It’s set to be the wedding of the year and it looks like Prince Harry’s marriage to American actress Meghan Markle just got a whole lot bigger.
Kensington Palace issued a statement overnight, releasing new details about the upcoming wedding on May 19. It appears that in addition to the 600 guests who will witness Harry and Meghan say “I do”, members of the public will also be invited.
“Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have said they want their Wedding Day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too,” a statement read. “This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters and values of the Bride and Groom.”
In addition to the Carriage Procession in Windsor, the happy couple have extended their wedding invite to 2,640 members of the public. These very special guests will be invited to the grounds of Windsor Castle to watch Prince Harry and Meghan arrive. They’ll also get a glimpse of all the other guests and will get to witness the carriage procession as it leaves the castle.
Before you start booking your tickets to London for the ceremony, there is a catch. Kensington Palace said that Prince Harry and Meghan have very strict guidelines of who they’re looking for. The Palace said 1,200 people from all around the United Kingdom will be nominated to attend by nine regional Lord Lieutenant offices. It is believed that the soon-to-be married couple are seeking people from a range of age groups and backgrounds, but are particularly keen to see guests with strong backgrounds and those who have lead their community.
A further 200 will be from the various charities and organisations that Prince Harry and Meghan work closely with, while 100 school children from The Royal School, Great Park, Windsor and St George’s School, Windsor Castle, will be given invites.
Staff won’t be left out of the festivities, with 530 members of the royal household and crown estate to be invited, while an additional 610 Windsor Castle community members and people of the St George’s Chapel community will also get an invite.
In addition to the statement, Kensington Palace sent royal fanatics into a meltdown when they shared a series of Tweets on Twitter.
The couple initially announced their engagement in November after 18 months of dating and later revealed they had chosen St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle for their ceremony. They will be married by the Justin Welby, who is the Archbishop of Canterbury, while the full service will be led by David Connor, the dean of Windsor.
There will be a reception at St George’s Hall for the couple and guests from the wedding ceremony, followed by a private evening reception for the couple and their close friends and family, hosted by Harry’s father, the Prince of Wales.