Any households worried about squabbling over whether to watch the Royal Wedding or the FA Cup final no longer need to fret, as the two events will not clash after all. Timings for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s nuptials have now been confirmed, with the ceremony set to start at 12pm, while the FA Cup final at Wembley will begin at 5.30pm.
After the church ceremony, which will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the newlyweds will undertake a street procession via carriage around Windsor, allowing waiting crowds a glimpse of the couple. The route will take them around Castle Hill, High Street, Sheet Street, Kings Road, Albert Road, Long Walk and Windsor Castle.
‘They hope this short journey will provide an opportunity for more people to come together around Windsor and to enjoy the atmosphere of this special day,’ the palace said.
After this, the couple will return to St George’s Hall for a reception with their guests, before going to a private evening reception hosted by Prince Harry’s father, Prince Charles.
As head of the Football Association, Prince William usually presents the trophy for the Cup Final, but with Wembley Stadium being an hours-drive from Windsor, it seems unlikely that he’ll be doing it this year. When asked about it previously, he said he was ‘working on’ the clash.
The couple has gone against protocol in a number of ways since announcing their engagement, choosing to wed at the weekend rather than a weekday, and with Markle rumoured to have asked her mother Doria to walk her down the aisle.
Further details about the wedding will be released in due course.