Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg. source: Wikipedia

Marie Luise was the wife of Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. Duchess Marie Luise Friederike Alexandrine Elisabeth Charlotte Catherine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was born on March 31, 1803, at Ludwigslust Palace in Ludwgislust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. She was the daughter of Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia.

Marie Luise had one older brother:

Marie Luise had three younger half-siblings from her father’s second marriage to Princess Caroline Louise of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach:

Prince Georg of Saxe-Hildburghausen, c1820. source: Wikipedia

On October 7, 1825, in Ludwigslust, Marie Luise married Prince Georg of Saxe-Hildburghausen. He was the son of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Marie Luise and her husband had three sons:

A year after their marriage, Georg became the Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Altenburg. The Ernestine duchies had been reorganized, and Georg’s father ceded Hildburghausen to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen and had instead been created Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. The family left Hildburghausen, and Marie and Georg settled at Christiansburg Castle in Eisenburg. They later moved to Altenburg where, on November 30, 1848, Georg’s brother Joseph abdicated the throne. George and Marie became the new reigning Duke and Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg.

Christiansburg Castle. photo: By Wolkenkratzer – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38730308

The new Duchess quickly threw herself into charity work. Through her Marie Foundation, she founded a woman’s association, several schools, and the Lutheran missionary society in Altenburg. After being widowed in August 1853, Marie Luise stayed in Altenburg and maintained a very close relationship with her son and his children.

On October 26, 1862, the 59-year-old Dowager Duchess died at the Elisabethenburg Palace in Meiningen, Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, now in Thuringia, Germany. Her body was brought back to Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany, and was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg cemetery. In 1974, her remains were removed from the mausoleum and reburied elsewhere in the cemetery.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg: The Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg was created in 1826 when Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. After Friedrich IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died in 1825 without heirs, the Ernestine duchies were reorganized. Gotha passed to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld becoming the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Altenburg passed to Friedrich. In exchange, the two Dukes ceded Saalfeld and Hildburghausen, respectively, to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

As World War I ended, the last Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Ernst II, was one of the first German sovereigns to realize that major changes were coming and quickly arrived at an amicable settlement with his subjects. He abdicated on November 13, 1918. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg is located in the German state of Thuringia.

********************

Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg reigned from 1848 until 1853. He was born Prince Georg Karl Friedrich of Saxe-Hildburghausen in Hildburghausen, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on July 24, 1796, to Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Georg had 11 siblings:

As a younger son, it was not expected that Georg would one day succeed to the ducal throne. He began a military career early, serving in the Austrian forces in 1804. Ten years later, he was wounded in the Italian Campaign and forced to give up active service. Returning to Hildburghausen, he lived with his brother Joseph at the nearby Charlottenburg Palace. From 1816 until 1820, he studied at the University of Heidelberg and was appointed as a personal adjutant to King Maximilian I of Bavaria. After two years, he returned to Hildburghausen and undertook a project to redesign a castle in nearby Hellingen. He also founded a youth army, and in 1824, founded the municipal savings bank in Hildburghausen.

Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. source: Wikipedia

On October 7, 1825, in Ludwigslust, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, Georg married Duchess Marie Luise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She was the daughter of Friedrich Ludwig, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Elena Pavlovna of Russia. They had three sons:

The following year, his father became the Duke of Saxe-Altenburg and moved to Altenburg. Georg and his family, however, remained in Hildburghausen for three more years. Eventually, in 1829, they moved to his father’s new duchy, taking up residence at Christiansburg Castle in nearby Eisenberg.

Christiansburg Castle. photo: by Wolkenkratzer – Own Work, CC-BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38730308

Georg became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg on November 30, 1848, succeeding his brother Joseph who was forced to abdicate. As Duke, he reformed the financial administration of the duchy and founded the George Foundation, which worked to promote and support artists and craftsmen. Georg came significant amounts of his own money to welfare efforts for the poor, earning him the nickname ‘Georg the Good’.

In declining health, Georg handed over much of his role to his son Ernst on May 28, 1853. Just over two months later, Duke Georg died at Jagdschloss Hummelshaim (link in German), now in the German state of Thuringia, on August 3, 1853. He was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in the German state of Thuringia, until 1974. At that time, all the remains in the mausoleum were removed and buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere in the cemetery.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Amelia of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Amelia of Württemberg, Duchess of Saxe-Altenburg source: Wikipedia

Duchess Amalie Therese Luise Wilhelmine Philippine of Württemberg was the wife of Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. Born in Wallisfurth, Kingdom of Prussia (now Wolany, Poland) on June 28, 1799, she was the daughter of  Duke Ludwig of Württemberg and Princess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg.

Amalie had four siblings:

Amalie also had one half-brother from her father’s first marriage to Princess Maria Czartoryska:

Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. source: Wikipedia

On April 24, 1817, Amalie married Hereditary Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen. He was the son of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte George of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The couple married in Kirchheim unter Teck in Württemberg, and had six daughters:

After her marriage, she became involved with charitable causes in her new home. In 1819, she founded the Industrial School for orphaned children in Hildburghausen and founded a Woman’s Association the following year. After her father-in-law became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in 1826, the family moved to Schloss Altenburg, and she continued with her philanthropic work, establishing several schools and institutions in Altenburg.

Amalie with her husband and surviving daughters, painted c1847, by Joseph Karl Stieler, source: Wikipedia

Despite her efforts, Amalie was never very popular with the people of Saxe-Altenburg, who found her very haughty and proud. This contributed to the growing discontent of the working class people, leading up to the Revolution in 1848 which would bring about her husband’s abdication.

The ruins of the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery. photo: geo.viaregia.org

Duchess Amalie of Saxe-Altenburg died on November 28, 1848, in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany. Two days after her death, her husband was forced to abdicate the throne of the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg and was succeeded by his younger brother Georg. Amalie was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg Cemetery. In 1974, the remains of those buried in the Mausoleum were removed and reburied in the grounds of the cemetery.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg: The Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg was created in 1826 when Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. After Friedrich IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died in 1825 without heirs, the Ernestine duchies were reorganized. Gotha passed to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld becoming the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Altenburg passed to Friedrich. In exchange, the two Dukes ceded Saalfeld and Hildburghausen, respectively, to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

As World War I ended, the last Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Ernst II, was one of the first German sovereigns to realize that major changes were coming and quickly arrived at an amicable settlement with his subjects. He abdicated on November 13, 1918. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg is located in the German state of Thuringia.

********************

Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg was born Hereditary Prince Joseph Georg Friedrich Ernst Karl of Saxe-Hildburghausen in Hildburghausen, Duchy of  Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany, on August 27, 1789. He was the second, but eldest surviving, son of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen (later Duke of Saxe-Altenburg) and Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. His godparents included Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, King George III of Great Britain, and King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia. Joseph had 11 siblings:

After his initial education at home, he studied at the University of Erlangen. Beginning in 1814, he served in the Prussian Army, serving alongside his brother Georg during the Wars of Liberation. He retired from active service in 1816 but maintained several honorary positions.

Amalie of Württemberg. source: Wikipedia

Joseph married Duchess Amalie of Württemberg on April 24, 1817, in Kirchheim unter Teck, Kingdom of Württemberg, now in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. She was the daughter of Duke Ludwig of Württemberg and Princess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg. Together, they had six daughters:

As Hereditary Prince, Joseph had basically ruled alongside his father for the last few years of his father’s reign. In 1833, acting on his father’s behalf, he reinstated the Saxe-Ernestine Ducal Order along with the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. He became Duke upon his father’s death on September 29, 1834. His reign saw the construction of several prominent buildings in Altenburg and the construction of a Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg cemetery. He also continued with the restoration of Altenburg Castle, a project begun by his father upon arriving in Altenburg in 1826.

As a ruler, Joseph was very conservative and against any sort of reform. With unrest spreading through Europe in 1848, Joseph quickly brought in troops to squash the growing demands for a free state in Altenburg. Despite his attempts, the people refused to back him and Joseph was forced to abdicate on November 30, 1848, just two days after the death of his wife. As he had no male heirs, he was succeeded by his younger brother, Georg.

Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft, c1864. source: Wikipedia

Joseph moved to Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft, his castle in Wolfersdorf, where he spent the next fifteen years restoring and expanding the estate. He lived for nearly 20 years after his abdication, dying in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in the German state of Thuringia, on November 25, 1868, and was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in Altenburg Cemetery. Per his wishes, his heart was buried at Schloss Fröhliche Wiederkunft. In 1974, all of the remains in the mausoleum were removed and buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere in the cemetery.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Wedding of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Photo Credit – https://www.royal.uk, photo by Alex Lubomirski

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married on May 19, 2018, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. On the day of the wedding, Prince Harry was created Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton, and Baron Kilkeel. His wife is styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.

The Family of Prince Harry

Prince Harry and his family in 1987; Photo Credit – www.dailymail.co.uk

HRH Prince Henry Charles Albert David was born on September 15, 1984, at St. Mary’s Hospital in the Paddington section of London. Known as Prince Harry, he was the second of the two children of Charles, The Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, and the former Lady Diana Spencer. At the time of his birth, Harry was third in line of succession behind his father and brother Prince William. Charles was the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Greece. Upon his mother’s accession to the throne in 1952, Charles became her heir. He was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester on July 26, 1958. In 2022, upon the death of his mother, Prince Harry’s father became King Charles III.

Diana was the third of the four surviving children of Edward John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer and The Honourable Frances Ruth Roche, younger daughter of the 4th Baron Fermoy. The Spencer family is an old English noble family. Althorp in Northamptonshire, England has been the ancestral home of the Spencer family since the early 16th century. The Spencer family has served the British monarchy for centuries. Most recently, Diana’s grandmother, Lady Fermoy, was a close friend and a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Diana’s father served as equerry to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II. Among the Spencer family ancestors are the famous soldier and statesman John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and his wife Sarah Jennings who was a close friend of Queen Anne, and King Charles II through four of his illegitimate children.

