Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are celebrating six years of marriage on May 19, having tied the knot in a fairytale royal wedding ceremony at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in 2018.
Harry and Meghan have both spoken at length about their relationship in the years since their marriage, revealing never before heard details about the historic wedding in interviews and media projects.
Fans of the couple were given the greatest insight into the day through their eponymous Harry & Meghan Netflix docuseries, which was released in 2022. For the first time, private images and video footage were broadcast, spotlighting important moments from the cutting of the wedding cake to the couple's first dance.
Here, Newsweek takes a look back at Harry and Meghan's magical wedding day in pictures.
St. George's Chapel
Harry and Meghan's wedding was held at St. George's Chapel, the historic site of worship within the precinct of Windsor Castle.
A number of important royal weddings have been held at the chapel, including King Edward VII's to Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863. King Charles III also had his marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles blessed at the chapel in 2005.
Guests
Harry and Meghan invited 600 guests to witness their marriage, from extended royal family members and friends to high-profile figures from the worlds of Hollywood, music and sport. These included among them, Oprah Winfrey, Idris Elba, George Clooney, Sir Elton John and David Beckham.
Arrival of the Groom
As Harry stood beside his brother for his wedding to Princess Kate in 2011, so Prince William stood beside him in 2018.
The brothers arrived at the chapel on foot before taking their places at the high altar to await Meghan.
The Bride
When Meghan arrived at the chapel, her glamorous Givenchy wedding gown was seen for the first time to its full effect.
The gown was accessorized with an abbey-length lace veil embroidered with the flowers of the Commonwealth nations and the California poppy. It was held in place by an antique diamond tiara loaned to her by Queen Elizabeth II.
A Helping Hand
Though Meghan arrived at the chapel without her father Thomas Markle to walk her down the aisle following a paparazzi scandal and health issues, the bride was met half way to the altar by her future father-in-law, King Charles III.
Charles delivered Meghan safely to the altar and was thanked by Harry in a touching moment caught on camera.
Vows
The royal couple's vows were read by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and when they finished the exchange a cheer was heard from the crowds outside the chapel.
Wedding Reception
Harry and Meghan had two wedding receptions. One held immediately after the ceremony was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in St. George's Hall inside Windsor Castle. Sir Elton John performed for the guests as champagne was served.
Images of the reception were shown in the Harry & Meghan Netflix series.
The Cake Cutting
The couple's wedding cakes were cut during the daytime reception.
Made by baker, Claire Ptak, the cakes were lemon- and elderflower-flavored and displayed on historic pieces of gold plate from the royal collection.
Harry and Meghan cut the cake using a ceremonial saber.
First Dance
The couple's evening reception was held in a large tent erected in the grounds of Frogmore House, a short drive from Windsor Castle but still within its Great Park.
Harry changed into black tie and Meghan a white evening gown designed by Stella McCartney for the occasion.
Their first dance, as revealed in their Netflix show, was to the 1967 song "I'm in Love" by Wilson Pickett.
Fireworks
At the close of their evening reception, Harry and Meghan joined their guests on the lawns of Frogmore House to watch a specially designed fireworks display.
A number of images were taken at the display, one of which was used for the couple's first official Christmas card and was included in their Netflix docuseries.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about Charles and Queen Camilla, William and Princess Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
