These 5 Things Made Queen Elizabeth 'Uncomfortable' at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Wedding
These 5 Things from the Royal Wedding Allegedly Didn't Sit Too Well With the Late Queen
It's typical for the bride and groom to feel jittery before their wedding day. Undoubtedly, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle must have felt the same, knowing that all eyes would be on them during their lavish Royal Wedding in May 2018. However, it wasn't just the bride and groom feeling the pressure; even Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, reportedly had some worries about the grand event. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward, in her book My Mother and I, shed light on the Queen's various concerns, and some of these may just surprise you!
1. The 'Flamboyant' Wedding Gown
Markle may have adored her wedding gown, but it appears not everyone shared her enthusiasm — including the Queen. Markle chose a modest white dress with an open bateau neckline and three-quarter-length sleeves for her wedding. Although many admired the Duchess' elegant choice, it seems the late Queen deemed the dress 'flamboyant' and 'too white' for a divorcée, reported Newsweek. Before her relationship with Harry, Markle was previously married to Trevor Engelson, as detailed by Mirror. While the Queen never publicly expressed her thoughts about Markle's choice, she did allegedly confide in her cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson.
2. When Prince Charles Walked Markle Down the Aisle
The late Queen supposedly expressed displeasure over her son, then-Prince Charles, walking Markle down the aisle. As it so happened, with Markle's father unable to attend her wedding, Harry reportedly requested his father to escort the bride. Despite the Queen's discomfort with this arrangement, Charles gladly stepped in to fulfill the role of his son and daughter-in-law, according to reports by Daily Express. "I asked him to, and I think he knew it was coming, and he immediately said, 'Yes, of course, I’ll do whatever Meghan needs, and I’m here to support you," Harry recalled in the documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70.
3. Prince Philip's Recent Hip Surgery
Merely five weeks before Markle and Harry's royal wedding in May 2018, Prince Philip underwent a hip replacement surgery. Therefore, the Queen was very concerned about his ability to walk down the aisle after the medical procedure. Additionally, as reported by OK!, author Seward also mentioned this incident in her Royal book: "She was also concerned about 96-year-old Prince Philip’s decision to hobble down the aisle without a stick, despite having had a hip replacement just five weeks before."
4. The 14-minute Speech by the Archbishop
At the royal wedding, Archbishop Michael Curry delivered a 14-minute sermon on the significance of love. Despite not having met Markle and Harry before the ceremony, he apparently quickly recognized the depth of their love for each other. However, not all the guests were captivated by his sermon. Among them was the Queen as well, who was reportedly taken aback by Curry's impassioned speech. Both the Queen and Philip genuinely disliked lengthy sermons, according to Seward, who then claimed they were both eager for the archbishop to move on from his speech, as per Mirror's report.
5. Singing 'God Save the Queen' During the Ceremony
As Her Majesty graced her grandson's wedding, there was anticipation that God Save the Queen would be sung during the service. However, does the Queen herself sing the National Anthem, or is it customary for her to remain silent during the melody? According to The Sun, Her Majesty typically refrains from singing the lyrics to the national anthem when it is performed. The reason behind this decision is simply that it might seem odd for her to sing about herself in the third person. Nonetheless, she does stand for the anthem along with everyone else.