Harry’s older brother Prince William was born on June 21, 1982. Unfortunately, the marriage of Harry’s parents was not a happy one. The couple separated in December 1992 and divorced in August 1996. Exactly a year later, Diana, Princess of Wales tragically died in a car accident in Paris. Accompanied by their father, their grandfather Prince Philip, and their uncle the 9th Earl Spencer, William and his brother Harry walked behind their mother’s coffin during her funeral procession. In 2005, Harry’s father married Camilla Parker-Bowles with whom he had a romantic relationship before and during his marriage.

The Family of Meghan Markle

Embed from Getty Images 
Meghan and her mother Doria Ragland attend the Invictus Games with Prince Harry

Rachel Meghan Markle, born on August 4, 1981, in Los Angeles, California, is the daughter of Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland. Her father is a cinematographer and lighting director and worked on the primetime shows Married With Children and Facts of Life and the daytime shows General Hospital and Santa Barbara. He is the winner of two Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction for a Drama Series and was nominated six other times. Meghan’s mother has a master’s degree in social work and works as a clinical therapist and yoga instructor. Meghan told Elle magazine in 2016, “My dad is Caucasian and my mom is African American. I’m half black and half white.” Meghan has two much older half-siblings from her father’s first marriage: Samantha Markle Grant born in 1965 and Thomas Markle Jr. born in 1966.

Meghan grew up and was educated at private schools in Los Angeles, California. She attended elementary school at Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse and then attended Immaculate Heart High School, an all-girls high school. Meghan graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago Illinois in 2003 with a double major in theater and international relations. In 2011, Meghan married her long-time boyfriend Trevor Engelson, a film and television producer. The couple divorced in 2013.

Growing up in Hollywood and with a lighting director as a father, Meghan was around the entertainment industry and knew she would end up in show business in some capacity. Her first acting job was a one-episode role on the daytime show General Hospital in 2002. Thereafter, she had small roles on television shows and in several films. To help support herself, Meghan took on freelance calligraphy jobs. Starting in 2011, Meghan appeared on Suits, an American legal drama television series, playing Rachel Zane, a senior paralegal with dreams of going to law school.

The Engagement

Embed from Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s personal relationship started in June 2016, when they were introduced by a mutual friend. On November 8, 2016, Kensington Palace confirmed Meghan was “a few months” into a relationship with Prince Harry in a statement from the prince asking for the media harassment of Meghan and her family to end.

The engagement of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was announced on November 27, 2017. They became engaged earlier in November 2017 in London. Meghan was the second American and the first person of mixed-race heritage to marry into the British royal family.

The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 states that the monarch must approve or disapprove marriages of the first six persons in the line of succession. Because Harry was fifth in the line of succession to the British throne at the time of his engagement, it was necessary that he obtain Queen Elizabeth II’s permission to marry. The Queen’s consent was declared to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom on March 14, 2018.

Instead of wedding presents, Harry and Meghan requested that people make a charitable donation and provided a list of seven organizations:

The Engagement Ring

Embed from Getty Images

Meghan Markle’s engagement ring was designed by Prince Harry with the help of Cleave and Company, court jewelers to The Queen. The ring which is on a gold band features a cushion diamond from Botswana and two outside stones from the personal collection of Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

Partial Guest List

About 600 people were invited to the wedding service at St. George’s Chapel.  The guests arrived at the Round Tower of Windsor Castle by bus and then walked to the South Door of St. George’s Chapel.  At 11:20 AM, members of the royal family made their way from Windsor Castle either by foot or by car and entered St. George’s Chapel via the Galilee Porch.

British Royal Family

Embed from Getty Images

  • Queen Elizabeth II: Harry’s grandmother
  • Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh: Harry’s grandfather
  • Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales: Harry’s father
  • Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall: Harry’s stepmother
  • Prince William, Duke of Cambridge: Harry’s brother and best man
  • Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge: Harry’s sister-in-law
  • Prince Andrew, Duke of York: Harry’s paternal uncle and godfather
  • Princess Beatrice of York: Harry’s paternal first cousin
  • Princess Eugenie of York: Harry’s paternal first cousin
  • Jack Brooksbank: fiancé of Princess Eugenie of York
  • Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex: Harry’s paternal uncle
  • Sophie, Countess of Wessex: wife of the Earl of Wessex
  • Lady Louise Windsor: Harry’s paternal first cousin
  • James, Viscount Severn: Harry’s paternal first cousin
  • Anne, Princess Royal: Harry’s paternal aunt
  • Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence: husband of Anne, Princess Royal
  • Peter Phillips: Harry’s paternal first cousin
  • Autumn Phillips: Peter Phillips’s wife
  • Zara Tindall: Harry’s paternal first cousin
  • Mike Tindall: Zara Tindall’s husband
  • David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon: the late Princess Margaret’s son, nephew of Queen Elizabeth II
  • Serena Armstrong-Jones, Countess of Snowdon: Earl of Snowdon’s wife
  • Charles Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley: Earl of Snowdon’s son
  • Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones: Earl of Snowdon’s daughter
  • Lady Sarah Chatto: the late Princess Margaret’s daughter, Harry’s godmother, niece of Queen Elizabeth II
  • Daniel Chatto: Lady Sarah Chatto’s husband
  • Arthur Chatto: Lady Sarah Chatto’s son
  • Samuel Chatto: Lady Sarah Chatto’s son
  • Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester: Queen Elizabeth II’s paternal first cousin
  • Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester: Duke of Gloucester’s wife
  • Prince Edward, Duke of Kent: Queen Elizabeth II’s paternal first cousin
  • Katharine, Duchess of Kent: Duke of Kents’s wife
  • Prince Michael of Kent: Queen Elizabeth II’s paternal first cousin
  • Princess Michael of Kent (Marie-Christine): Prince Michael of Kent’s wife
  • Princess Alexandra, The Honorable Lady Ogilvy: Queen Elizabeth II’s paternal first cousin

Meghan Markle’s Family

Embed from Getty Images

  • Doria Ragland: Meghan’s mother

Spencer Family

Embed from Getty Images
Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer and his wife Karen Spencer, Countess Spencer
  • Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer: Harry’s maternal uncle
  • Karen Spencer, Countess Spencer: Earl Spencer’s third wife
  • Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp: Harry’s maternal first cousin
  • Lady Kitty Spencer: Harry’s maternal first cousin
  • Lady Eliza Spencer: Harry’s maternal first cousin
  • Lady Sarah McCorquodale: Harry’s maternal aunt
  • Neil McCorquodale: Lady Sarah’s husband
  • Emily Hutt, Harry’s first maternal cousin, and her husband James Hutt
  • George McCorquodale, Harry’s first maternal cousin
  • Celia McCorquodale, Harry’s first maternal cousin
  • Lady Jane Fellowes, Baroness Fellowes: Harry’s maternal aunt
  • Robert Fellowes, Baron Fellowes: Lady Jane’s husband
  • Laura Pettman, Harry’s maternal first cousin
  • Alexander Fellowes, Harry’s first maternal cousin
  • Eleanor Fellowes, Harry’s first maternal cousin
  • Victoria Aitken: Earl Spencer’s first wife, the mother of his four eldest children

Foreign Royalty 

Embed from Getty Images
Prince Seeiso arrives with an unidentified woman

Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and his wife were the only foreign royalty attending the wedding.

  • Prince Seeiso of Lesotho: a friend of Harry and co-founder, with Harry, of the charity Sentebale
  • Princess Mabereng of Lesotho: wife of Prince Seeiso

Guests Sitting in the Quire (besides family members)

Embed from Getty Images

  • Alessandra Balazs: Harry’s friend, became friends with Meghan
  • Carolyn Bartholomew: Harry’s godmother, friend of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her husband William Bartholomew
  • George Clooney: American actor, and his wife human rights lawyer Amal Clooney
  • Nicholas Walton Collins: Meghan’s former agent, and his wife Amelia Walton Collins
  • Adrian Dandridge: community worker in Botswana
  • Sophie Dandridge: community worker in Botswana
  • Heather Dorak: celebrity Pilates instructor, Meghan’s friend, and her husband Matt Cohen
  • Ed Lane Fox: Harry’s private secretary, and his wife Sonia Lane Fox
  • Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster
  • Natalia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster: widow of the 6th Duke of Westminster
  • Lady Viola Grosvenor: sister of the 7th Duke of Westminster
  • Janina Gavankar: Meghan’s close friend and fellow actress
  • Michael Hess: American oil tycoon
  • Genevieve Hillis: Meghan’s long-time friend and former sorority sister
  • Daisy Jenks: Harry’s friend
  • Lindsay Jordan: author and Meghan’s friend also known as Lindsay Roth, and her husband Gavin Jordan
  • Celine Khavarani: Meghan’s friend
  • Brian Kocinski: Meghan’s friend
  • Arthur Landon: Harry’s long-time friend
  • Katalin Landon: Harry’s friend
  • The Honorable Dame Shan Legge-Bourke: mother of William and Harry’s nanny Tiggy Pettifer
  • Abraham Levy: friend of the couple
  • Benita Litt: Meghan’s close friends, and her husband Darren Litt
  • Sir John Major: Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997, and his wife Dame Norma Major, Lady Major
  • Isabel May: Meghan’s close friend
  • Lucy Meadmore: Meghan’s long-time friend
  • Jessica Mulroney: one of Meghan’s best friends, her three children were in the wedding party, and her husband Benedict Mulroney
  • Misha Nonoo: fashion designer, friend who set up Harry and Meghan’s blind date
  • Charles Pettifer: Tiggy Pettifer’s husband
  • Tiggy Pettifer: William and Harry’s nanny, formerly known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke
  • Sarah, Duchess of York: Harry’s former aunt by marriage, mother of Harry’s cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie
  • Julia Samuel: close friend of Diana, Princess of Wales and Prince George’s godmother, and her husband, The Honorable Michael Samuel: chairman of the Anna Freud Centre’s trustees and Julia’s husband
  • Jill Smoller: high profile sports agent
  • Abigail Leigh Spencer: actress in Suits with Meghan
  • Silver Tree: producer and director of Suits
  • Emilie van Cutsem: widow of Prince Charles’ close friend Hugh van Cutsem
  • Charlie van Straubenzee: Harry’s long-time friend
  • Thomas van Straubenzee: known as Van, one of Harry’s best friends
  • Samuel Vestey, 3rd Baron Vestey: Master of the Horse to the Royal Household
  • Amanda Ward: widow of Harry’s godfather Gerald Ward
  • Lady Carolyn Warren: racing manager
  • John Warren: Lady Carolyn’s husband and The Queen’s current racing adviser
  • Susanna Warren: daughter of Lady Carolyne Warren
  • Jessie Webb: William and Harry’s nanny
  • Serena Williams: tennis player, Meghan’s friend, and her husband Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit
  • Oprah Winfrey: American talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist

