Plenty of time and lots of efforts are used in planning a wedding. Now, imagine just a royalty wedding and you’ll have an idea of how much Meghan Markle has been learning about royal traditions and labels before saying “yes” to Prince Harry this spring.
Real Conversion
Meghan was recently baptized and christened in the Anglican Church during a private ceremony at Kensington Palace in London. This is a sign of respect for the head of the church, Queen Elizabeth II and also a way for Meghan to publicly declare her religion.
Tribute to florida
When Vitoria Adelaide, Princess Royal, married in 1858, her bouquet contained myrtle removed from the garden of her mother, Queen Victoria. Since then all royal marriages – including that of the Duchess of Cambridge, who used a branch of the same garden – have as their prop of myrtle flowers from the Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, the former private home of Queen Victoria and the Prince Albert. Since this is an unbroken tradition, everything indicates that Meghan will follow.
Gold Gifts
In 1923, the Queen Mother started another tradition by wearing a piece of rare Welsh gold. Set amidst the lush green countryside of Snowdonia National Park, Wales, Clogau St David’s Gold Mine is the source of the highest quality gold used to create the Queen’s wedding ring. Although the gold source has dried since then, Clogau is still today a family-owned jewelry company that maintains a small and careful production. Queen Elizabeth II has also used part of this little reserve, so it is thought that there are enough for two other alliances.
However, one can not tell whether Prince Harry will wear the wedding ring after the big day: It is the tradition of the British elite that men do not wear jewelry, not even wedding rings.
A real banquet
After the ceremony, Meghan and Prince Harry will welcome guests to a large party, known as “wedding breakfast,” regardless of the time of day the main meal is served. Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Mother opted for menus influenced by classic French cuisine in their respective marriages, while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge valued the gastronomy made with locally grown produce.
If Meghan and Prince Harry follow the trend, they can serve Jersey Royal potatoes and crawfish from the Hebrides. You can also opt for the tasty Gressingham duck, raised by family farms in Norfolk and Suffolk.
There is also a choice of products from the Windsor Farm Shop, which sells beef, pigs and sheep raised in the Royal Farms. You can follow the actual steps by visiting the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, with farm produce stores open to the public. Or follow the route the couple will use on their wedding day, ending at the scenic Long Walk and visiting the Windsor Castle.
To make the gourmet dining experience even more special, Megan and Prince Harry can turn to Paxton & Whitfield’s famous cheese-makers for a selection of British cheeses at the party. Go to the brand store on Jermyn Street in London – opened in 1797 -, grab a basket and make your choice. Then depart for a picnic in one of the city’s Royal Parks, such as St James’ Park or the Green Park. You can even do this on your wedding day and enjoy the ceremony live on your cell phone.
Following the rules
Meghan also had to learn the traditional royal wedding rules. “When the newlyweds start walking to leave the St George’s Chapel Altar inside the Windsor Castle estate, they need to pause for Prince Harry to bow and Meghan bow in front of Her Majesty the Queen “explains former royal butler and label expert Grant Harrold.
Usually, the bride and groom are the first to eat at a wedding party. However, the royal etiquette commands that no one begin to serve before the Queen. In the same way, when it ends, everyone stops eating too. “The Queen, being the excellent hostess she is, will obviously make sure that all the guests in her field of vision have finished eating before closing her meal,” he added.
With the news that ordinary people will also be invited to attend the wedding celebration, there may be a rush to Lord Harrold’s Royal Etiquette workshop, where participants learn the proper protocols by interacting with royalty, aristocrats, and VIP families .
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