It's been three years since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married on May 19, 2018. Although, it certainly feels like a lot longer because so much change has gone down in the royal family since then. Many of us can remember blearily but excitedly tuning in to the royal wedding at 4 a.m. in the United States. The ceremony was picture-perfect, and Harry and Meghan looked beyond happy.
Reflecting on the occasion, it's difficult to remember all the wonderful moments — there were so many! But these special details about the Sussexes' wedding may have gone unnoticed to viewers — especially because we didn't find out about some of them until much later.
In honor of the couple's third wedding anniversary, here are the 15 sweetest moments from the ceremony that we can't help reminiscing about.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
The Secret Ceremony
In Meghan and Harry's March 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, they revealed the surprising fact that they'd actually gotten married before they walked down the aisle in front of the world. They evidently had a private backyard ceremony three days prior. "This spectacle is for the world. But we want our union between us," Meghan said.
Framing Their Vows
Meghan also told Oprah that they have their vows framed — but not the ones they recited at the grand royal wedding. Instead, it's the ones they exchanged in their private ceremony. We so wish we knew what they said, but we also totally understand their need for privacy on this one special detail.
Kate's Carefully Selected Outfit
Many noticed that Kate Middleton wore a dress to Meghan's wedding that she'd already worn several times before, including to Princess Charlotte's 2015 christening and the 2016 Trooping the Colour. It's speculated that Kate chose to recycle an outfit so she wouldn't steal any spotlight or press attention from the bride.
Meghan's "Something Blue"
As wedding tradition goes, brides need something old, new, borrowed, and blue. Meghan's "something blue" was a piece of blue fabric sewn into her veil. It was cut from the dress she wore on her first date with Harry.
It's such a sweet detail, and none of us even knew! Many people thought Meghan's blue item was the ring she wore to her reception that once belonged to Princess Diana.
The Flowers on Her Veil
The blue fabric wasn't the only special detail about Meghan's super long veil. She also had it embroidered with the flowers of all the Commonwealth countries.
That was a secret she kept from Harry until he saw her in the veil. She said that her husband was "really over the moon to find out that I would make this choice for our day together."
Harry Picked Flowers for Meghan's Bouquet
Meghan's simple bouquet was assembled in part by Harry, who plucked flowers from their private Kensington Palace garden. Among the buds chosen were forget-me-nots, Princess Diana's favorite flower. "The couple specifically chose them to be included in Ms. Markle's bouquet to honor the memory of the late princess on this special day," a palace statement noted.
Charles Walking Meghan Down the Aisle
After Meghan's dad bailed on the ceremony in the days leading up to the wedding, Charles stepped in to take his place. He helped walk Meghan partway down the aisle, and then she finished the walk on her own. Her walk with Charles was sweet, and her solo walk was powerful. It was clear that Meghan was going to be a duchess like no other.
Their Sweet Altar Exchange
When Meghan reached the altar, Harry said something to her that lip readers were eager to figure out. According to Us Weekly, he whispered, "You look amazing," and "I love you." Such a cute couple! Sure, he may be a prince, but he was also just a guy lucky to be marrying the love of his life.
Diana's Sister Did a Reading
Harry has remained close to many members of his late mother's family, so he asked Diana's older sister, Lady Jane Fellowes, to give a reading at his wedding. Jane read from the Song of Solomon, which included lines like, "The winter is past, the rain is over and gone … Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it."
Diana's Hymn
Another tribute to Diana came when the hymn Guide Me, O Thy Great Redeemer played during the ceremony. It was originally included in Diana's funeral in 1997, and since then, both Harry and his brother, William, have played it at their weddings. Harry seemed to get a little choked up at this part of the ceremony, and who can blame him?
Harry Chose To Wear a Ring
Many royal men decline to wear wedding rings, as Prince William did in 2011 — reportedly because he wasn't a big fan of jewelry. Prince Philip didn't wear a wedding ring either. But Harry does like jewelry, as he wears a set of beaded bracelets everywhere he goes. So he decided he would opt for a wedding ring, and Meghan slipped it on his finger during the big day.
Hidden Reception Car Details
Harry and Meghan sped off to their Frogmore House reception in a stunning blue sports car. The Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero was converted to electric, which is totally in line with Harry's passion for helping save the planet. And another sweet detail on the car was the license plate, which read E190518 — aka May 19, 2018, their wedding date.
Broke the Rules With the Cake
We should have known from the very beginning that Harry and Meghan weren't going to be royal traditionalists. They bucked tradition from the start when they skipped having their wedding cake flavor be fruit cake like royals before them. We can't exactly blame them on that one — lemon elderflower sponge cake sounds way better.
Sent Wedding Gifts to Charity
The couple wanted to give back any way they could, so they asked that gifts not be sent to them but to seven charities that they'd picked out. Among them were organizations to help homeless people, children with HIV, marine conservation, and more. Kate and William also donated their wedding gifts to charity.
They Gave Out Gift Bags
The couple kindly presented their wedding guests with gift bags, and then some of those guests sold them on eBay — the audacity! According to the Cut, the bags contained water, chocolate, shortbread, and a personal letter from Meghan and Harry. One of the bags is still on eBay, with an asking price of more than $3,000.