Partial List of Other Guests (sitting in the nave)

Embed from Getty Images

  • Patrick J. Adams: actor in Suits with Meghan, and his wife actress Troian Bellisario
  • Natasha Archer, personal stylist of the Duchess of Cambridge
  • David Beckham: soccer player, and his wife Victoria Beckham, fashion designer, model, and singer
  • James Blunt: singer-songwriter, and his wife Sofia Wellesley, granddaughter of the late 8th Duke of Wellington
  • Cressida Bonas: former girlfriend of Harry
  • Tom Bradby: British broadcaster, Harry’s friend , and his wife Claudia Bradby
  • Kevin Bray: director of Suits, and his wife Sophie de Rakoff
  • Priyanka Chopra: actress and Meghan’s friend
  • Amanda Cook Tucker, hairdresser of the Duchess of Cambridge
  • James Corden: actor, writer, producer, comedian, television host, and his wife Julia Carey
  • Baron Dannatt: retired general of the British army, and his wife Lady Dannatt
  • Chelsy Davy: former girlfriend of Harry
  • Rebecca Deacon: the Duchess of Cambridge’s former private secretary, and her husband Adam Priestley
  • Mark Dyer: former equerry to The Prince of Wales, and his wife Amanda Dyer
  • Idris Elba: actor, and his fiancée Sabrina Dhowre
  • Nacho Figueras: Argentine polo player, and his wife Delfina Blaquier
  • Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick: Channel 4 show Supervet, treated Meghan’s dog
  • Rick Genow: Meghan’s attorney
  • Will Greenwood: former rugby player, and his wife Caroline Greenwood
  • Lady Edwina Grosvenor: daughter of the late 6th Duke of Westminster, and her husband television presenter Dan Snow
  • Paddy Harverson: former communications secretary to the Prince of Wales, and his wife Mel Harverson
  • Bonnie Hammer: Chairman of NBCUniversal Cable and a mentor to Meghan
  • Tom Hardy: actor and producer, and his wife actress Charlotte Riley
  • James Haskell: rugby player, and his fiancée television presenter Chloe Madeley
  • Miguel Head: Prince William’s private secretary
  • David Henson: parasport athlete, Harry’s friend, and his wife Hayley Henson
  • Princess Xenia zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg: niece of the Duke of Edinburgh  (non-reigning royalty)
  • Rick Hoffman: actor in Suits with Meghan
  • Olivia Hunt: Harry’s friend
  • Tom Inskip: Harry’s friend, and his wife Laura Inskip
  • Sir Elton John: English singer, pianist, and composer, and his husband David Furnish
  • Nick Jones: Soho House founder
  • Jason Knauf: communications secretary of Prince Harry and the Duke of Cambridge
  • Aaron Korsh: creator and writer of Suits
  •  Amber Le Bon: model, Harry’s friend
  • Karl Lokko: youth community activist, Harry’s friend, and his wife Cassandra Lokko
  • Laura Lopes: Harry’s stepsister
  • Alex Lubomirski: official engagement and wedding photographer, and his wife Giada Lubomirski
  • Gabriel Macht: actor in Suits with Meghan, and his wife actress Jacinda Barrett
  • Tereza Maxová: model
  • Katrina McKeever: royal press officer
  • Andrew Meyer: Meghan’s business manager
  • Michael and Carole Middleton: parents of the Duchess of Cambridge
  • Pippa Middleton: sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, and her husband James Matthews
  • James Middleton: brother of the Duchess of Cambridge
  • Ellen Miller-Alexander: husband serves the royal family and drove the car that took Meghan and her mother  to the wedding ceremony
  • Sir Keith Mills: Chairman of the Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, and his wife Maureen, Lady Mills
  • Keleigh Thomas Morgan: Meghan’s former agent
  • Carey Mulligan: actress and singer, and her husband Marcus Mumford, lead singer of the band Mumford & Sons
  • Prince Franz Albrecht zu Oettingen-Spielberg: Harry’s friend, and his wife actress (Princess) Cleopatra von Adelsheim (non-reigning royalty)
  • Patricia Palmer Tompkinson: friend of the royal family
  • Tom Parker-Bowles: Harry’s step-brother, and his wife Sara Parker-Bowles
  • Gabriela Peacock: nutritionist
  • Guy Pelly: nightclub owner, Harry’s friend, and his wife Elizabeth Pelly
  • Sarah Rafferty: actress in Suits with Meghan, and her husband Aleksanteri Olli-Pekka Seppälä
  • Amanda Schull: actress in Suits with Meghan
  • Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia: royal solicitor
  • Sir Nicholas Soames: former equerry and friend of Prince Charles, and his wife Karen, Lady Soames
  • Joss Stone: singer, songwriter, and actress
  • Gina Torres: actress in Suits with Meghan
  • Alexander van Straubenzee: Harry’s close friend
  • Claire van Straubenzee: Harry’s close friend
  • William van Straubenzee: Harry’s close friend
  • Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo: nanny of Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge
  • The Honorable William Vestey: son and heir of Samuel Vestey, 3rd Baron Vestey, and his wife contributing editor for British Vogue Violet Vestey
  • Jake Warren: Harry’s close friend, and his wife Zoe Warren
  • Violet von Westenholz: Ralph Lauren publicist, Harry and Meghan’s friend

The Wedding Attendants

Harry and Meghan with the bridesmaids and page boys; Credit – https://www.royal.uk, photo by Alex Lubomirski

Meghan decided not have a maid of honor because she had a very close group of friends and did not want to choose one over the others and so, in accordance with royal tradition, her bridesmaids were children.

Best Man:

  • Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, brother of the groom

Bridesmaids:

  • Princess Charlotte of Cambridge: age 3, niece of Prince Harry, daughter of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
  • Florence van Cutsem: age 3, goddaughter of Prince Harry, daughter of Mrs. Alice van Cutsem and Major Nicholas van Cutsem, a close friend of Prince Harry
  • Remi Litt: age, 6, goddaughter of Meghan Markle, daughter of Mrs. Benita Litt, a close friend of Meghan Markle, and Mr. Darren Litt
  • Rylan Litt: age, 7, goddaughter of Meghan Markle, daughter of Mrs. Benita Litt, a close friend of Meghan Markle, and Mr. Darren Litt)
  • Ivy Mulroney: age 4, daughter of Mrs. Jessica Mulroney, fashion stylist and a close friend of Meghan Markle, and Mr. Benedict Mulroney, a Canadian television host and son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
  • Zalie Warren: age 2, goddaughter of Prince Harry, daughter of Mrs. Zoe Warren and Mr. Jake Warren, a close friend of Prince Harry

Page Boys:

  • Prince George of Cambridge: age 4, nephew of Prince Harry, son of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
  • Jasper Dyer: age 6, godson of Prince Harry, son of Mrs. Amanda Dyer and Mr. Mark Dyer, a former equerry to The Prince of Wales who has been an influence on Prince Harry since his childhood
  • Brian Mulroney: age, 7, twin of John below, son of Mrs. Jessica Mulroney, fashion stylist and a close friend of Meghan Markle, and Mr. Benedict Mulroney, a Canadian television host and son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney
  • John Mulroney: age, 7, twin of Brian above, son of Mrs. Jessica Mulroney, fashion stylist and a close friend of Meghan Markle, and Mr. Benedict Mulroney, a Canadian television host and son of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney

The Wedding Attire

Embed from Getty Images

Meghan Markle’s wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller, the first female artistic director of the French fashion house Givenchy.  Made of a double-bonded silk cady, the dress had three-quarter sleeves and an open bateau neckline. The lines of the dress extended towards the back where the train flowed in soft round folds.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

The veil was five meters long and was made from silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza.  The veil was embroidered with 53 flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Embed from Getty Images

The bride’s veil was held in place by Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara, lent by Queen Elizabeth II. The bandeau, made in 1932, consists of diamonds and platinum and has a detachable brooch of ten brilliant diamonds set in the center. The diamond bandeau was made for Queen Mary and specifically designed to feature the center brooch which was given as a present to the then Princess Mary of Teck in 1893 by the County of Lincoln upon her marriage to Prince George, Duke of York (the future King George V).  Upon Queen Mary’s death in 1953, the bandeau and the brooch were bequeathed to Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Mary’s granddaughter.

Embed from Getty Images

The bride’s bouquet, designed by florist Philippa Craddock, was a petite design, made with delicate flowers including scented sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine and astrantia, and sprigs of myrtle, bound with a naturally dyed, raw silk ribbon. The day before the wedding, Prince Harry handpicked several flowers from the couple’s private garden at Kensington Palace to add to the bouquet. Also included were forget-me-nots, the favorite flower of Diana, Princess of Wales. The couple specifically chose them to be included in the bouquet to honor the memory of the late Princess.

The myrtle in the bridal bouquet is a royal family tradition.  Queen Victoria was given a nosegay containing myrtle during a visit to Gotha in Germany. A sprig from that nosegay was planted against the terrace walls of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, where it continues to grow. In 1858, myrtle was first used in the bridal bouquet of Victoria, Princess Royal, Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter.

Embed from Getty Images
The Duchess of Sussex’s bridal bouquet resting on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior

The new Duchess of Sussex sent her bridal bouquet to Westminster Abbey to rest on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior. The Grave of the Unknown Warrior is a tribute to the fallen soldiers of the First World War and all those who have since died in international military conflict.  The tradition of royal brides’ bouquets being placed on the grave was started by the future Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother at her wedding in 1923, in memory of her brother Fergus Bowes-Lyon who was killed at the Battle of Loos in 1915 during the First World War.

