As the royal wedding nears, and the overseas guests begin to arrive, everyone is obsessed with who we can, and can’t expect to see on Saturday. And now, a junior member of the Royal Family has spoken out about the number of family members not invited, despite attending Kate Middleton and Prince Williams wedding in 2011.
According to the Daily Mail, many of the family members Prince Harry grew up with in Kensington Palace aren’t on the royal guest list, including the children and grandchildren of the Queen’s cousins, the Duke of Kent, Duke of Gloucester, Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Alexandra.
One young family member told the publication, ‘I’m not going, and nor are lots of Kents and Gloucesters, but we’re not allowed to say it. I’m going to get into trouble if I’m the one that says it.’
Despite being on the Buckingham Palace balcony at last year’s Trooping the Colour, the source revealed that both Lord Frederick Windsor and Lady Gabriella Windsor, who are the Queen’s cousin, Prince Michael’s children, aren’t invited. They had previously attended all of the big royal weddings, from Prince Andrew to Prince William.
Further royals that won’t be attending include Lady Davina Lewis, the Duke of Gloucester’s daughter and her husband, Gary Lewis. They’re joined by Lady Helen Taylor, the Duke of Kent’s daughter and his two granddaughters, Lady Amelia and Lady Marina Windsor.
Both Amelia and Marina have received much press attention, with Amelia developing a large Instagram following and promising modelling career. According to The Sun, ‘they were a little surprised not to be invited as they were looking forward to going.’
The reasons to why the younger royals weren’t invited remain to be known. There is certainly enough space in St. George’s Chapel, which holds 800 people yet only 600 have been invited. However, some have suggested it is Prince Charles’s idea, as he favours a ‘slimmed down’ monarchy.
Or perhaps since this wedding isn’t a full state occasion unlike Prince William and Kate Middleton’s (as Prince William will one day be King whereas Prince Harry will not), the guest list is simply different.
We’ll have to keep our eyes peeled on Saturday who is and who isn’t attending, and we’ll be watching alongside the younger royals it seems...
What will happen at the Royal Wedding? Click through to find out...
What Will Happen At The Royal Wedding - Grazia Slider
1 of 99:30am: Wedding guests begin to arrive
Wedding guests will begin to arrive – by coach, no less – from 9.30am until 11am, and will walk over to the South Door of St George's Chapel. Prepare to spot assorted Suits stars, Priyanka Chopra, Jessica Mulroney and the Beckhams.
2 of 911:45am: Harry and William will arrive together
Prince Harry will arrive at St George's Chapel by foot, accompanied by his best man the Duke of Cambridge, and will enter via the West Steps. Here, they'll take the time to greet the members of the public gathered in the Castle precinct, including the charity representatives positioned at the Horseshoe Cloister (just outside the Chapel).
3 of 97pm: The couple head to Frogmore House
For all the national excitement, the wedding is a private event, and after the carriage procession, there won't be much left for us to see. The last thing that we'll be able to catch will be the moment that the bride and groom leave the Castle for Frogmore House, where the evening reception will take place.
4 of 912pm: The wedding service begins
The wedding service itself will take about an hour, with a full order of service set to be unveiled to the public on Saturday morning. We already know that Lady Jane Fellowes, Harry's aunt and the elder sister of the late Princess of Wales will give the reading. All three of Diana's siblings will attend the ceremony, and Harry and Meghan have expressed happiness that they'll be able to celebrate her memory on the day.
5 of 911:20am: The royal family arrive in Windsor
Keep your eyes peeled from 11.20am as members of the Royal Family start to arrive at the Chapel, some on foot, others by car.
6 of 911:50am: Meghan will travel to Windsor Castle with her mother
At around the same time, Meghan and her mother, Doria, will leave their overnight location and travel to the Castle by car, passing through the Long Walk where members of the public are expected to gather. They'll briefly stop at the Castle, allowing Doria to travel on to the Chapel while Meghan is joined by bridesmaids and page boys ahead of her big entrance to the Chapel.
7 of 912pm: Meghan walks down the aisle
After Thomas Markle confirmed that he would no longer be walking his daughter down the aisle, having suffered a heart attack last week, it's assumed that Doria will accompany her daughter.
8 of 91pm: The couple will greet charity representatives
Once they've officially tied the knot, the first thing that Harry and Meghan will do is to greet the 200 representatives from Prince Harry's chosen charities, who'll be gathered in the Horseshoe Cloister. In doing so, the couple are acknowledging how important these organisations will be in their future work; according to the Palace, they are 'delighted that these people who will be such an important part of their official work in the years to come will be the first people they see after the wedding.'
9 of 91:05pm: The carriage procession
Then, close family members will gather on the Chapel's steps to wave the couple off, as it's time for Harry and Meghan to step into their carriage (that's the same Ascot Landau that Pippa Middleton rode in at Will and Kate's wedding, in case you needed a refresher) and embark on a 25-minute procession around the castle and town. Hopefully neither of them have previous history with RSI, because all that royal waving could get very tiring. Meghan and Harry's guests will then file out of the church to catch the start of the carriage procession, before heading on to St George's Hall for the reception.