Well, here’s a clarification on the issue of Prince Charles walking Meghan Markle down the aisle of her wedding. The language of Kensington Palace’s statement gave me pause, because they noted that Charles would “accompany her down the aisle of the Quire…” The original plan was, I thought, that Meghan would arrive at the chapel with her mom, her mom would be escorted in solo, then Meghan would walk the length of the aisle with her dad. I thought Charles would simply take over from Thomas and everything would remain the same. Turns out, Meghan is doing some sort of weird hybrid where she’s going to walk solo for half the aisle, then she’ll do a drive-by and pick up Charles, and then Charles is just going to stand back when they get to the altar. Or something.
Meghan Markle will make a striking feminist statement in her wedding to Prince Harry on Saturday, choosing not to be chaperoned for much of the procession down the aisle of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, CNN has learned.
In an unprecedented step for a royal bride in the UK, Markle will walk unescorted down the aisle of the chapel nave, after being met at the West Door by a member of the clergy. She will be accompanied in this first part of the wedding procession only by her bridesmaids and page boys, with the senior church figure walking ahead.
Prince Charles will join her when she reaches the Quire, where the main royal guests will be seated. The Prince — Harry’s father — will walk Markle down the Quire aisle to the foot of the altar. But Charles will not give her away to her husband-to-be in the traditional sense; instead, he will stand back as Markle approaches Prince Harry.
CNN understands that Markle came up with the plan herself. It was always the intention that her father Thomas would meet her at the Quire and she would walk the first part alone. Ill health has since prevented him from coming. Both Charles and Harry are delighted with the plan, CNN understands. No other royal bride in the UK has walked unescorted down the aisle at their wedding ceremony. Markle’s decision indicates that she wishes to assert herself as a strong, independent woman who is prepared to challenge royal norms.
Alright… I guess. I’ll have to see how it plays out on television, and where the camera angles are and everything, but it feels like Meghan won’t actually be walking alone for more than a couple of yards, but I don’t have all the dimensions of St. George’s Chapel. But whatever, it’s fine. I’m glad she’s making a “feminist statement” and a symbolic statement about her acceptance in the royal family. Also: Prince Philip is going to attend the wedding!
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, WENN.
I like that very much!
And she TOTALLY reads Celebitchy 😂😂!
I know. Hi Meghan! 👋
I think alot of these celebrities have Google alert…but I can imagine reading every article about myself lol
You realize this, as well as Prince Charles walking her, was being predicted all over the British press, right?
I’m assuming it was a joke.
LOL the only celeb confirmed to have read celebitchy is Jennifer Aniston.
How did we find this out, Virgilia? Tea please, and thank you. 🐸☕️
LeAnn Rimmes too. She once tried to sue various media platforms including Celebitchy.
It’s more….common sense? When Jennifer was still with Justin and they were engaged…….so this was 2013. The year they went to the Oscars and Jennifer wore that giant poofy red ball gown. That whole spring People went into overdrive speculating about Jennifer and Justin’s wedding….I believe there were at least 3 People covers talking about Jennifer having her wedding dress, then the date, and then why it didn’t happen….all up to the summer of 2013. When Jennifer started promoting “We’re the Millers” she was asked about the wedding rumors. And she said she heard a rumor she was getting married in Virginia over the weekend. The thing is–Celebitchy receive that tip based on an email and were the only ones who reported on it. Someone had seen that a “VIP wedding” was being set up at the venue, and it ultimately ended up being a football player who got married….
Oh, interesting, thanks for answering, Virgilia. That definitely makes sense.
Hi, Jen 👋🏼
LAK, I forgot about Leanne! She was the one who brought me to CB the very first time. I was looking for an alternative to politics, which was making me tear my hair out (little did I know I hadn’t seen anything yet!), and thought I’d look up some rumors I’d been hearing about Leanne Rimes dating a married man, which I thought for sure couldn’t be true. lol!