Embed from Getty Images

Prince Harry and The Duke of Cambridge, the best man, wore the frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals, which is an old Regiment of both The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry.  Harry served for ten years in the Blues and Royals, including in combat in Afghanistan. Her Majesty The Queen gave her permission for Prince Harry to get married in his uniform. Both uniforms were tailored at Dege & Skinner on Savile Row in London.

Embed from Getty Images
Princess Charlotte of Cambridge in her bridesmaid’s dress

Clare Waight Keller also designed the six bridesmaids’ dresses. Made from ivory silk Radzimir, the dresses were high-waisted with a pleated skirt, had short puffed sleeves, and a double silk ribbon tied at the back in a bow. Each bridesmaid wore white leather Aquazurra shoes,  monogrammed with her initials and the wedding date. The shoes were a gift from the bride as a keepsake of the special day. Florist Philippa Craddock designed the bridesmaids’ flower crowns

Embed from Getty Images
Prince George of Cambridge in his page boy’s uniform

The four page boys wore a miniature version of the Blues and Royals frockcoats that Prince Harry and The Duke of Cambridge wore. As a special memento, each page boy has his initials embroidered in gold on the shoulder straps.   The uniforms were cut and made by the tailors Dege & Skinner in Savile Row in London.

Embed from Getty Images

Cleave and Company was chosen to make the wedding rings. Meghan’s ring was made from a piece of Welsh gold, given by Her Majesty The Queen.  Prince Harry’s ring was a platinum band with a textured finish.  The rings were carried to St. George’s Chapel on the day of the wedding by The Duke of Cambridge, in his capacity as best man.

The Ceremony

Embed from Getty Images

Prince Harry and his brother and best man Prince William arrived at St. George’s Chapel by foot and entered via the West Steps. The two princes acknowledged the people gathered in the Castle precincts, including the 200 charity representatives gathered in the Horseshoe Cloister at the bottom of the West Steps.

In past royal weddings, it was the father who rode to the wedding with his daughter and walked her down the aisle.  Meghan wanted to involve both her parents, who divorced when she was six years old.  Meghan spent the night before the wedding at the Cliveden House Hotel with her mother Doria Ragland. Meghan and her mother rode in a car to Windsor Castle by way of the Long Walk, so that the public gathered there could see the bride as the car passed by. There was a brief stop at Windsor Castle where Ms. Ragland headed to the St. George’s Chapel and the bride was then joined by the bridesmaids and page boys before she continued her journey to the chapel.

Embed from Getty Images

At 12:00 noon, Meghan entered the chapel by the West Steps along with the bridesmaids and page boys and walked unescorted down the aisle in the nave.  Originally, Megan’s father Thomas Markle was to meet his daughter at the start of the quire and walk her the rest of the way down the aisle. However, Mr. Markle was unable to attend the wedding due to ill health.  Two days before the wedding, Meghan released a statement: “Sadly, my father will not be attending our wedding. I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health.” The day before the wedding, Kensington Palace released this statement: “Ms. Meghan Markle has asked His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales to accompany her down the aisle of the Quire of St. George’s Chapel on her Wedding Day. The Prince of Wales is pleased to be able to welcome Ms. Markle to The Royal Family in this way.”

The Dean of Windsor, The Right Reverend David Conner conducted the service. The Most Reverend and Right Honorable Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, officiated as the couple took their marriage vows. Harry and Markle asked The Most Reverend Michael Bruce Curry, the 27th Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church, the United States-based member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion, to give the address at their wedding. Presiding Bishop Curry traveled from Chicago, Illinois to Windsor to participate in the wedding service and gave a rousing address in the style of African-American ministers about the importance of love.

It was important to Prince Harry that his mother’s family be involved in his wedding. All three siblings of Diana, Princess of Wales attended the wedding and Diana’s sister Lady Jane Fellowes gave the reading.

Embed from Getty Images

London-based florist Philippa Craddock created the floral displays for St. George’s Chapel using flowers and plants that were in season and blooming naturally in May including branches of beech, birch, and hornbeam, as well as white garden roses, peonies, and foxgloves. After the wedding, Harry and Meghan arranged for the flowers to be distributed to charitable organizations.

Music

The music was under the direction of James Vivian, Director of Music, St. George’s Chapel and was performed by:

  • Orchestra conducted by Christopher Warren-Green and was made up of musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber Orchestra and the Philharmonia.
  • The Choir of St George’s Chapel
  • Luke Bond, Organist and Assistant Director of Music, St George’s Chapel
  • State Trumpeters from the Band of the Household Cavalry
  • Elin Manahan Thomas, Welsh soprano
  • David Blackadder, principal trumpet with both the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Academy of Ancient Music
  • Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir, a gospel choir
  • Sheku Kanneh-Mason, a 19-year-old cellist

Music Performed During the Wedding Service

  • Bride’s Entrance: Eternal Source of Light Divine by George Frederick Handel (1685–1759), performed by the Orchestra and Elin Manahan Thomas (Soprano) with David Blackadder (Trumpet)
  • Hymn: Lord of All Hopefulness, words by Jan Struther (1901–53), music Slane, traditional Irish melody
  • Motet: If Ye Love Me by Thomas Tallis (1505–85), performed by the Choir of St George’s Chapel
  • Stand by Me, words by Jerry Leiber (1933–2011), music by Ben E. King (1938–2015) and Mike Stroller (b. 1933), arranged by Mark Delisser (b. 1973) performed by Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir
  • The Anthem: The Lord Bless You and Keep You by John Rutter (b. 1945) performed by the Choir of St George’s Chapel
  • Hymn: Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, words by William Williams (1717–91), music Cwm Rhondda’, John Hughes (1873–1932), Descant verse: James Vivian (b. 1974)
  • During the Signing of the Register: performed by Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cellist) and the Orchestra:
    • Sicilienne by Maria Theresia von Paradis (1759–1824), arranged by Chris Hazell (b.1948)
    • Après un rêve by Gabriel Fauré (1845–1924), arranged by Chris Hazell
    • Ave Maria by Franz Schubert (1797–1828), arranged by Chris Haze
  • National Anthem: God Save The Queen
  • Procession of the Bride and Groom:
    • Symphony no. 1 in B-flat – Allegro by William Boyce (1711–1779)
    • Amen by Jester Hairston (1901–2000)
    • This Little Light of Mine by Harry Dixon Loes (1892–1965)

Involving the Public

Embed from Getty Images

Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle wanted their wedding day to be arranged to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too.  They invited 2,640 people into the grounds of Windsor Castle to watch the arrivals of the wedding party and the wedding guests at the chapel and to watch the carriage procession as it departs from the castle. This group was made up of:

  • 1,200 members of the public from every corner of the United Kingdom will be nominated to attend by nine regional Lord Lieutenant offices.
  • 200 people from a range of charities and organizations with which Prince Harry and Meghan have a close association, including those with which Prince Harry serves as Patron.
  • 100 pupils from two local schools: The Royal School, Great Park, Windsor and St George’s School, Windsor Castle
  • 610 Windsor Castle community members, including residents of Windsor Castle and members of the St George’s Chapel community.
  • 530 Members of The Royal Households and Crown Estate.

Credit – https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/04/europe/royal-wedding-prince-harry-meghan-markle-intl/index.html

In addition, following the wedding service, the newly married couple undertook a carriage procession along a route from St. George’s Chapel, leaving Windsor Castle via Castle Hill and processing along the High Street and through Windsor Town, returning to Windsor Castle along the Long Walk. Harry and Meghan hoped that the carriage procession would provide an opportunity for more people to come together around Windsor to enjoy the atmosphere of this special day. The newlyweds rode in the Ascot Landau carriage pulled by Windsor Grey horses and were accompanied by an escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

The Lunchtime Wedding Reception

Embed from Getty Images
St. George’s Hall set up for a banquet

Following the service, there was a reception at St. George’s Hall in Windsor Castle. All 600 guests who attended the wedding service were also invited to the lunchtime reception given by Her Majesty The Queen. Harry and Meghan joined the reception on return from the carriage procession.

The menu included:

A selection of canapés:

  • Scottish Langoustines wrapped in Smoked Salmon with Citrus Crème Fraiche
  • Grilled English Asparagus wrapped in Cumbrian Ham
  • Garden Pea Panna Cotta with Quail Eggs and Lemon Verbena
  • Heritage Tomato and Basil Tartare with Balsamic Pearls
  • Poached Free Range Chicken bound in a Lightly Spiced Yoghurt with Roasted Apricot
  • Croquette of Confit Windsor Lamb, Roasted Vegetables, and Shallot Jam
  • Warm Asparagus Spears with Mozzarella and Sun-Blush Tomatoes

A selection of bowl food:

  • Fricassee of Free Range Chicken with Morel Mushrooms and Young Leeks
  • Pea and Mint Risotto with Pea Shoots, Truffle Oil, and Parmesan Crisps
  • Ten Hour Slow Roasted Windsor Pork Belly with Apple Compote and Crackling

A selection of sweet canapés:

  • Champagne and Pistachio Macaroons
  • Orange Crème Brûlée Tartlets
  • Miniature Rhubarb Crumble Tartlets

A selection of drinks:

  • Pol Roger Brut Réserve Non-Vintage Champagne
  • A selection of wines
  • A range of soft drinks including an apple and elderflower mocktail, made with the same elderflower syrup as used in the wedding cake, and Sandringham Cox’s apple juice

Embed from Getty Images

The wedding cake designed by native Californian Claire Ptak who owns the small, trendy Violet Bakery in east London, featured elderflower syrup made at The Queen’s residence in Sandringham from the estate’s elderflower trees.  A light sponge cake was specially made for the couple with an Amalfi lemon curd and elderflower buttercream filling. The cake was decorated with Swiss meringue buttercream and 150 fresh flowers, mainly British and in season, including peonies and roses.

