The royal-wedding excitement continues, and we couldn't be more over the moon about Meghan Markle. (And, sure, Prince Harry is okay, too.) Not only has she been outspoken about what it's like to be biracial, but she's an advocate for women's health issues who, in yesterday's interview with the BBC, said she was excited to continue her humanitarian work on a larger scale.
More details are emerging on the heels of her engagement to Prince Harry. This morning, Kensington Palace announced the royal wedding venue: St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, which is just outside of London. The royals also announced that the wedding will be in the month of May.
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"Her Majesty The Queen has granted permission for the wedding to take place at the Chapel," Kensington Palace said in a statement. "The Royal Family will pay for the wedding. Further details about the wedding will be announced in due course."
The marriage of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle will take place at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in May 2018. pic.twitter.com/lJdtWnbdpB
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 28, 2017
The British press expected the couple to pick a venue that's smaller than Westminster Abbey, where Prince William and Kate Middleton wed back in 2011, and St. Paul's Cathedral, where Prince Harry's parents Prince Charles and Princess Diana wed in 1981. Windsor Castle's capacity is a paltry 800, compared to Westminster Abbey's 1,200.
The relatively smaller St. George's Chapel may have been chosen to reflect Prince Harry and Markle's desire to maintain their privacy. Plus, it holds significance to Harry for many reasons, including that he was baptized there in 1984.
Prince Harry's communication's secretary, Jason Knauf, told The Telegraph Windsor is a "very special place" for Harry. Knauf also revealed that the couple is doing a lot of the planning themselves. "Prince Harry and Ms. Markle are leading the planning process for all aspects of the wedding," he said.
The Gothic-style building, completed in the 14th century, has been the setting for wedding ceremonies for royals with a lower public profile, including Harry's uncle Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, in 1999. A more intimate ceremony aside, sentimental reasons might be at play: George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the prince's great-grandparents, were also buried at the chapel.
Windsor Castle is open to the public, but couples hoping to stage their own fairy-tale wedding photo shoots will be disappointed: Wedding photography is strictly prohibited on the grounds.
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