Of course Philip would attend. They need to spit shine this as much as possible after the trainwreck that is the Markle Clan. Also, Philip has made appearances at things, just not in a pro-royal capacity.
He had surgery last month, which is why there was a question of whether he would attend.
He’s been since twice since surgery iirc. Once leaving the hospital at surgery, once behind the wheel of the car at the Windsor Horse Show. He hasn’t been seen standing, walking, etc. all of which are things he apparently wants to do without a cane.
The Royal Family is a trainwreck in itself (Andrew? Phillip?). Megan will give up her country, citizenship, job, religion, and . . . hopefully not her parents. Even if the dad is an oaf, he’s still her dad. And unless he was abusive to her, or something that serious, then I don’t think she should give up her parents just to please a family that has its own skeletons. Why isn’t her mom being asked instead of Charles? Something is fishy. I really hope Megan doesn’t turn into a doormat. That would be heartbreaking.
This version works as well. Carry on.
I think MM walking down the aisle alone would be a good choice. It’s not as if she’s some twentysomething-year-old bride being married for the first time. It might look really cool.
I am PUMPED! I’m American, and the idea of a biracial, independent American princess is so exciting to me! Probably overthinking this, and also I recognize I’m speaking from a very American point of view, but she is an embodiment of this country, this melting pot full of forward thinkers, and I am here for the shake up!
I’m American and I think people are overestimating the impact of this marriage. The RBF is an institution known for colonization, racism and backwards thinking. Sure I’ll enjoy the wedding (I love pomp and circumstance) but I doubt much will change after this marriage
@Nicole.
+1
Yes, Nicole, this is so. I am a British biracial woman and I can tell you that the enthusiasm is mostly here in the US. Ms. Markle is lovely and genial, but her impact will be minimal. She will officially be co-opted into the family tomorrow and will be expected to toe the line, that is why they are all putting on such a good face on some of the hiccups thus far. She will not be “shaking anything up”. She will support Harry, smile beautifully and accept flowers; you will not hear her voice unless she is giving a vetted speech……..this will be her life from now on. Good luck to them and I hope some idiot network does NOT give the family of Markle idiots a reality show State side.
It isn’t going to change anything in the UK either. This could have been such a lovely moment for her black family members to be seated in the chapel, to witness her getting married, but nope. Even if she hasn’t seen them in a while, or doesn’t have regular contact with them, it would’ve been a nice gesture to at least include/invite her maternal family. They are reportedly hurt, and rightly so. They were obviously in her life whilst she was growing up. They have acted with the utmost discretion throughout the whole romance. Are they not good enough for her to be invited? Random celebrities can be invited though… people she hasn’t known for a minute lol. A sea of white faces (you know what I mean) Speaks volumes. Meghan leans more to the white passing side, but she’ll never be able to forget her black side after tomorrow. Incredible how she thinks the Royal family are her truly new surrogate family lmao. Even Kate runs to her family every chance she gets, she knows what’s up. Good luck to Meghan and I wish them the best, but I don’t see her shaking up things too much.
I’m not surprised. Not sure why anyone thinks she will bring “fresh air” to the monarchy. I don’t see her as a trailblazer…she is smart and capable but will fall in line like expected. And i think we love fairytales but many people are not sold on the biracial princess thing because she’s marrying into one of the biggest colonizing institutions there ever was. I would say the excitement is more about there being A royal wedding not THEIR wedding.
@Milky
If they aren’t close, why does she have to invite them? I think she is inviting the family members that were there for her. I say this as a black person too. When she married her ex, were they there? Were they reportedly hurt that they weren’t invited? It sucks not to make the cut with someone, but how much of this is people being upset that they aren’t in the spotlight for a relative they never paid attention to? I have an entire side of family that lives ten minutes away from me, who have spent the majority of my life not interacting unless they wanted something from my family or me (babysitting)……..and if I got married tomorrow, I probably wouldn’t make it a huge priority to invite them and I know they’d be upset. But they have not cultivated that relationship. They are used to contacting me when they need something and me having to go out of my way to initiate family time.
