In celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee, we thought it would be fitting to talk about some of our favourite royal weddings across the decades. Let’s go!

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

The wedding ceremony was held in Westminster Abbey in November 1947. It was presided over by the Archbishop of Canterbury and saw the newly-weds receive 2,500 gifts, and 10,000 global telegrams. However, the wedding was almost delayed as the bride snapped her tiara just before the start. The royal jeweller had to be called in to save the situation.

Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones

The wedding between Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones was the first royal wedding to be televised. Millions of royal wedding fans followed the proceedings live, and today it remains the most Googled royal wedding. 

One notable thing about the wedding is the departure from the tradition of marrying outside the royal family. Anthony Armstrong Jones was a non-royal photographer. Princess Margaret also wore the simplest wedding gown in the history of royal weddings.

Diana Spencer and Prince Charles

The July 1981 wedding day was a momentous occasion. The couple got married in St Paul's Cathedral in a traditional ceremony that was viewed by more than 1 billion fans from various corners of the globe. 

They had 27 wedding cakes, and Diana was the first royal bride to omit the word ‘obey’ from the wedding vows. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton

Prince William and Kate Middleton got married on April 29, 2011 in Westminster Abbey. The ceremony was watched by over 1 billion fans from around the globe. Kate Middleton’s lacy Alexander McQueen dress set the bar for wedding dresses in the UK. Couples looking for wedding dress ideas have a lot to borrow from this royal wedding. 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

The wedding between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry is the most recent royal wedding. Held in May 2018 at Windsor Castle, the wedding ceremony was followed live by close to 2 billion viewers from all over the world. 

The wedding provided an unusual blend between the English and American wedding traditions. While almost all other previous royal weddings were presided over by an English Bishop, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry broke the tradition by bringing in an American bishop.

Meghan Markle also created an impression of American feminism, right from the wedding dress she wore to walking alone down the aisle. The wedding songs also created a touch of American culture throughout the wedding.

Integrate Lessons from Royal Weddings Into Your Business

There is so much to borrow from British royal weddings. As a wedding celebrant, taking a look at various royal weddings can help you improve what you offer to your clients. To learn more about structuring the perfect wedding ceremony, visit the International College of Professional Celebrants.