WINDSOR, England (AP) — Meghan Markle reached 125 years back into the British monarchy’s vault to choose her wedding tiara.
The diamond bandeau Markle wore was made for Queen Mary, who was crowned with husband King George V in 1911. The tiara was specifically designed to accommodate a brooch that was given to Mary in 1893 to commemorate her engagement to the then-Prince George.
Queen Elizabeth II inherited the pieces in 1953. The grandmother of groom Prince Harry has hundreds of tiaras stored in locked vaults. Royal tradition holds that the queen would let Markle borrow one of the sparkly heirlooms.
In the months before Saturday’s wedding, there had been speculation over whether Markle would continue the tiara tradition and if so, whether she would choose one that belonged to Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.
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1:30 p.m.
A teenage cellist is getting praise for his performance at the royal wedding.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who is 19, performed for 600 guests and a huge global television audience as the newlyweds Harry and Meghan, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, signed the register.
Kanneh-Mason performed works including Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria.” The cellist won the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year contest in 2016, the first black musician to do so.
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1:20 p.m.
The leader of the Episcopal Church has quoted civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. on the “redemptive power of love” as he blessed the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, who was hand-picked by the couple to deliver a sermon at their wedding, told the bride and groom Saturday that there was “power in love” and that “love can help and heal when nothing else can.”
But Curry, a champion of civil rights causes and outspoken supporter of gay rights, continued “it’s not just for and about a young couple, who we rejoice with, it’s more than that.”
Invoking the days of slavery in the United States, he said love helped those in captivity persevere.
He told the couple love has “the power to change the world.”
Curry says “when love is the way, we actually treat each other, well, like we are actual family.”
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1:15 p.m.
The royal newlyweds are taking a short trip through Windsor in a horse-drawn carriage, to the delight of thousands of well-wishers.
The crowd roared as Harry and Meghan emerged from St. George’s Chapel and kissed at the top of the steps.
The couple, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, will travel through Windsor in the Ascot Landau carriage before looping back to Windsor Castle for their reception.
Tens of thousands of people have come to Windsor in hopes of catching a glimpse of the couple.
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12:55 p.m.
A buzzing crowd of Californians and British expatriates has packed into a Hollywood pub long before dawn for a pajama party and royal wedding viewing.
British flags and pictures of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hung all around the Cat & Fiddle Pub early Saturday. It’s just a few miles from Markle’s childhood schools.
The sold-out pub is packed with guests wearing pajamas party hats, nightgowns and crowns.
Nottingham, England native Craig Young was giving a wedding-themed pub quiz as he wore a bathrobe and Harry mask.
The 44-year-old actor says the wedding is especially sweet for Britons in LA because a woman from their adopted hometown is joining the royal family.
It’s one of countless watch parties at pubs, hotels, movie theaters and elsewhere across the U.S.
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12:40 p.m.
The archbishop of Canterbury has declared Prince Harry and Meghan Markle husband and wife.
Justin Welby, the head of the Church of England, has made the proclamation after the couple promised to love and cherish one another “till death us do part,” and exchanged rings.
The British-American pair are now officially known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and the duchess will take her place among senior members of the royal family.
Saturday’s ceremony took place at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, the British royals’ longtime home.
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12:10 p.m.
Dean of Windsor David Conner has welcomed the congregation at the start of the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The couple are standing at the altar in St. George’s Chapel. They smiled at each other as a soprano sang a work by Handel.
As they stood at the altar, Harry said to Meghan: “You look amazing.”
Markle arrived to a fanfare and walked down the aisle accompanied part of the way by Prince Charles, and by 10 young page boys and bridesmaids. The children include 4-year-old Prince George and 3-year-old Princess Charlotte, children of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge.
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12 p.m.
Meghan Markle is wearing a dress by designer Clare Waight Keller for her wedding to Prince Harry.
Markle’s choice is being closely watched Saturday given how big an impact royal wedding dresses have on what brides everywhere want to wear. Princess Diana’s 1981 wedding gown, with its romantic details and dramatic train, defined the ’80s fairytale bridal look.
More recently, when Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011, her long-sleeved lace gown immediately sparked a trend for more covered-up, traditional lace bridal dresses.
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11:55 a.m.
Queen Elizabeth II arrived at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor in a flared lime-colored dress in printed silk and an edge-to-edge coat with a lime silk tweed fastening.
