By James V. Ruocco
Sealed with a kiss and a radiant smile or two, Prince Harry and his American bride Meghan Markle were married earlier today in a glittering wedding ceremony at St. George's Chapel in the town of Windsor surrounded by members of British royalty, celebrities and a worldwide global audience of 1.9 billion people.
The coverage by BBC One was extraordinary, personal, uplifting and brilliantly timed. The strategically placed cameras were always in the right place at the right time offering at home audiences a fast-paced six-hour presentation, rife with plenty of close ups, quick edits, back-and-forth cross cuts and choice commentary that never once seemed forced or calculated. The workmanship of the entire BBC One camera crew and its deft production team gave viewers the absolute feeling of being there, front and center, making the entire event a day to remember and one that will be discussed at length during the weeks to come.
The royal couple were named husband and wife in the medieval chapel environs of Windsor Castle by Justin Welby, the honorable Archbishop of Canterbury who officiated the entire service most agreeably. There was real meaning behind his words, well wishes and Christian wedding ceremonial passages. He also made Prince Harry and bride-to-be- Meghan Markle extremely comfortable during the entire televised event, which combined historic, modernistic and classic traditions of royalty and its ancient lineage effortlessly.
Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, was Best Man at the wedding, a position once held by Prince Harry back in 2011, at the wedding of his brother to Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.
The six flower girls and four page boys for the royal wedding were represented by Princess Charlotte, Remi and Rylan Litt (the two daughters of Meghan's friend, Benita Litt), Ivy Mulroney (the daughter of Jessica Mulroney), Florence van Cutsem and Zalie Warren (Prince Harry’s goddaughters), Prince George, John and Brian Mulroney (Jessica Mulroney's sons) and Jasper Dyer (Prince Harry's godson).
Markle entered St. George's Chapel, unescorted, dressed in a simple, beautifully-designed Givenchy white flowing wedding gown with a dazzling white train, created by noted British designer Clare Waight Keller. She also wore a delicate veil made from silk tulle and the late Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau diamond tiara (on loan from the Queen), which further accentuated her natural, radiant beauty.
The handsomely-dressed Prince Charles, Harry's father and heir to the throne of England, met Markle in the middle of the chapel and escorted her to the front of the altar. There, he smiled proudly as he handed over the bride-to-be to his son, who, during this moment, was positively beaming. Markle's father, as everyone knows, was too ill to attend.
Doria Ragland, the mother of Meghan, was the only member from the Markle family at the ceremony. As she watched her daughter marry into royalty, she was often visibly tearful sitting there proudly with her hands clasped on her lap inside the chapel. It was a very beautiful moment, indeed.
Queen Elizabeth II, dressed in a befitting lime green Stuart Parvin dress and coat, a matching Angela Kelly hat with sinamay and adorned with lace, offset by Lucy Price crystals and pearls, arrived just minutes before the ceremony began, escorted by her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York was also in attendance with his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie (simply dressed sans gaudy hats).
Anne, the very noble, distinguished but unsmiling Princess Royal, was seated right behind them along with their brother, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex and his wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex.
Across the aisle at St. George's Chapel was the absolutely stunning Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. Seated right beside her was father-in-law Prince Charles of Wales and his wife Camilla Parker Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall.
Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, also attended the ceremony, but sat alone. Both she and Kate Middleton, wore splendid outfits, which complemented both their style and appearance. Very classic, indeed.
Celebrity guests in attendance, included George Clooney and his stunning wife Amal (by far, the best-looking and best dressed couple at the wedding), David and Victoria Beckham (her day-long pout and annoyed look upon arrival and during the ceremony was completely puzzling), Oprah Winfrey (no fashion sense, whatsoever), "The Late Late Show's" James Corden, actress Carey Mulligan, singer Joss Stone, musician Marcus Mumford, Argentine photographer Priyanka Chopra, TV presenter Dan Snow and cast members from Markle's long-running American television series "Suits," including Patrick J Adams and Gabriel Macht.
Other guests included tennis pro Serena Williams (very beautifully dressed), singer/entertainer Elton John (those trademarked, pink-tinged eye glasses looked completely hideous) and British actor Idris Elba. Two of Prince Harry's ex-girlfriends, Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas rounded out the guest list along with Earl Charles Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, the siblings of Harry's late mother, Princess Diana.
The festivities concluded with the royal couple leaving St. George's Chapel to travel around the streets and town of Windsor in a horse-drawn, open-top Ascot Landau carriage, thus, providing a very special opportunity for more than 150,000 members of the public to cheer them on with cheers, well wishes and encouragement on their very special wedding day.