Also an American, and like Nicole, I’ll be watching for the pomp and circumstance. I enjoy royal weddings…they’re very beautiful and full of tradition.
But nothing will change after this marriage, it will be business as usual. Especially here in the U.S. We have a white supremist President who has emboldened other white supremist. And the U.S. is not forward thinking…..look at how many of its citizens want to drag us back to pre civil rights days. To quote Spike Lee, “The United States of America was built on the genocide of native people and slavery. That is the fabric of the United States of America.”
Dear heavens! The poor woman has been through hell in the last two weeks from that trailer park trash family of hers. Let her ride in on a giraffe wearing a purple sequined gown if she wants to! I wonder what the British equivalent expression of trailer park trash is. Do they have trailer parks over there?
I believe British trailers are called caravans.
@Jan British version of trailer trash are referred to as chavs. Trailers (or in British speak, caravans) aren’t crazy common over there.
I’m American (well, also legally British and live in the UK) and bi-racial and I sadly don’t think her marriage into the BRF makes any difference. I also literally don’t know one person (in real life) who is excited about this OTHER than my aristo adjacent mother in law, who I’m sure will have her union flag tea towels and bunting out. The only people I ‘know’ discussing this wedding are you guys, my Celebitchy pals!
@ Clare
Interesting, my family, many of my friends and colleagues are very excited.
Several people I know well are having viewing parties to watch MM’s and Harry’s wedding, some women even have Fascinators at a ready!
I have a good gut feeling about Meghan and Harry and I’m usually pretty accurate, but only time will truly tell.
I think she is already subtly shaking things up and I think it’s pretty historic for a biracial woman to marry into this lily white very, very problematic family, to say the least.
I don’t think it’s fair to put so much pressure on one woman’s shoulders, Meghan can’t undo the past, but maybe she can help to forge a better future.
President Obama was one of the best presidents in US history and a man of real integrity, Dumpy is not good enough to be dirt attached to President Obama’s bottom of the shoe, but President Obama still couldn’t fix the racial divide in the United States.
One person can rarely, if ever do so much in their lifetime.
I wish Harry and Meghan the absolute best, I hope they have a long, happy and healthy marriage and I also hope that they use their platform and privilege to make the world a better place for all.
Monarchies are institutions that evolve if they want to survive, even the BRF. Other monarchies have incorporated career women (and men, Hi Daniel!) who have been able to put their stamp on their royal work. It will be interesting to see what kind of main charities she decides on. We’ve already seen that she’s not just “keen” to work but went out there and worked 5X more than Kate in the last 5 months. We’ll see if she inspires an improved work ethic with some of her royal contemporaries.
Is attending charity events “work”? People who do real and genuine charity work don’t use it as a tool to promote themselves.
Whether or not it counts as work for the rest of us, it counts as work when you’re in a royal family.
While some constantly belittle him, Prince Charles has done amazing things with The Prince’s Trust. And yes, he did much of the hands-on work in the beginning and pressing the flesh of donors counts as work too. Over 800,000 people have received job training or microfinance loans as a result of The Prince’s Trust.
I actually LOVE this idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So Doria’s accompanying her to the church, she’s walking the first part herself and with Charles for the rest?
All bases covered! I love it!
Here’s the floor plan for those curious!
https://twitter.com/byEmilyAndrews/status/997409116841742336
Oooh this is very helpful! Thank you!!!
Well, there you go. I was kind of hoping they’d keep us in suspense.
The Quire is typically shorter than the Nave and that’s also true in St George’s. She will be walking solo for longer than she’s with Charles.
Yes, much longer. My concern is her getting up all those steps and handling dress, tiara, etc. without an arm to grab in case she stumbles.
Someone will help her, I think Jessica Mulroney or whoever design the dress will assist her.
This walk is going to be a spec in what’s to come. I’m a fan. This whole mess of her family.. the firm.. the expectations.. non-british.. and how she’s carrying herself. I’m such a fan and shes such a role model. Not because she’s marrying a prince. Because of how she carries herself.