The royal palace said that both items of clothing were designed by Stuart Parvin. She was joined by her husband, Prince Philip. The guests stood to attention as the pair entered the chapel.
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11:50 a.m.
American television star Meghan Markle has arrived at St. George’s Chapel for her wedding to Prince Harry.
Markle, who is being ferried to the grounds in a vintage maroon Rolls-Royce with her mother Doria Ragland, is expected to enter the chapel shortly.
Prince Harry and his brother and best man Prince William were seated waiting for her on Saturday.
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11:35 a.m.
Prince Harry and best man Prince William have arrived at St. George’s Chapel for his royal wedding in Windsor to American actress Meghan Markle.
The pair, dressed in formal military uniforms, waved and smiled as they stepped across the grounds of the 15th-century church.
William, who was married to commoner Kate Middleton at a ceremony in 2011, is carrying his brother’s rings. Saturday’s ceremony is supposed to last about an hour.
Other members of the royal family have taken their places inside St. George’s Chapel, including Harry’s uncles Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, his aunt Princess Anne and his cousins Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice.
Guests are awaiting the arrival of the most senior royals, including Princes Charles, who will walk Markle down the aisle, and Queen Elizabeth II and her husband.
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11:30 a.m.
New York theatre producer Allen DeWane has a prime viewing spot on the sunlit grounds of Windsor Castle along the procession route Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will use. He was invited because of his charity work, and happy to have the chance to share the moment.
The 47-year-old DeWane said: “I’m African-American and I’m very proud of Meghan Markle. She’s such a very class young lady. She carried herself so well and I think she’s made us all proud.”
DeWane says his contacts in the industry speak highly of Markle’s professional conduct on the set of “Suits” when it was filmed in Canada.
He said: “She’s got an excellent reputation with the workers and the crew, and not everyone does. It’s not talked about every day on the streets, but I think the majority of African-Americans are quite proud of her. And happy.”
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11:25 a.m.
American actress Meghan Markle has arrived at her hotel on her way to the royal wedding.
The 10-mile (16-kilometer) trip will take her to St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, where she will marry Prince Harry.
Markle waved for the cameras as the car she was traveling in, a vintage Rolls-Royce, drove past Saturday. She appeared to be wearing a white dress and a long veil.
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11:15 a.m.
Patsy Small, a 53-year-old nursery manager who was invited to the Windsor Castle grounds, says she is “very British” but she has close relatives in the United States who have been calling her in the last few days to talk about Meghan Markle.
Small said: “As a black British woman I am so happy. Everyone’s phoned me from the States this morning, they are so happy that she’s here, that she’s biracial, all they’ve been saying is black people in America are so proud and so happy.”
She said she is very impressed with Prince Harry and Prince William.
Small said of Markle joining the royal family: “Will this bridge the gap? We don’t know. But one thing we know is these two boys are real. Harry and William. They are real. They go to the West Indies. They go to Africa. They are trying to have a legacy like their mother. They know they’re royals, they know who they are. But they are also entwined with the general public and the community. They have a mind of their own.”
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10:55 a.m.
Tennis great Serena Williams and soccer star David Beckham are among famous guests from the world of sports attending the wedding of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, said on Instagram on Saturday that she was “getting ready for my friends wedding.” She later walked into the chapel.
Williams returned to the WTA tour briefly this year, after a 14-month absence to give birth to her daughter. But she withdrew from the ongoing Italian Open, saying she wasn’t “100 percent ready to compete,” leaving her free for the wedding.
Beckham won six Premier League titles at Manchester United and had 115 appearances for England. He also won league titles in Spain (Real Madrid), the United States (LA Galaxy) and France (PSG).
Stars from the rugby world included Sir Clive Woodward, who coached England to the world cup in 2003, and Jonny Wilkinson, a member of that title-winning team.
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10:35 a.m.
A-list couples including George and Amal Clooney have arrived for the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Crowds cheered as the Hollywood star and his lawyer spouse arrived at Windsor Castle — he in a gray suit, she in mustard yellow dress and matching hat.
David and Victoria Beckham have also arrived at St. George’s Chapel for the ceremony. The former soccer star doffed his sunglasses to pose for photos with well-wishers. Designer Victoria wore a smart navy blue ensemble and hat with half-veil.
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10:15 a.m.
Kensington Palace says that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have chosen Cleave & Company to make their rings.
The American actress’ ring has been made with Welsh gold given by Queen Elizabeth II. The company also made her engagement ring.
