out of Windsor Castle and go down The Long Drive, just like Sophie did...

Finally finding the video of Sophie leaving WC and going down The Long Drive makes me feel better - I think people will be lining the road and it will be packed with people to watch Meghan on the way to St. George's Chapel.

Sadly, I don't think we are going to see the guests arrive or depart, except for the royal family waving them off from the Chapel steps. I always remember HM taking off after one of the small children made a break for it. I can't remember whose wedding it was or who the child was but it was such a very ordinary family thing I chuckled,

Maybe - it's possible though that they'll all take The Long Drive like Sophie did... just to include the people on both the arrivals and the processional too.

I could see Harry and William in a car going down The Long Drive and then getting out to walk the rest of the way...

Or maybe they'll walk the whole way, who knows...

I don't think anyone has done the walk up though since Edward.

 

[Dman]

I think William and Harry will go out and greet some of the crowds the night before the wedding. They did this before the 2011 Cambridge wedding.

 

[FashionMaven]

I think William and Harry will go out and greet some of the crowds the night before the wedding. They did this before the 2011 Cambridge wedding.

Oh how nice! I didn't know they did that...

 

[Osipi]

Oh how nice! I didn't know they did that...

It was something totally off the cuff outside of Clarence House where William and Harry spent the night before the wedding. Here is a short clip of it.

It will probably be a bit harder for Harry to do something like this in Windsor. If Meghan is staying at Windsor Castle and leaving from there for the wedding, most likely Harry will be staying elsewhere (Royal Lodge perhaps?) and I believe it would be hard for a crowd to gather outside the Lodge.

 

[FashionMaven]

This video reminds me that I have a totally random picture of a colleague's brother with Prince William at a pub somewhere... because he looks the same... so affable.

 

[O-H Anglophile]

Harry and Meghan said they wanted to include the public and the only way that is going to happen is the arrival and departure. The photo of Edward, Charles and Andrew walking down is wonderful. The crowds were cheering and they looked so happy and full of expectation, laughing and interacting with the people. It sure beat them arriving in a car.

Sadly, I don't think we are going to see the guests arrive or depart, except for the royal family waving them off from the Chapel steps. I always remember HM taking off after one of the small children made a break for it. I can't remember whose wedding it was or who the child was but it was such a very ordinary family thing I chuckled,

We saw guests arrive at Edward & Sophie's wedding. They arrived in mini-buses.

 

[Dman]

Yes, expect the mini-buses to transport the extended members of the royal family to the wedding and back to the castle.

 

[Leopoldine]

HAHAHA! That is hilarious. Is that anywhere in a video?

It is. I've seen it. You have to troll through some footage on youtube to get to it. HM was quick on the draw there.

An aside about that wedding -- I hated the giant bear and the tin foil mess on the back of the carriage that said "phone home". If it was my wedding, I would have removed the bear and the tin foil. Neither was humorous or touching, just off-putting. To prepare for this wedding for months, with all of the attendant irritations and protocol issues, here you're finally off to your honeymoon, and you have to look at that f_____g bear on your romantic carriage ride.

 

[Thena]

Actually, I read in an interview with Andrew a few years back that he still has that bear! It's standing guard in his office in Buckingham Palace.

 

[ACO]

My God that approach up to Windsor Castle is nothing short of majestic.

It is quite beautiful. I am looking forward to watching it but wow there is not a lot of space. Very tight road.

 

[Pranter]

Myself I can easily see where Andrew and Fergi would of loved the bear.


LaRae

 

[Tarlita]

Does anyone know if Mr Markle will stay at Windsor Castle as a guest during the wedding week. As per Mary Donaldson and her family were invited to stay at a palace with drivers and everything else that was needed in Denmark.

 

[Leopoldine]

Does anyone know if Mr Markle will stay at Windsor Castle as a guest during the wedding week. As per Mary Donaldson and her family were invited to stay at a palace with drivers and everything else that was needed in Denmark.

This will be of concern. Meghan's parents will need protection, yet they will probably like to get out and around. I hope it works out to be a positive experience for them and not a tabloid press horror.

 

[Osipi]

I'm sure that Tom and Doria will receive every consideration needed to make their stay for their daughter's wedding an enjoyable one. I wouldn't be one bit surprised if HM invites both of them to stay as her guests in Windsor Castle.

 

[Countessmeout]

Does anyone know if Mr Markle will stay at Windsor Castle as a guest during the wedding week. As per Mary Donaldson and her family were invited to stay at a palace with drivers and everything else that was needed in Denmark.

I know Sophie and her parents stayed at Royal lodge the night before the wedding, with the Queen Mum. I would think both Meghan's parents will be invited to stay at the castle with their daughter if that is where she is staying.

 

[Stefan]

As for Meghan at least, going by this video of Sophie and Edward's wedding, she will likely come out of Windsor Castle and go down The Long Drive, just like Sophie did...

Finally finding the video of Sophie leaving WC and going down The Long Drive makes me feel better - I think people will be lining the road and it will be packed with people to watch Meghan on the way to St. George's Chapel.

Actually Sophie did not come from the Castle but from the Royal Lodge which is at the other side ot Windsor Great Park. She and her Family spend the night before the wedding there. Don't think this is an Option for Meghan as it is now the Home of Prince Andrew. Perhaps she and her Family could stay at Frogmore.

 

[Countessmeout]

Yes if either of the couple stayed there, I would think it Harry who is close to the Yorks. Meghan would likely stay at the main castle, and her parents. Autumn stayed at the castle the night before her wedding.

https://www.elle.com.au/culture/meghan-markle-night-before-wedding-15726

 

[muriel]

It was something totally off the cuff outside of Clarence House where William and Harry spent the night before the wedding. Here is a short clip of it.

It will probably be a bit harder for Harry to do something like this in Windsor. If Meghan is staying at Windsor Castle and leaving from there for the wedding, most likely Harry will be staying elsewhere (Royal Lodge perhaps?) and I believe it would be hard for a crowd to gather outside the Lodge.

Camilla went out onto The Mall the evening before the Cambridge wedding as well, a few hours before William.

 

[muriel]

Yes if either of the couple stayed there, I would think it Harry who is close to the Yorks. Meghan would likely stay at the main castle, and her parents. Autumn stayed at the castle the night before her wedding.

https://www.elle.com.au/culture/meghan-markle-night-before-wedding-15726

It would bve very odd if Harry left his whole family at the castle and went off to stay with a cousin. More likely, either Meghan and family will be accomodated elsewhere, or in a different part of the castle.

 

[wbenson]

Thank you so much for drawing this out like that.

It may be wrong as two different papers are showing a longer route.

IIRC, didn't Sophie and HMQ take the route using The Long Walk in their cars on the way to the chapel? I remember there were a few fans along the Long Walk - or maybe it was just outside of the gates - waving at Sophie as she went by - but it was a miniscule number of people. Maybe they worked at WC and weren't general public?

Sophie drove down part of the Long Walk, but I think it was at the other end. Royal Lodge is just south of the south end of it. Her car then turned and went through the town and entered the castle at the other end.

 

[wbenson]

I'm seeing more reporting of the longer route. I shaded in a rough approximation of the open space along the route, which shows why they would want to do the additional portion. The southern hook of it will be a slightly unusual setting for this kind of thing as it's very leafy and suburban in character.

 

[ACO]

https://twitter.com/x/status/963421712862928896

I wonder what she has planned!