The reception included the cutting of the wedding cake and speeches from The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry. The Duke of Cambridge, the Best Man, acted as master of ceremonies for the reception. The Prince of Wales described how emotional he felt watching his youngest son, whom he still remembered so clearly as a baby, marrying the love of his life. Prince Harry gave a heartfelt speech and made it clear he was the happiest man in the world. He described how beautiful his new wife looked and made the guests laugh when he promised that the Americans would not steal the swords in the castle.

Sir Elton John was asked to perform at the lunchtime reception in recognition of the close connection he has with Prince Harry and his family. Sir Elton performed Tiny Dancer, which he dedicated to the bride, Your Song, and The Circle of Life.

The Evening Wedding Reception

Embed from Getty Images

Later that evening, around 200 guests attended the private evening reception given by The Prince of Wales at Frogmore House.  The newlywed couple traveled the short distance from Windsor Castle to Frogmore House in a silver-blue Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero. The bride wore an evening dress made of lily-white silk crepe with a high neck, designed by Stella McCartney.

Talk show host James Corden served as master of ceremonies for the evening reception, which included a sit-down dinner and dancing to music spun by DJ Sam Totolee. The evening guests dined on a more casual menu of dirty burgers, cotton candy, and playful cocktails, including one called “When Harry Met Meghan.” Some drinks featured rum and ginger in a nod to the groom’s ginger (red) hair.

The best man, Prince William, gave a speech, as did the groom and the bride, making Meghan the first royal bride to give a speech. The entertainment, which included an incredible firework display in the gardens of Frogmore House, went on until around 3:00 AM.

The Honeymoon

Embed from Getty Images
The new Duke and Duchess of Sussex at their first royal engagement as a married couple, with The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall

Meghan and Harry did not leave for their honeymoon immediately after the wedding. Their honeymoon destination was kept private, but it was speculated by the press that the destination was somewhere in East Africa.  The couple stayed at Windsor Castle on Saturday, May 19, 2018, after an evening reception with 200 of their friends and family.  The next day, the newly married Duke and Duchess of Sussex left Windsor Castle. On Tuesday, May 22, 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended their first royal engagement as a married couple, a Buckingham Palace garden party, part of the Prince of Wales’ 70th birthday celebrations.  The garden party, held six months ahead of Prince Charles’ actual 70th birthday in November, celebrated his charity work, patronages, and military affiliations. More than 6,000 people from charities Prince Charles supports attended and Prince Harry gave a speech in honor of his father.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Barry, Ellen. “A Royal Union For The 21St Century, With An Air Of Black Culture”. The New York Times, 2018, Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • Barry, E. (2018). Meghan Markle’s Mother Gets Formal Role in Royal Wedding. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/04/world/europe/meghan-markle-doria-ragland-royal-wedding.html [Accessed 4 May 2018].
  • “Bridegroom And Best Man Uniform”. The Royal Family, 2018, https://www.royal.uk/bridegroom-and-best-man-uniform. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • Friedman, Vanessa. “A Dress Made For A Person, Not A Fairy Tale”. The New York Times, 2018, Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • “Lunchtime Reception”. The Royal Family, 2018, https://www.royal.uk/lunchtime-reception-0. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • Lyall, Sarah. “Before Assembly Of Aristocrats, A Black Preacher Speaks Of Love”. The New York Times, 2018, Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • Max Foster and Lauren Said-Moorhouse, C. (2018). Royal wedding: Role of Meghan Markle’s parents revealed. [online] CNN. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/04/europe/royal-wedding-prince-harry-meghan-markle-intl/index.html [Accessed 4 May 2018].
  • “Meghan, The Duchess Of Sussex”. Unofficial Royalty, 2018, https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/meghan-markle/. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • “Prince Harry Of Wales”. Unofficial Royalty, 2018, https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/prince-harry-of-wales/. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • “Prince Harry And Ms. Meghan Markle’s Wedding Rings”. The Royal Family, 2018, https://www.royal.uk/prince-harry-and-ms-meghan-markles-wedding-rings. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • “Royal Wedding Evening Reception”. The Royal Family, 2018, https://www.royal.uk/royal-wedding-evening-reception. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • “Sir Elton John Performs At Royal Wedding Lunchtime Reception”. The Royal Family, 2018, https://www.royal.uk/sir-elton-john-performs-royal-wedding-lunchtime-reception. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • “The Order Of Service For Prince Harry And Ms. Meghan Markle’s Wedding”. The Royal Family, 2018, https://www.royal.uk/order-service-prince-harry-and-ms-meghan-markles-wedding. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • The Royal Family. (2018). Claire Ptak to make the Royal wedding cake. [online] Available at: https://www.royal.uk/claire-ptak-make-royal-wedding-cake-0 [Accessed 4 May 2018].
  • The Royal Family. (2018). Details of the Flowers at the Wedding of HRH Prince Henry of Wales and Ms. Meghan Markle announced. [online] Available at: https://www.royal.uk/details-flowers-wedding-hrh-prince-henry-wales-and-ms-meghan-markle-announced [Accessed 4 May 2018].
  • The Royal Family. (2018). An update from the Communications Secretary to Prince Harry on the Wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Markle. [online] Available at: https://www.royal.uk/update-communications-secretary-prince-harry-wedding-prince-harry-and-ms-markle [Accessed 4 May 2018].
  • The Royal Family. (2018). The Carriage for the Wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle. [online] Available at: https://www.royal.uk/carriage-wedding-prince-harry-and-ms-meghan-markle [Accessed 4 May 2018].
  • “The Royal Wedding Guest List In Full”. Evening Standard, 2018, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/royal-wedding-guest-list-in-full-all-the-celebrities-friends-and-family-members-who-were-invited-to-a3843506.html. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • “Royal Wedding Guide To Who Sat Where At Harry And Meghan’s Marriage”. Mail Online, 2018, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5748561/Royal-wedding-whos-sitting-best-seats-Harry-Meghans-marriage.html. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • “The Wedding Dress, Bridesmaids’ Dresses And Page Boys’ Uniforms”. The Royal Family, 2018, https://www.royal.uk/wedding-dress-bridesmaids%E2%80%99-dresses-and-page-boys-uniforms. Accessed 22 May 2018.
  • “These Were The Wedding Guests Of The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex”. Nettyroyal, 2018, https://www.nettyroyalblog.nl/engagements-weddings/wedding-guests-sussex/. Accessed 24 May 2018.

Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausensource: Wikipedia

Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen

Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the wife of Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen – later the Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. She was born in Hanover, Electorate of Hanover, now in Lower Saxony, Germany on November 17, 1769, the eldest child of Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt. Charlotte had nine siblings:

She also had a half-brother, from her father’s second marriage to her mother’s sister, Charlotte:

Charlotte was raised in Hanover, where her father served as Governor for his brother-in-law, King George III of the United Kingdom, who was the Elector of Hanover She was very close with her sisters, particularly Friederike, and they were considered to be the most beautiful and eligible princesses of their time.

Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 3, 1785, Charlotte married Friedrich, then the Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen, and took up residence at Schloss Hildburghausen. The marriage was unhappy from the beginning, and Friedrich mostly ignored his wife who was far more intelligent than he was. Despite this, the couple had 12 children:

Charlotte, c1815, painting by Heinrich Vogel. source: Wikipedia

Despite her husband’s disinterest, Charlotte became much loved by the people of Saxe-Hildburghausen. She gave very generously to causes and charities that helped the poor and funded numerous programs that provided education and training to the less fortunate. Charlotte also supported the arts and brought many musicians and artists to court. She also became known as one of the best singers of her time. Having taken lessons as a girl in Hanover, the Duchess often sang in both court and church events.

Charlotte’s tomb in the City Cemetery in Hildburghausen. photo: by XHBNx – Own Work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4876170

Eight years before her husband became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Charlotte died after a long illness in Hildburghausen, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany on May 14, 1818. Per her wishes, she was to be buried in the new city cemetery (Stadtfriedhof) in Hildburghausen. She was initially buried in the Hildburghausen Castle Church in the Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany. Her remains were moved to the Hildburghausen Stadtfriedhof in 1819, the first burial in the new cemetery. Her tomb, a large bronzed pillar atop what is known as the Ducal Mound, was completed in 1824. The mound is now also the burial site of several of the previous Dukes of Saxe-Hildburghausen and their wives. Other members of the Saxe-Altenburg family are buried elsewhere in the cemetery.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg: The Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg was created in 1826 when Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg. After Friedrich IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died in 1825 without heirs, the Ernestine duchies were reorganized. Gotha passed to the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld becoming the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Altenburg passed to Friedrich. In exchange, the two Dukes ceded Saalfeld and Hildburghausen, respectively, to the Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

As World War I ended, the last Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Ernst II, was one of the first German sovereigns to realize that major changes were coming and quickly arrived at an amicable settlement with his subjects. He abdicated on November 13, 1918. Today the territory that encompassed the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg is located in the German state of Thuringia.

*******************

Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg was born in Hildburghausen, Duchy of  Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany, as The Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Hildburghausen on April 29, 1763, the only son of Ernst Friedrich III, Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen and his third wife, Princess Ernestine of Saxe-Weimar. He had two sisters:

Friedrich also had two half-sisters from his father’s first two marriages, both of whom had died in infancy.

Friedrich was educated privately at home and later spent some time at the court in Gotha learning about the workings of government. He was presented to the Austrian court in 1779 and served in the Austrian military. At just 17 years old, he became Duke of Saxe-Hildburghausen upon his father’s death in 1780. Because of his youth, a Regency was established, led by his great-grand-uncle Prince Joseph of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The Regency continued even after he reached his majority, ending only with Joseph’s death in 1787.

Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. source: Wikipedia

On September 3, 1785, Friedrich married Duchess Charlotte Georgine of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the daughter of Carl II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Princess Friederike of Hesse-Darmstadt. The marriage was happy at first, but soon Friedrich realized that his wife was far more intelligent than he was, and began to ignore her. Despite this, the couple had 12 children:

Upon taking control of his government in 1787, he quickly established a trade agreement with Saxe-Meiningen and Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. He improved the education system and established several schools in Hildburghausen. He also worked to improve the duchy’s financial situation. Due to his father’s poor fiscal policies, the Duchy was under the official administration of the Imperial Debit Commission and horribly in debt. Joining the Confederation of the Rhine in 1806 saw a marked positive change in the duchy’s financial state. This was further enhanced by joining the German Confederation in 1815. By the time he issued a new constitution in 1818, both the Duchy and the Duke himself were in a greatly improved financial position.