ITA – she has behaved with class and dignity and has not stooped to any other the press or family members level. To me she’s proven that she will be an asset to the RF, as opposed to us being told she is.
Yes, she has shown strength and dignity.
Totally agree. I had only a vague clue of who she was (although I totally remember that Linda Ellerbee interview as a kid and being vexed about it because I had written a letter GWB a few years before about homelessness and got a misspelled form letter in response, but I digress) but I think she models some really healthy behavior. She sets clear boundaries, she focused on her career, she ended bad relationships…I like her!
Loved that digression, slightlyanonny!
Yes I think she is showing how an asset she will be instead of them or the press pushing it done our throat. I do like her too. She seems really smart and modern all the while classy and well spoken. Respect to her and to Harry for choosing well.
Definitely. A whole lot being thrown at her, out of her control, and she’s handling it very well. Those are points many of the journalists are focusing on in coverage – equal partner, can hold her own, can handle this life.
Surprised by how interested I am in this! I think maybe the drama with her dad has me routing for her more than I would have thought! Everyone deserves to be happy and have a magical wedding day! And now especially after what her dad and his side of the family put her through this week!
IA.
before I wasn’t really following but now I will be watching and I am rooting for Meg and Harry for the long haul.
TBH that was probably always part of the plan – they’ve just switched Thomas with Chuck.
Yep I agree. I don’t think this is some sudden statement feminist or otherwise in light of the father drama. It’s basically a pattern of a wedding given the dimensions of the church and the ceremony that goes along with a royal wedding. They just assign people to certain spots based on whatever their role is in the wedding. I think logistically his dad is just stepping in to where her dad would have been the whole time. But I do certainly recognize the emotional impact is substantial and very sweet on charles’s Part imo. And I do think when all is said and done there will be great pictures and moments and this last week drama will eventually fade 🙂
It says so in the article–this was always the plan, just now Charles will take her dad’s place. I’ve read that elsewhere as well.
I love everything about this!
I love this! I’ve already got my alarm set for 3:30 and can’t wait for tomorrow morning!
YouTube is live streaming it, so I’m really excited. Going to buy snacks today….
I love it!
I love this. Can’t wait!!
It puzzles me how much pressure society puts on women to behave or not behave according to feminism. The contextutal meaning of giving away the bride has defintely changed over the past decades to accompaigning the bride. Marketingwise this day is so much about the bride that often einough even the groom seems to be in the background, organising weddings is also something that involves quite often with particular important roles the female members of the familys, so giving a father a role in the whole procedure doesn’t seem that offending to me.
Shouldn’t the wishes of the couple or the bride matter in this occasion? Feminism is so much about choices. So I don’t think women should be forced into obliging to a so called feminism, when they want to do things differently and how they want to do it.
There was a debate when Victoria of Sveden wanted to get accompaigned by her father (a country where it is not usual but also not forbidden or seen as damaging) – and all I thought was, let the woman have it her way. Specifically with this sort of weddings where cameras are everywhere, where privatsphere basically doesn’t exits, where things are exhaustingly planned through and the couples have to make compromises all the way down.
I agree, whether a woman wants her father or mother to walk her down the aisle or wants to do so alone, it’s her choice & the fact that she in our day and age is able to make that choice should be celebrated.
Good for Meghan and her choice.
As a black woman I don’t care much for feminism as it excludes us, but I’ve noticed there is a ton of judgement in feminism mainly towards women who aren’t ‘modern’.
Let a woman be her own woman, and let them make their own choices.
Feminism excludes us?!
There are obviously intersectionality problems but to say that feminism has not benefited women of colour is a gross generalisation.
We have received to right to vote, our rights as individuals, to self-determination thanks to feminism. Im not american, but race is also an issue where i live, even so for me, to reduce feminism into a “white vs coloured” talking point is a terrible mistake.
