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29 March 2024

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to wed in May

Photo: AFP

Published
By AFP/Bang

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will tie the knot at Windsor Castle in May 2018, Kensington Palace has confirmed.

The 33-year-old royal will tie the knot with the American actress at St George's Chapel - the same venue Prince Charles and Camilla married on April 9, 2005 - at the royal residence in Berkshire in the spring time in 2018.

Kensington Palace announced the news on Tuesday in a statement: "The marriage of His Royal Highness Prince Harry of Wales and Ms. Meghan Markle will take place at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in May 2018.

"Her Majesty The Queen has granted permission for the wedding to take place at the Chapel. The Royal Family will pay for the wedding.

"Further details about the wedding will be announced in due course."

Meghan and Harry's engagement was announced in a statement by the prince's father, Prince Charles, on Monday - a few weeks after the flame-haired hunk popped the question to the 36-year-old actress.

It stated: "His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle.

"The wedding will take place in Spring 2018. Further details about the wedding day will be announced in due course. His Royal Highness and Ms. Markle became engaged in London earlier this month. Prince Harry has informed The Queen and other close members of The Royal Family. Prince Harry has also sought and received the blessing of Ms. Markle's parents.

"The couple will live in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace."

Speaking previously, Charles said on behalf of him and his wife Duchess Camilla: "We're thrilled. We're both thrilled. We hope they'll be very happy indeed."

Harry's older brother, Prince William, 35, and his wife Duchess Catherine, also 35, are "very excited" by the news as they get on so well with Meghan.

They said in a statement: "We are very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together."

Harry's grandparents Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are also "delighted" for them both.

A message on the Royal Family Twitter account read: "The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness.(sic)."

Love at first sight: Prince Harry to marry Meghan Markle next year

Britain's Prince Harry said Monday he proposed to his American girlfriend Meghan Markle over a roast chicken dinner as the one-time playboy royal and the glamorous actress confirmed they will wed next year.

The prince revealed he fell for Markle - who will inject a little Hollywood stardust into Britain's centuries-old royal family - "the very first time we met".

The 33-year-old described a cosy and intimate proposal, taking place over quintessentially British meal of roast chicken at his cottage in the grounds of his family's sprawling Kensington Palace.

In their first interview marking their engagement, the pair revealed they were set up on a "blind date" in London in July last year. They quickly grew close, but tried to keep their relationship private.

When the news broke, they were "totally unprepared" for the media attention, Harry said, adding: "It's not easy for anybody."

"But at the end of the day she chooses me and I choose her and whatever we have to tackle together or individually, we'll always be together as a team."

Earlier, Markle said she was "so very happy" as she showed off her engagement ring, which included diamonds that belonged to the prince's late mother Diana.

Markle, who is mixed-race, divorced and an outspoken feminist, does not fit the mould of most British royals and she admitted some of the media coverage about her was "disheartening".

Diana's diamonds

But the prince's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II - whose beloved corgis have taken a shine to Markle - led the chorus of congratulations, saying she was "delighted for the couple".

Harry has himself railed against the confines of royal life, recently admitting he came close to nervous breakdown in his 20s as he struggled to deal with the legacy of his mother's death.

His father Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, said he was "very happy indeed" that Harry had found love, while his brother Prince William said he and his wife Kate were "very excited".

The wedding is due to take place in the spring, and Harry designed the engagement ring himself, using two diamonds from Diana's personal collection.

He said his mother would have been "over the moon" that he was marrying Markle, adding: "They would have been thick as thieves."

Markle is best known for her role as a lawyer in the hit US television series "Suits" but has left and is now expected to become a duchess.

Co-star Patrick J Adams, her character's love interest on the show, tweeted Harry is "a lucky man", predicting their life together would be "joyful, productive and hilarious".

Markle has already moved one of her dogs to London, and the couple will live at Harry's home of Nottingham Cottage.

William and Kate, who married in 2011, live nearby in Kensington Palace with their two children.

They are expecting their third in April, and with the wedding it looks set to be a busy spring, providing light relief from the dour political headlines as Britain negotiates Brexit.

'Need to modernise'

Wellwishers gathered Monday outside Buckingham Palace, including John Egan, 72, who said: "It is good for the country.

"The royal family is too tight, too controlled, the older ones exist in the last century, they really need to modernise."

In his younger days, Harry regularly hit the headlines for his partying and his outspoken criticism of the media, whom he blames for the death of his mother.

He spent 10 years in the British army, serving two tours of duty in Afghanistan, but in recent years has focused on charity work, notably with veterans.

Markle is also an active campaigner focusing on women's rights.

William and Kate said "it has been wonderful getting to know Meghan", who grew up in California.

Her parents Doria Ragland, who is African-American, and Thomas Markle, an American of Dutch and Irish descent, said they were "incredibly happy".

Prime Minister Theresa May offered her "warmest congratulations", while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, where Markle was previously living, also sent his best wishes.

Barack and Michelle Obama, who have worked with Harry on the prince's Invictus Games for wounded servicemembers, said they were "delighted" to learn of the couple's engagement.  

"We wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness together," Obama tweeted.

Bookmakers have already started taking wedding-related bets, with Westminster Abbey a firm favourite to host the event and fashion label Alexander McQueen frontrunner to design the dress.