Prince Harry’s ring is a platinum band with a textured finish.
Prince William will carry the rings into St George’s Chapel on Saturday.
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10 a.m.
St. George’s Chapel has been given an overnight makeover with flower arrangements at the main entry door and inside the great room where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will wed.
A cascading hedgerow style using native flowers and foliage graces the entryway. A similar display was inside.
Senior chapel official Charlotte Manley said the flowers were put in overnight while other decorations were put in place in recent days.
She said Markle helped choose the plants but has not seen them in place. That will happen when she arrives to be wed.
The chapel was filled with light from the extensive stain glass window on a bright sunny morning as guests started to arrive.
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9:50 a.m.
Oprah Winfrey and Idris Elba are among the first guests to arrive at Windsor Castle for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The American talk-show titan and the London-born Hollywood star are among celebrities, royalty, athletes and family friends in the 600-strong congregation invited to St. George’s Chapel in Windsor.
Singer James Blunt has also arrived Saturday at the gothic chapel, where the wedding will start at noon (1100GMT).
Royal relatives on hand include Charles Spencer, the brother of Harry’s late mother Princess Diana.
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9:20 a.m.
Royal fans have come from near and far for a glimpse of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day in Windsor.
Hundreds camped out overnight to get a prime spot outside for the newlyweds’ horse-drawn carriage near Windsor Castle after the ceremony.
“I woke up wet, and I’m freezing cold, my back is sore, and I just want to go to bed,” said Bernadette Christie, a Canadian from Grand Prairie, Alberta.
“I’m here for that 10 seconds when that coach goes around the corner,” she said. “It’ll be well worth it.”
Farkahanda Ahmed came with her mother and a friend from Slough, a few miles from Windsor, arriving at 4 a.m. to get a good spot. The trio wore Union Jack hijabs in honor of the occasion.
“It’s a proud moment for us — times are changing,” Ahmed said. “Who would have thought a Hollywood actress would become a British princess?
“We are proud to be British and we wanted to come here and show our support.”
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9 a.m.
The members of the public selected for prime viewing spots for the royal wedding have started arriving.
Alan Scott was one of the first arrivals among the roughly 2,600 people invited to watch the procession from the grounds of Windsor Castle. He was invited because of his 45 years of service to scouting, an activity that enjoys much royal family support.
He will have a front row view of the wedding procession and hoped for a good chance to see Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after the ceremony.
The 69-year-old Scott had come in from Lincolnshire the night before for the big event.
“It’s a great honor,” he said of the unexpected invite. “The atmosphere is great. The royals are great supporters of everything and the young element is really coming through. I think they’re going to take things forward.”
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8:30 a.m.
Royal watchers have swarmed the first trains from London to Windsor as they headed for the wedding of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle.
At the station in Slough, the changing point for travelers from London, revelers found sign boards reading “All aboard the royal wedding special to Harry & Meghan Central.”
Many of those on the standing room only trains were Americans, including Christine Clancy from Virginia.
Clancy says she’s “always been a royal fan — not an extreme one — I just love British history and love the royals. I just wanted to be part of the wedding celebration.”
Irene Bowdry, a lawyer from California, booked her trip with four friends as soon as the date was announced. She said “an American in the royal family, isn’t that so exciting?”
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8:20 a.m.
Queen Elizabeth II has conferred a dukedom on Prince Harry — making him the Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel.
The new title will mean that when Harry marries American actress Meghan Markle later Saturday in Windsor, she will become the Duchess of Sussex.
The secondary titles are for use in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The monarch similarly bestowed titles on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge before their wedding in 2011.
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8 a.m.
Thousands of people are on the streets outside Windsor Castle after many of them camped overnight to grab the best spots to catch a glimpse of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day.
It was the fourth night sleeping rough for Canadian royal-watcher Bernadette Christie, who says it will be well worth it if she sees the royal couple pass by in their state carriage.
Christie says, “I’m freezing cold, my back is sore, and I just want to go to bed.”
But she is unrepentant. She says “I’m here for that ten seconds when the coach comes around the corner.”
Police and security marshals are out in force to ensure the safety of the tens of thousands of people expected to converge on Windsor during the day.
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5 a.m.
The big day is finally here: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are to wed at St. George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
It all started with a blind date two years ago that went very, very well.
That has turned into a global mega-event Saturday that is helping reshape the British monarchy and will be watched by tens of millions of TV viewers around the world.