I mean, it’s totally her wedding, her choice – but you also can’t ignore the meaning and history of “giving away the bride”. It’s literally a remnant of a time when women were seen as property and while most of us roll our eyes at this now, there are still loads of people, very evangelical Christians etc who view giving away the bride as the moment when a woman goes from being under the authority of her dad, to under the authority of her husband.
In Sweden it *was* considered damaging that Victoria had her father walk her. Lots of protests and negative talk in egalitarian Sweden about it. How Sweden balances that egalitarian nature with having a royal family is a whole other story.
Love this idea. It lets her walk in alone and adds a modern touch to the wedding while at the same time having Prince Charles walk her part of the way shows that she is loved and welcomed in the Royal Family. There’s been a lot of talk about how the RF regrets allowing this wedding etc so this move should put a stop to that nonsense.
I watched the cheesy NBC special on the Royal Wedding on Hulu and now I can’t wait to see the wedding. They spent time talking to one of Harry’s close friends and one of Meghan’s and talked extensively about how Harry and Meghan are modernizing the wedding ceremony, etc and making it more personal.
The regret is fanfiction from the tumblr crazies who don’t want this marriage to happen for various reasons, none of them good. They frame their arguments as coming from the RF when the royals, masters at conveying messages via public appearances, have welcomed her with open arms and been very effusive about MM. Much more than Kate.
The Charles doesn’t like Kate narrative is no better than the fanfiction the tumblr crazies come up with. Theories based on personal bias rather than actual fact. Kate was holidaying with Charles and attending royal events before she was even engaged. How is that not welcoming?
I’ve always assumed that Harry has a much better relationship with his father than William does-and that any children he and Meghan have will be very close to Charles. He clearly has longed to be a connected grandfather.
Nee: There is a very different set of evidence that indicates that Charles isn’t necessarily besties with Kate. I wouldn’t go as far as saying he dislikes / unwelcoming to Kate. I’d frame it as they don’t have a close relationship. When they meet, they are polite, but body language isn’t effusive.
Why aren’t Mia, Isla and Savannah in the wedding party with all those little ones though? Why is Mike Tindall going on about not being invited to the stag do? Are they not close with Harry?
William kept Kate away from the royals and vice versa for a decade, even though they were in the same country. Harry admitted in the engagement interview that he spent a lot of time organizing so Meghan was spending time with family, friends, people who are important to him. A very different way of doing things, and the results show.
She’ll be walking about half the size of St Georges on her own. Delighted for Charles. Shows how good a relationship they have together.
This will be my first time to watch a royal wedding, and I can’t wait!
I was actually hoping she wouldn’t say anything about anything and just rise above it all. Issuing a statement through KP was surprising to me because that means she’s engaging in the narrative. She should just handle it privately.
MM is never really alone on her walk up the aisle, she has her wedding supporters; can’t wait to see the little ones, especially George and Charlotte!!! MM is guided by clergy ahead of her and she has the support of those inside and outside the chapel wishing her well, but yes this is rather unprecedented in modern history. Yes, some royal brides in ancient times carried on without immediate family.
I made a prediction MM will wear a blush gown with bolero jacket and she will carry pink and white bouquet… we’ll see…
I’ll have to see it. Right now it seems a little “contrived” to me but if it’s what Meghan wants…
As is everything about this woman.
My mom and I were talking this morning about how things have changed since Diana married Charles. I’m into this!!
I’m excited to see her dress and what everybody else will be wearing, especially the hats. They aren’t big over here so I find them fascinating
I can’t wait to see Meghan as a bride – she is so beautiful 💕 I also think it is very sweet of Charles to step in for her father…sends the message that she is indeed welcome into her new family 😊
I’m a little confused by this: Meghan & Doria arrive together, Meghan enters the chapel at the west end, but Doria enters at the royal entrance on the east? Does she have to run around the outside of the building? Will she get to her seat by the time Meghan gets to the altar?
I’m not sure if you’re being funny.🏇🏃🏾
Genuinely confused & willing to laugh at myself! I’ll know how it works in a few hours!