Along with his wife, the much-loved Charlotte Georgine, Friedrich worked to bring art and culture to Saxe-Hildburghausen, turning it into one of the cultural centers in Germany. He made sure to remain close to his subjects, often inviting people of all classes to his palaces, visiting inns and workshops around the duchy, and bringing about initiatives that helped the poor. Charlotte Georgine, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen died eight years before her husband became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, in Hildburghausen, Duchy of Saxe-Hildburghausen, now in Thuringia, Germany on May 14, 1818, after a long illness.

Friedrich IV, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg. source: Wikipedia

Friedrich became Duke of Saxe-Altenburg in 1826. After Friedrich IV, the last Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg died in 1825 without heirs, the Ernestine duchies were reorganized. Gotha passed to Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (becoming the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha), and Altenburg passed to Friedrich. In exchange, the two Dukes ceded Saalfeld and Hildburghausen, respectively, to Bernard II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.

Leaving Hildburghausen after living there for 63 years was very difficult for Friedrich, but he moved to Altenburg in November 1826. He took up residence at the Hummelshain Hunting Lodge (Jagdschloss Hummelshain) while a massive restoration was undertaken at Altenburg Castle. Keeping to his promise to the people of his new duchy, Friedrich enacted a constitution in April 1831, improved the infrastructure, streamlined the government, and reinforced trade with the other German states.

Jagdschloss Hummelshain. photo: By Michael Sander – Own work (selbst fotografiert), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10112948

Eight years after becoming Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Friedrich died on September 29, 1834, at the Hummelshain Hunting Lodge in Hummerlshain, now in Thuringia, Germany. He was buried in the Ducal Mausoleum in the Altenburg Cemetery in Altenburg, Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg, now in Thuringia, Germany. In 1974, all the remains were removed from the mausoleum and were buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere in the cemetery

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Saxe-Altenburg Resources at Unofficial Royalty

History and Traditions: Windsor Weddings Part 2 – Later Windsor Weddings

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

Bringing Royal Weddings into Our Homes

Embed from Getty Images 

In 1947, when the future Queen Elizabeth II married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten (born Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark), an estimated 200 million people listened to the Westminster Abbey ceremony on the radio. Thirteen years later, 300 million television viewers around the world witnessed the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II’s sister Princess Margaret as she married Antony Armstrong-Jones in Westminster Abbey. It was the first televised British royal wedding.

Since Princess Margaret’s wedding, a total of eight British royal weddings have been televised:

  • Princess Anne and Mark Phillips at Westminster Abbey on November 14, 1973
  • Prince Charles (King Charles III) and Lady Diana Spencer at St. Paul’s Cathedral on July 29, 1981
  • Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey on July 23, 1986
  • Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on June 19, 1990
  • Prince Charles (King Charles III) and Camilla Parker Bowles at Windsor Guildhall followed by a Service of Prayer and Dedication at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2005
  • Prince William (The Prince of Wales) and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011
  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018
  • Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on October 12, 2018

Today, viewers can watch royal weddings not only on television but also by live-streaming on their computers and other devices. In 2011, when Prince William married Catherine Middleton, around 23 million Americans and 27 million British watched on their televisions and an additional 72 million people live-streamed the wedding. I have even live-streamed the weddings of the three children of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Of course, the ceremonies were in Swedish but nevertheless, I enjoyed watching.

In keeping with the times, the British Royal Family is active with social media.

********************

Overview of the Later Windsor Weddings

Because here at Unofficial Royalty, we have wedding articles with extensive information on all the later Windsor weddings, only several trivia items about each wedding will be noted. If available, a YouTube video of the wedding (or part of the wedding will be added). Please check the Unofficial wedding articles for detailed information about each wedding. At the end of the overviews is a list of weddings of other grandchildren of King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom (then Princess Elizabeth) married (November 20, 1947) Lt Philip Mountbatten (Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark) at Westminster Abbey in London, England

Embed from Getty Images

Princess Elizabeth’s wedding was the first major royal event after World War II. The princess had to use the still required ration coupons to buy the material for her wedding gown. The princess’ mother Queen Elizabeth loaned her the Queen Mary Fringe Tiara.  Originally made in 1919 for Queen Mary, it was given to Queen Elizabeth in 1936. While Princess Elizabeth was dressing, the tiara suddenly broke. Luckily, the court jeweler, who was standing by in case of emergency, was rushed to his work room by a police escort.

Embed from Getty Images
Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent staying warm as they wait to leave Westminster Abbey after the wedding

Two of Princess Elizabeth’s first cousins served as pages. Five-year-old Prince Michael, son of the late Duke of Kent, and six-year-old Prince William, the elder son of the Duke of Gloucester, wore Royal Stuart tartan kilts. It was their duty to carry their cousin Elizabeth’s train. As Princess Elizabeth walked down the aisle, she felt a tug on her gown. Six-year-old page Prince William of Gloucester was so nervous that he stepped on her train, but luckily had not torn it. The other page, five-year-old Prince Michael of Kent clutched the train so tightly that he committed the sin of walking right over the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in the Abbey aisle. As Elizabeth and Philip moved to the high altar, King George VI bent down and helped Prince Michael with the train which had become too heavy for him. During the recessional, Prince Michael once again delayed the bride’s progress and Philip glanced back at him several times to make sure poor little Michael kept in step.

********************

Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom married (May 6, 1960) Antony Armstrong-Jones (later 1st Earl of Snowdon) at Westminster Abbey in London, England, divorced 1978

Embed from Getty Images

The public was enthusiastic about Princess Margaret’s wedding, especially after she was not allowed to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend in 1955 because he was divorced. Prime Minister Winston Churchill had advised Queen Elizabeth II that Parliament would not approve a marriage to Group Captain Townsend unless Margaret were to relinquish her rights to the throne and her royal position. Margaret then issued a statement in which she announced that she would not be marrying Group Captain Townsend. She chose to put her royal role and duties ahead of her personal happiness.

Despite the public’s enthusiasm, some members of European royal families disapproved of a king’s daughter marrying a photographer and declined their wedding invitations. Among the royalty who did attend were Princess Margaret’s godmother Queen Ingrid of Denmark, King Gustaf VI Adolf and Queen Louise of Sweden (maternal aunt of the Duke of Edinburgh), Prince Karl of Hesse, Prince Ludwig of Baden and Prince Maximillian of Baden (all nephews of the Duke of Edinburgh).

********************

Princess Anne (later Princess Royal) married (November 14, 1973) Mark Phillips at Westminster Abbey in London, England, divorced 1992

Mark Phillips and Princess Anne; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

It was through their mutual love of horses that Mark Phillips met Princess Anne. The couple first met at the equestrian events during the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City where Mark was a reserve member of the British equestrian team. At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Mark won an Olympic Gold Medal in the Team Three-Day Event. He also won a Silver Medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Princess Anne competed as a member of the British Equestrian Team in the 1976 Olympics. Their love of horses was inherited by their daughter Zara who won a Silver Medal in the Three-Day Event with the British equestrian team in 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Anne chose to have only two attendants because of her personal experience as a bridesmaid trying to keep younger attendants in line. Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, the bride’s nine-year-old first cousin and the daughter of Princess Margaret, was her bridesmaid and Prince Edward, her nine-year-old brother was her page boy.

********************

Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles III) married (July 29, 1981) Lady Diana Spencer at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England, divorced 1996

Diana and Charles on their wedding day; Photo Credit – By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44115689

Charles and Diana selected St Paul’s Cathedral in London over Westminster Abbey, the traditional site of Windsor royal weddings, because St. Paul’s offered more seating and permitted a longer procession through London. There were 3,500 guests at St. Paul’s and two million people lined the procession route. There had only been one other royal wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral. In 1501, Arthur, Prince of Wales, the eldest son of King Henry VII, married Catherine of Aragon, the daughter of Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, at the Old St. Paul’s Cathedral which was destroyed during the Great Fire of London in 1666. The present St. Paul’s Cathedral was built to replace the burned cathedral.

Diana wore the Spencer family tiara. According to her brother, Charles Spencer, now the 9th Earl Spencer, the tiara gave Diana a headache because she was not used to wearing it. The twenty-five-foot train of Diana’s gown posed problems. The gown’s designers realized too late that they had forgotten to allow for the train’s length in relation to the size of the glass coach Diana and her father rode in to the ceremony. The train did not fit easily into the glass coach and as a result, it was badly crushed. This accounted for the visible wrinkles in the wedding gown when Diana arrived at the cathedral.

Diana accidentally changed the order of Charles’s names during her vows, saying “Philip Charles Arthur George” instead of the correct “Charles Philip Arthur George”. Charles also made an error. He said he would offer her “thy goods” instead of “my worldly goods”. Diana did not promise to “obey” Charles as part of the traditional vows. That word was eliminated at the couple’s request, which caused a sensation at the time.

********************

Prince Andrew, Duke of York married (July 23, 1986) Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey in London, England, divorced 1996

Embed from Getty Images

Sarah Ferguson boasts a royal descent although it is from the wrong side of the sheets. Like the Duchess of Cornwall, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and the late Princess Alice of Gloucester, Sarah is descended from King Charles II via his illegitimate children. Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, son of Charles II and his mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth and James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, son of Charles II and his mistress Lucy Walter are Sarah’s ancestors.

Embed from Getty Images

Four-year-old Prince William was one of the page boys. William looked adorable in the sailor’s uniform of the Royal Navy from 1782, complete with sailor hat, but his ability to pay attention was non-existent. He made several silly faces, got squirmy and even yawned in boredom at one point. As Andrew and Sarah were leaving for their honeymoon in a horse-drawn carriage, William started running after them. His grandmother, The Queen, had to run and catch him.

