The Special Ways Harry and Meghan Honored Princess Diana
After Prince William married Kate Middleton, his younger brother reflected on the void left by their mother not being alive to see that joyous occasion. In an interview with Katie Couric in 2012, Prince Harry said "You know, she—I think she had the best seat in the house, probably. But yeah, she would have loved to have been there."
And when Harry announced to the world that he’d fallen in love and proposed to Meghan Markle, he again brought his mother into his special moment. He spoke about missing her immensely the day he proposed and that he believed she and Meghan would be “thick as thieves” if Diana had lived to meet her.
In that same interview, Meghan said that she {Diana} was with there with them. After all, her engagment ring included stones that once belonged to the People's Princess. And today, as Harry married his beloved, it was clear that the couple made sure that Diana was present throughout the entire ceremony.
WATCH: Meghan Markle's Classic Engagement Ring Includes Stones from Princess Diana
The Guest List
The nods to Diana began well before the church bells rang this morning. On May 4 an official statement read, "Prince Harry is also keen to involve his mother's family in his wedding. All three siblings of Diana, Princess of Wales will be in attendance and Lady Jane Fellowes will give the reading,"
An Important Role
And in fact the reading by Diana’s younger sister, Lady Jane Fellowes, was the only reading at the wedding. As she read, it was clear to hear the similarity in voice to her older sister, as well as the similarity in appearance. It was hard to not imagine that Diana may have looked very similar indeed to her sister, had she lived to see this day.
The Flowers
Diana was also a guiding force in the floral arrangements at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. When we got our first glimpse of the church this morning, the entrance was adorned with a stunning floral archway, dotted with white peonies and white garden roses, Diana’s favorite. It’s also been reported that when Prince Harry picked flowers for Meghan’s bouquet, as is tradition, he chose to include forget-me-nots, which were another of his mother’s favorites.
The Music
The music for the service included the hymn “Guide Me, O Thy Great Redeemer” which was sung at both Diana’s funeral and the wedding of William and Kate.
But perhaps the greatest tribute to his late mother was just the celebration as a whole. It was a far more personal and less official, traditional royal affair. The important formalities were there, sure. But this wedding was distinctly all about Harry and Meghan. And we think that his Mama would be over the moon at that.
