Harry and Meghan’s wedding day set
Written by News on 16/12/2017
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will marry on 19 May next year at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, Kensington Palace has said.
It means the couple’s wedding will take place on the same day as the FA Cup final.
The date throws up an awkward diary clash for the groom’s brother Prince William, who is tipped to be Prince Harry’s best man.
As President of the Football Association, the Duke of Cambridge usually attends the cup final to present the trophy to the winners.
A May wedding would also allow the Duchess of Cambridge to recover from the birth of her third child, who is due to arrive in April.
The Royal Family will pay for the wedding, including the church service, the music, the flowers and the reception, which Prince Harry and Ms Markle have said will reflect who they are as a couple.
The security costs for the high-profile event will fall to the taxpayer.
Prince Harry and his fiancee previously said they wanted the public to feel a part of the celebrations.
Kensington Palace said the couple chose to tie the knot on a Saturday because “they felt it would give the public the greatest opportunity to watch, come out, support and get involved”.
Regarding a potential clash with the cup final, a spokesman added: “We are aware of it and haven’t announced times yet. It will be considered as part of the further planning.”
It is not yet known if the ceremony will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Ms Markle, a Protestant, is to be baptised and confirmed before the wedding day.
The pair confirmed their engagement on 27 November after Prince Harry proposed to the Suits actress earlier in the month.
In their first interview, Ms Markle revealed she gave an immediate “yes” to Prince Harry after he got down on one knee to propose as they tried to roast a chicken for dinner at Kensington Palace.
She said: “(It was) just an amazing surprise, it was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee.
“As a matter of fact I could barely let you finish proposing, I said: ‘Can I say yes now’?”
Prince Harry told of how “the stars were aligned” when he fell for his future wife, whom he met on a blind date.
The American actress is set to spend Christmas with Prince Harry and the Royal Family at Sandringham.
The move is a break in tradition, with Royal partners previously having to wait until they are married before being allowed to spend Christmas with the Queen and the rest of the family in Norfolk.
It is believed the visit will be the first time Ms Markle will be in the company of the entire Royal Family since she started dating Prince Harry in June 2016.
She revealed last month she has met the Queen a couple of times and described her as an “incredible woman”.
(c) Sky News 2017: Harry and Meghan’s wedding day set