Embed from Getty Images

********************

Anne, Princess Royal married (December 12, 1992) Timothy Laurence at Crathie Kirk in Ballater, Scotland

Photo Credit – www.dailymail.co.uk

Anne and Timothy were married at a small, private ceremony on December 12, 1992, at the tiny Crathie Church in Crathie, Scotland where the British Royal Family worships when they are staying at Balmoral Castle. The couple chose to marry in Scotland as the Church of England did not at that time allow divorced persons whose former spouses were still living to remarry in its churches. The Church of Scotland does not consider marriage to be a sacrament and has no objection to the remarriage of divorced persons. Princess Anne arrived at Crathie Church accompanied by her father Prince Philip and her 11-year-old daughter Zara who acted as her bridesmaid.

********************

Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (later Duke of Edinburgh) married (June 19, 1999) Sophie Rhys-Jones at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England

Embed from Getty Images

Sophie and Edward opted for a low-key (for royalty) wedding at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. They did not want the wedding to be turned into a state occasion so there was no ceremonial, state or military involvement. Prime Minister Tony Blair and other politicians were not invited. The couple requested that guests wear formal evening gowns, and not to wear hats to reflect their wish for a more informal royal wedding. Nevertheless, Edward’s grandmother, The Queen Mother, who was rarely seen in public without a hat, wore one. Edward’s two brothers, The Prince of Wales and The Duke of York, both served as his supporters.

********************

Charles, Prince of Wales (later King Charles III) married (April 9, 2005) Camilla Shand Parker-Bowles, civil service at the Guild Hall in Windsor, England followed by a Service of Prayer and Dedication at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England

Embed from Getty Images

The Privy Council met on March 2, 2005 to give their approval to the Queen’s consent to the marriage, in accordance with the provisions of the Royal Marriages Act 1772. The government indicated that the marriage was not morganatic.

A civil ceremony was chosen to avoid potential controversy caused by the future Supreme Governor of the Church of England (Charles) marrying a divorcée (Camilla) in a religious ceremony. However, the marriage of a divorced person whose spouse is still living has been possible in the Church of England, with the approval of the minister conducting the ceremony, since 2002.

Originally, it was announced that a civil marriage would take place on April 8, 2005, followed by a Service of Prayer and Dedication at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. This was later postponed until April 9, 2005, allowing The Prince of Wales to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II in Rome.

Upon marriage, Camilla took on all of Prince Charles’ titles, including Princess of Wales. However, out of respect for the late Diana, Princess of Wales, it was decided that she would be styled HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.

********************

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (later The Prince of Wales) married (April 29, 2011) Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London, England

Photo Credit – Wikipedia

As Prince William was not the heir apparent to the throne, the wedding was not a full state occasion and many details were left to the couple to decide, such as much of the guest list of about 1,900. Guests included the bride’s and groom’s families, members of foreign royal dynasties, diplomats, and the couple’s personal guests. The cost of the wedding itself was paid for by the Royal Family and the Middletons, however, the costs of security and transport were covered by Her Majesty’s Treasury.

In a break with royal tradition, the groom had a best man, his brother Prince Harry, rather than a supporter, while the bride chose her sister Pippa Middleton as maid of honor. In addition to the usual lunchtime wedding reception at Buckingham Palace, there was also an evening reception for three hundred of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s closest friends and family hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
YouTube: The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton

********************

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex married Meghan Markle (May 19, 2018) at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England

Embed from Getty Images

Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
YouTube: Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

********************

Windsor Weddings of Other Grandchildren of King George V, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II

Grandchildren of King George V

Grandchildren of King George VI

Grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Ashdown, D. (1981). Royal Weddings. London: Robert Hale Limited.
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2018). Unofficial Royalty. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com [Accessed 2 Apr. 2018]. (wedding and biography articles)
  • Wikipedia. (2018). Main Page. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2018].  (biography articles)

Viktoria Luise of Prussia, Princess of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Viktoria Luise of Prussia, Princess of Hanover, Duchess of Brunswick; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Viktoria Luise Adelheid Mathilde Charlotte of Prussia was the last Duchess of Brunswick through her marriage to Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick. She was born on September 13, 1892, at the Marble Palace in Potsdam, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, the youngest child and only daughter of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, King of Prussia and Princess Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. Viktoria Luise had six older brothers:

Viktoria Luise with her parents and siblings, c1896. source: Wikipedia

The young princess was christened on October 22, 1892, and named for her great-grandmother Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and her great-great-grandmother Queen Luise of Prussia. As the youngest child and only daughter, she was her father’s favorite and could do no wrong in his eyes. She was educated privately at home, studying religion and music and developing a love of athletic pursuits. From a young age, she became an accomplished hunter and rider. In 1900, the Hamburg-American Line named a ship in her honor. The Prinzessin Viktoria Luise would be the world’s first cruise ship.

Prince Ernst August of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick; Credit – Wikipedia

Viktoria Luise met her future husband in 1912 when he came to Berlin to personally thank the Emperor for sending two of his sons to the funeral of Ernst August’s brother. While there, the couple met and quickly fell in love. However, there was political tension between Prussia and Hanover, as Ernst August’s father, also named Ernst August, Duke of Cumberland, refused to relinquish his claims to the Hanoverian throne. For this reason, the Emperor had not allowed him to succeed to the Duchy of Brunswick, to which he was also the rightful heir. Finally, after months of negotiations, a compromise was reached that would allow Viktoria Luise and Ernst August to marry. The Duke of Cumberland renounced his rights to the throne of Hanover for himself and his heirs. He also ceded his rights to the Duchy of Brunswick, which allowed the younger Ernst August to become reigning Duke. After all these negotiations, Viktoria Luise and Ernst August were engaged on February 11, 1913.

Their wedding, held in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Brandenburg, on May 24, 1913, was one of the largest gatherings of royalty in Germany since the establishment of the German Empire in 1871. It would also be one of the last large social events before World War I, attended by 1,200 guests, including the British King and Queen and the Russian Emperor and Empress. Six months later, Ernst August was formally created Duke of Brunswick. He and Viktoria Luise took up residence in Brunswick, where they had five children:

Viktoria Luise and Ernst August, c1918. source: Wikipedia

After World War I, Viktoria Luise’s husband was forced to abdicate on November 8, 1918, when the monarchies in Germany were abolished. The following year, he also lost his British title as a Prince of the United Kingdom under the Titles Deprivation Act. 1918 also saw the abdication of Viktoria Luise’s father, who lived the rest of his life in exile at Huis Doorn in Doorn, Netherlands. The couple lived at several of their estates, including Blankenburg Castle, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, where Viktoria Luise continued her support of philanthropic causes, promoted restoration projects for several of the old palaces, and indulged in her love of horses and hunting. When Blankenburg was taken by the Soviets in 1945, Viktoria Luise and her family were forced to flee. Under orders of her second cousin King George VI of the United Kingdom, British army troops were sent to Blankenburg to transport all of their belongings to Marienburg Castle in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, the couple’s privately owned property, where they lived for the next eight years.

Viktoria Luise was widowed in 1953, and the following year her son turned Marienburg Castle into a museum, uprooting Viktoria Luise and causing a rift between mother and son. The relationship became further strained over their disagreement over her public role. Her son wanted her to retire quietly but Viktoria Luise had no intention of that. Her son offered her several residences, but instead, she moved to the Riddagshausen district of Brunswick, moving into a home provided to her by a group called the Brunswick Circle of Friends. With the support of this group, she continued to be involved in her charitable works and maintained her position in society. After living many years in Brunswick, her health began to fail in the fall of 1980, and she moved to the Friederikestift, a hospital in Hanover.

Embed from Getty Images 

The Dowager Duchess of Brunswick died in Hanover, Germany on December 11, 1980, at the age of 88. She was the last surviving child of Wilhelm II, having outlived her siblings by over 22 years. Viktoria Luise is buried beside her husband, in front of the Royal Mausoleum in the Berggarten at Herrenhausen Gardens in Hanover, Germany.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Brunswick Resources at Unofficial Royalty

History and Traditions: Windsor Weddings Part 1 – Children of King George V

by Susan Flantzer – compiled, revised, and edited from articles at Unofficial Royalty
© Unofficial Royalty 2018

Family of King George V – Seated: Princess Mary, Queen Mary  Standing: The Prince of Wales (future King Edward VIII and Duke of Windsor), Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, King George V; Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI) and Prince George, Duke of Kent; Photo Credit – Royal Family Group by Bassano Ltd, 12 x 10 inch glass plate negative, 26 April 1923, NPG x95760 © National Portrait Gallery, London

George V, King of the United Kingdom (son of Edward VII) married (1893) Mary of Teck at the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace in London, England

In 1917, during World War I, due to anti-German sentiment, King George V decided that to show the British people that the British Royal Family was indeed British and so a change of name was necessary. The British Royal Family’s dynastic name had gone from one German name to another, the House of Hanover to the decidedly more Germanic-sounding, House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. On July 18, 1917, the day after the Privy Council had given its final approval, the following proclamation from King George V appeared in newspapers: “WHEREAS We, having taken into consideration the Name and Title of Our Royal House and Family, have determined that henceforth Our House and Family shall be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor.”  See Unofficial Royalty: July 17, 1917: The Birth of the House of Windsor.

Mary and George on their wedding day; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

King George V, then Prince George, Duke of York, had married Princess Victoria Mary of Teck (also known as Princess May and later Queen Mary) in 1893 during the reign of his grandmother Queen Victoria. He had a typical royal wedding of the time at the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace in London. There was an opportunity for the public to see the royals as they left Buckingham Palace and proceeded the short distance to St. James’ Palace. Crowds gathered in the morning along the bridal procession route on Constitution Hill, Piccadilly, and St. James Street.

At 11:30 a.m., the first of the carriage processions left Buckingham Palace. Royalty from Britain and abroad rode in twelve open state landaus driven by cream-colored horses. The bridegroom and his father left the Palace at 11:45 a.m. followed by Queen Victoria in the Glass Coach. Accompanying the Queen was her first cousin, the beaming Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, the mother of the bride. The bride’s procession came last. Mary was accompanied by her brother Adolphus.

