• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
    • SOKO MRKT
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
    • Essence Holiday Gift Guide 2023
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
    • SOKO MRKT
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
    • Essence Holiday Gift Guide 2023
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home • Love & Sex

Every Little Detail We Loved About Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's History-Making Royal Wedding

Every Little Detail We Loved About Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s History-Making Royal Wedding
WPA Pool/Getty Images
By Charli Penn · Updated October 24, 2020

The royal wedding of Prince Harry and actress and Suits star Meghan Markle drew millions of viewers on Saturday, as the world watched the couple exchange vows in an internationally televised ceremony.

Just before hours before their wedding ceremony began, the world learned that Queen Elizabeth II had conferred the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex to the couple.

Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland, left the Cliveden House Hotel to travel to the wedding by a carriage on Saturday morning. The festivities began promptly at 7 am EST, and Markle arrived to St. George’s Chapel right on time.

The bride instantly wowed the crowd outside of the chapel upon arrival when she stepped out of the vintage car wearing a modest white bridal gown designed by Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller and a lovely 16-foot cathedral wedding veil. Her choice of designer seemed fitting for Markle, who identifies as feminist. Keller is Givenchy’s first female artistic director.

In keeping with tradition, and royal protocol, Markle, 36 paid homage to her husband’s family by wearing a tiara from the Queen’s personal collection. She chose the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau.

Markle’s father could not walk her down the aisle because he is recovering from heart surgery, so instead, she chose to walk solo for most of her entrance in a bold statement of her independence and strength. Her new father-in-law, Prince Charles, joined her for the remaining walk to her groom.

Reverend Michael Curry, the first African-American to preside over Episcopal Church, gave a moving sermon during the ceremony that touched on the Black experience in America and the importance of love. Curry quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and brought many in the crowd, including the groom and Markle’s mother, to tears.

“There’s power in love,” Curry told the crowd, as the cameras zoomed in on many guests nodding in agreement.
Before The Duke and Duchess exchanged their wedding vows, Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir sang a beautiful rendition of the classic “Stand By Me,” by Ben E. King.

After their vows and pronouncement as husband and wife, 19-year-old star cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason played for the newlyweds.

As the couple exited the chapel, the gospel choir sang “Amen” and “This Little Light Of Mine.”

In keeping with tradition, the couple departed the castle to parade by horse-drawn carriage through the streets of Windsor for their procession. They greeted thousands of joyful and cheering onlookers who had begun lining up and camping out days in advance to secure their spots to witness the couple’s history-making moment.

The wedding guest list was full of A-list celebrities, including Idris Elba and his fiancée, Sabrina Dhowre, and Serena Williams, her husband Alexis Ohanian and their newborn daughter.

 

COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now