The wedding of Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle will take place next May in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, a venue with royal associations going back centuries.
The fifth-in-line to the British throne, 33, and the American actress, 36, previously best known for her starring role in the TV legal drama Suits announced their engagement on Monday, sparking a trans-Atlantic media frenzy.
The couple have chosen to marry in Windsor, west of London, because it is “a special place for them”, Harry’s spokesman told reporters. Queen Elizabeth, the prince’s 91-year-old grandmother, will attend the ceremony.
“The wedding will be a moment of fun and joy and reflect the characters of the bride and groom,” he said.
The couple’s first official engagement together took place on Friday in the central English city of Nottingham, where they raised awareness of charities working to prevent HIV/AIDS and youth crime.
“Prince Harry has spent a significant amount of private and public time in (Nottingham) and His Royal Highness is looking forward to introducing Ms. Markle to a community that has become very special to him,” Kensington Palace, Harry’s official residence, said in a statement.
Markle, who attended a Catholic school as a child but identifies as a Protestant, will be baptised and confirmed into the Church of England before the wedding, Harry’s spokesman said.
She intends to become a British citizen, though she will retain her US citizenship while she goes through the process.
“Miss Markle will be compliant with all immigration requirements at all times,” the spokesman said.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit the Terrence Higgins Trust World AIDS Day charity fair at Nottingham Contemporary in Nottingham, on Dec. Photo: Reuters
The Gothic St George’s Chapel is located in the grounds of Windsor Castle, which has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years.
Within the chapel are the tombs of 10 sovereigns, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, and Charles I.
In more recent memory, it was the venue of the wedding of Harry’s uncle Prince Edward to Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999, and of a service of prayer and dedication to mark the wedding of Harry’s father, Prince Charles, to Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005.
The year 2018 looks likely to be a busy one for the British royal family, with Harry’s older brother Prince William and his wife Catherine, known as Kate, expecting their third child in April.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kate said she and William were “absolutely thrilled” about Harry’s engagement.
“It’s such exciting news. It’s a really happy time for any couple and we wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this happy moment,” she said.
Harry’s stepmother Camilla, now known as the Duchess of Cornwall, was equally enthusiastic.
“America’s loss is our gain,” she said of Markle.
Meghan Markle stars opposite Patrick J. Adams in Suits. Photo: Filepic
Meanwhile, Markle has wrapped up her role on legal drama series Suits after seven seasons, USA Network and Universal Cable Productions said in a statement on Tuesday, a day after Markle and Harry announced their engagement.
Markle played Rachel Zane on the cable network drama, rising up the ranks from paralegal to lawyer. The character is engaged to be married to Mike Ross, played by Patrick J. Adams.
Markle has completed all her filming for the seventh season, which will return in early 2018, the network said.
“We want to send our most heartfelt congratulations to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on their engagement,” USA Network and Universal Cable Productions, both units of Comcast Corp, said in a joint statement.
“Meghan has been a member of our family for seven years and it has been a joy to work with her. We want to thank her for her undeniable passion and dedication to Suits, and we wish her the very best,” the statement added. – Agencies