After the wedding service, the guests returned in state to Buckingham Palace. The royal guests feasted at round tables covered with food in a room separate from the other guests. The other guests enjoyed themselves in the Ballroom where large buffet tables were set up. Queen Victoria led George and Mary out onto the balcony at Buckingham Palace and presented them to the cheering crowds. The balcony appearance would later become a tradition of Windsor weddings.

***************

Embed from Getty Images 
Westminster Abbey Choir leading to the Altar

Another tradition of Windsor weddings would be the use of Westminster Abbey in London as a wedding venue. Westminster Abbey was completed around 1060 and was consecrated in 1065.  It was the wedding venue for six royal weddings during the reigns of the Plantagenet kings including that of King Richard II to Anne of Bohemia in 1382. That would be the last royal wedding at Westminster Abbey until the reign of King George V. Queen Victoria’s granddaughter and King George V’s first cousin Princess Patricia of Connaught married The Honorable Alexander Ramsay at Westminster Abbey in 1919. This was the first major royal event after World War I.

Five of the six children of King George V married and three of the five were married at Westminster Abbey. (George V’s youngest child Prince John died at the age of 14 following a severe epileptic seizure.) The large size of Westminster Abbey allowed more guests to be present at the wedding ceremony and the long drive from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey brought out immense crowds along the route. With each royal wedding, the anticipation and excitement grew.

It was George V’s children who really started the trend to marry non-royals. Only his son Prince George, Duke of Kent married a royal. Since that time, there has been only one member of the House of Windsor who married another royal – Queen Elizabeth II whose husband was born Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark.

***************

Weddings of King George V’s Children

Embed from Getty Images
Wedding of Princess Mary and Henry, Viscount Lascelles

Princess Mary, the only daughter, was the first of her siblings to marry. On November 20, 1921, she became engaged to Henry, Viscount Lascelles, the eldest son of Henry Lascelles, 5th Earl of Harewood. Lord Lascelles was staying at York Cottage, the country home of Mary’s family, and it was there that the proposal took place. Queen Mary wrote in her diary for that day, “At 6.30 Mary came to my room to announce to me her engagement to Lord Lascelles! We then told G. (King George V) & then gave Harry L. our blessing. We had to keep it quiet owing to G. having to pass an order in council to give his consent. Of course, everybody guessed what had happened & we were very cheerful & almost uproarious at dinner. We are delighted.”

Princess Mary and Lord Lascelles (Henry) were married at Westminster Abbey on February 28, 1922. The wedding was the first time a child of a monarch had married at Westminster Abbey since 1290 when Margaret of England, daughter of King Edward I, married John II, Duke of Brabant. It also was the first royal occasion for Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later wife of Mary’s brother King George VI), a friend of Mary’s and one of her bridesmaids.

Embed from Getty Images
On the Buckingham Palace balcony: King George V, Princess Mary, Viscount Lascelles, Queen Alexandra, and Queen Mary

Despite their fifteen-year age difference and despite rumors that the marriage was not happy, their elder son George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood said the marriage was a happy one. He wrote in his memoirs that they “got on well together and had a lot of friends and interests in common.” In 1929, Henry’s father died, he became the 6th Earl of Harewood, and the family moved to Harewood House near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. On January 1, 1932, Mary was given the style Princess Royal by her father, a style for the eldest daughter of the sovereign. The previous Princess Royal, Mary’s aunt Louise, had died the previous year.

***************

Wedding of Prince Albert, Duke of York (the future King George VI) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

In 1916, the second son of King George V, Prince Albert, known as Bertie, had been introduced to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the youngest daughter and the ninth child of the ten children of Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th and 1st Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne at a tea party. The two had actually first met in 1905 at a children’s party but neither recalled that meeting. Bertie, who was created Duke of York in June 1920, and Elizabeth had their first significant meeting on July 8, 1920 at the Royal Air Force Ball at the Ritz in London. Bertie had come to the ball with his equerry The Honorable James Stuart (the future 1st Viscount Stuart of Findhorn), the youngest son of the 17th Earl of Moray. Elizabeth and James were old friends from Scotland and shared a dance. Bertie questioned James about his dance partner and asked to be introduced. Although the meeting did not make much of an impression upon Elizabeth, Bertie fell in love that evening and started courting Elizabeth.

Bertie first proposed to Elizabeth in 1921 but was rejected because Elizabeth feared the changes in her life being a member of the Royal Family would require. Elizabeth served as a bridesmaid in the wedding of Bertie’s sister Mary, Princess Royal in February 1922. The following month, Bertie again proposed to her and was turned down once more. On January 2, 1923, after taking Elizabeth to dinner at Claridge’s and the theater, Bertie proposed a third time. After talking to friends and relatives and expressing her feelings in her diary, Elizabeth decided on January 14, 1923 to accept Bertie’s proposal although she still has misgivings.

The wedding of HRH The Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was held on April 26, 1923 at Westminster Abbey in London. As Elizabeth was proceeding down the aisle, she passed the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, a casualty of World War I whose remains had been brought from France and buried in the Abbey floor three years earlier. Elizabeth laid her bouquet of white roses on it. No doubt she was thinking of her brother Fergus and all the other British soldiers who died in World War I. Placing bouquets on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior has become a Windsor royal wedding tradition.

Tomb of the Unknown Warrior: Photo Credit – By Mike from England – Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18443245

In 1936, after the abdication of his brother King Edward VIII, Bertie acceded to the throne as King George VI and his wife became Queen Elizabeth, known as The Queen Mother during the reign of her daughter Queen Elizabeth II.

***************

Embed from Getty Images
Wedding of Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark

In August 1934, Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Prince George, Duke of Kent to Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. The two were second-cousins, through their mutual descent from King Christian IX of Denmark. They married on November 29, 1934 at Westminster Abbey followed by a Greek Orthodox ceremony in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace. George’s eldest brother The Prince of Wales served as best man and his other two brothers were groomsmen. George and Marina’s wedding was the first royal wedding to be broadcast on the radio.

Princess Marina in her wedding dress; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Marina was considered to be the most glamorous of the early Windsor brides.  Her gown, designed by British designer Edward Molyneux, was made from silver and white brocade with a flower design and was lined with silver lamé. The court train was fifteen feet long and the sleeves were long and in a medieval style. The veil, made of handmade lace and white tulle, had been worn by Marina’s mother, born Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, and by Marina’s sister Olga at their weddings. It was secured by the Kent City of London Fringe Tiara, a wedding gift to Marina from the City of London.  Princess Marina was the first British royal bride to wear the now de rigueur tiara.

The Kent City of London Fringe Tiara; Photo Credit – http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com

Contrast Marina’s wedding outfit with that of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon who had married eleven years earlier and was a victim of the fashions of the early 1920s. (See photo of Elizabeth, The Duke of York and the bridesmaids above.) Elizabeth had worn a sack-like dress with her lace veil firmly set over her forehead. Her bridesmaids wore floral headgear resembling headphones.

George and Marina’s wedding would be the last marriage of a foreign princess into the British Royal Family. Sadly, just six weeks after the birth of their third and youngest child, Prince George was killed when his military plane crashed in Scotland on August 25, 1942.

***************

Embed from Getty Images
The wedding of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott

In August 1935, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V became engaged to Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, daughter of John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch and 9th Duke of Queensberry. Sadly, Alice’s father died from cancer on October 19, 1935, less than a month before the wedding date, November 6, 1935. The wedding was originally set to be held at Westminster Abbey but the wedding venue was changed. It was deemed more appropriate to have the wedding at the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace. Among the bridesmaids were the groom’s nieces Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret Rose. Despite the wedding being held at Buckingham Palace, the public was still able to see the bride as she rode from her Mayfair home to Buckingham Palace in the Glass Coach and then made the traditional appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony with her new husband.

Embed from Getty Images
The Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace

***************

Embed from Getty Images
Wedding of The Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson

“After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself in twelve months.” King George V’s prophecy about his eldest son The Prince of Wales, christened with a long string of names, Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David, but known as David in the family, came true. King George V died on January 20, 1936 and on December 11, 1936, David, who reigned as King Edward VIII, abdicated due to the widespread unwillingness to accept the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson as his wife and David’s refusal to give her up.

On December 12, 1936, at the accession meeting of the Privy Council, the new King George VI announced he was going to give his brother the title Duke of Windsor with the style of Royal Highness. Letters Patent dated May 27, 1937 re-conferred the “title, style, or attribute of Royal Highness” upon the Duke of Windsor, but specifically stated that “his wife and descendants, if any, shall not hold said title or attribute”.

Château de Candé, near Tours, France, the wedding venue for the Duke and Duchess of Windsor; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

On June 3, 1937, David married Wallis Simpson at the Château de Candé, near Tours, France surrounded by a small group of faithful friends. David had wanted his brothers Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Prince George, Duke of Kent along with his close friend and second cousin Lord Louis Mountbatten (the future 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma) to attend the ceremony but his brother King George VI forbade members of the royal family from attending.

When the Church of England refused to sanction the wedding, Reverend Robert Anderson Jardine, the Vicar of St Paul’s Church in Darlington, County Durham, England, offered to perform the ceremony. When Reverend Jardine returned home to Darlington, he soon became aware that he had performed an act which the Church of England could not accept. He was forced to resign his position and under pressure, he left England and settled in California.

The legality of King George VI’s Letters Patent stating that David’s style Royal Highness could not be extended to his wife or any children is doubtful. As the son of a British monarch, David was entitled to that style which should have automatically reverted to him upon his abdication and automatically extended to his legal wife and any legitimate children. David considered the holding back of the style Her Royal Highness from his wife unjust but out of respect for his brother, he never made a public issue. In their household, the Duchess of Windsor was always addressed as Royal Highness.

***************

Works Cited

  • Ashdown, D. (1981). Royal Weddings. London: Robert Hale Limited.
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2018). Unofficial Royalty. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com [Accessed 2 Apr. 2018]. (wedding and biography articles)
  • Wikipedia. (2018). Main Page. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2018].  (biography articles)