14 Small Details You Might Not Know About Meghan And Harry’s Royal Wedding

When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018, the world saw the big picture: the historic St. George’s Chapel, the horse-drawn carriage, the choir singing “Stand by Me,” and that insanely long veil floating down the aisle. But like any good love story, the magic was hiding in the details. Behind the sweeping TV shots and viral memes, Meghan and Harry quietly packed their royal wedding with personal, modern, and sometimes surprisingly down-to-earth touches that many viewers completely missed.

If you thought it was just another fancy royal event with tiaras and trumpets, think again. From secret stitches in Meghan’s veil to eco-friendly flowers and a cake that broke centuries of tradition, their wedding day was basically an Easter-egg hunt for symbolism. Let’s zoom in on 14 small details you might not know about Meghan and Harry’s royal weddingand why they mattered so much.

1. Meghan’s Veil Was a Love Letter to the Commonwealth

Most brides pick a veil because it looks pretty. Meghan picked one that could practically double as a geography lesson. Her cathedral-length veil, designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, was made of silk tulle and stretched about five meters (over 16 feet) behind her as she walked up the aisle.

Along the edge, artisans hand-embroidered flowers representing each of the 53 countries of the Commonwealthplus two extras: California poppies for Meghan’s home state and wintersweet, which grows at Kensington Palace. This wasn’t a random fashion flex. It was Meghan’s subtle way of honoring Harry’s role as a Commonwealth youth ambassador and signaling that their marriage, though very royal, was also very global and inclusive.

Even better, Meghan later revealed that Harry hadn’t known about the full symbolism ahead of time, and that he was “over the moon” when he found out what she’d done. Romance, but make it diplomatic.

2. The Tiara Was a Vintage Surprise From the Queen

While speculation swirled about which tiara Meghan would wear, she and the Queen went with a less obviousbut deeply chicchoice: Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara. Crafted in 1932 to hold a diamond brooch dating back to 1893, the tiara is a sleek, Art Deco-style piece that’s much more minimalist than some of the towering royal sparklers we usually see.

Lent to Meghan by Queen Elizabeth II, the tiara perfectly balanced tradition and modernityjust like the rest of the day. It was also a clear signal that Meghan was being fully welcomed into the royal fold, at least at that moment in time.

3. Her “Something Blue” Was Hidden in the Veil

If you were scanning Meghan’s look for a blue sash or gemstone and came up empty, you’re not alone. Her “something blue” was incredibly subtle: a small piece of blue fabric sewn into her veil. Meghan later shared that the fabric came from the dress she wore on one of her early dates with Harry.

It’s a tiny, almost invisible detail, but very on-brand for Meghanromantic, sentimental, and quietly personal in a setting where everything else felt larger than life.

4. Meghan Walked Part of the Aisle AloneOn Purpose

In a major break from royal tradition, Meghan walked unaccompanied through much of the nave of St. George’s Chapel before being joined by Prince Charles for the final stretch. This decision came after her father was unable to attend, but it also sent a clear message: Meghan was entering this marriage as her own person.

The image of her walking aloneveil flowing, choir singingwas powerful. It symbolized independence in an institution not exactly famous for that, and many viewers saw it as a subtle nod to modern womanhood within a centuries-old monarchy.

5. The Bouquet Quietly Honored Princess Diana

Meghan’s bouquet looked simple at first glance, but it was loaded with meaning. It included forget-me-nots, Princess Diana’s favorite flower, chosen specifically to honor Harry’s late mother.

Even sweeter: Harry personally picked some of the blooms from the private garden at Kensington Palace the day before the ceremony. The bouquet also contained a sprig of myrtle, a long-standing royal wedding tradition that traces back to Queen Victoria. This tiny bouquet managed to connect Diana, history, and Harry and Meghan’s own love story in one handful of flowers.

6. The Wedding Rings Broke (and Kept) Royal Tradition

Meghan’s wedding band followed royal protocol: it was crafted from Welsh gold, a rare metal used for royal bridal rings since the 1920s and gifted by the Queen. Harry, however, switched things up. Unlike many royal men who skip wedding rings altogether, he opted to wear a banda textured platinum ring instead of the traditional bare hand we’ve seen on royal grooms in the past.

It was a small but telling detail. For a couple determined to present themselves as equal partners, both wearing visible symbols of their commitment fit perfectly.

7. Their Cake Was Definitely Not Your Grandmother’s Royal Fruitcake

Royal weddings usually mean one thing cake-wise: dense, boozy fruitcake that lasts approximately forever. Meghan and Harry said “thanks, but no thanks.” Instead, they chose a fresh, lemon elderflower sponge cake created by American-born baker Claire Ptak of Violet Cakes in London.

The multi-tiered dessert featured Amalfi lemon curd, elderflower syrup, and Swiss meringue buttercream, adorned with about 150 fresh flowers, including roses and peonies. Light, bright, and totally Instagram-able, it matched the springtime garden feel of the whole dayand reflected the couple’s preference for seasonal, sustainable ingredients.

8. Their Flowers Were Gorgeousand Then Given Away

Florist Philippa Craddock turned St. George’s Chapel into what looked like a romantic English garden, using white garden roses, foxgloves, peonies, and branches of beech, birch, and hornbeam. Many of the flowers were locally sourced from the Crown Estate and Windsor Great Park.

Here’s the part most people missed: after the wedding, those flowers didn’t just get tossed. They were repurposed into hand-tied bouquets and delivered to hospice patients and women’s shelters across London. It was a beautiful way to extend the joy of the wedding beyond the castle walls.

9. The Music Blended Royal Tradition with Gospel Soul

The music at the ceremony was a carefully curated mix of classical and contemporary. One of the most talked-about moments came when Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choira London-based gospel choirperformed a soaring rendition of Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me.”

The inclusion of a predominantly Black gospel choir in a British royal wedding was groundbreaking and deeply meaningful, especially given Meghan’s biracial identity. Add in young cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s performance and traditional hymns, and the soundtrack of the day captured both the couple’s personalities and the cultural moment.

10. Bishop Michael Curry’s Sermon Stole the Show

If there was one moment that sparked headlines and social media commentary around the world, it was Bishop Michael Curry’s sermon. The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church delivered an energetic, passionate reflection on the power of love that felt very different from the reserved tone usually associated with royal ceremonies.

Curry quoted Martin Luther King Jr., spoke about justice and healing, and even cracked a few jokes. Some guests looked surprised; many viewers at home looked delighted. His presence represented not only Meghan’s American roots, but also a broader shift toward a more diverse, global vision of the monarchy.

11. 1,200 Members of the Public Were Invited Inside the Grounds

This royal wedding wasn’t just for aristocrats and A-listers. Meghan and Harry invited around 1,200 members of the public onto the grounds of Windsor Castle to watch the arrivals, the carriage procession, and soak up the atmosphere. Many were chosen for their community service or charitable work.

While they weren’t inside the chapel, they were very much part of the day. It was a subtle but important move: the couple literally opened the gates to ordinary people, underscoring their desire to connect the monarchy more closely with modern public life.

12. The Carriage Had a Weather Backup Plan

The couple rode through Windsor in an open-top Ascot Landau carriage pulled by Windsor Grey horses, giving the crowds plenty of chances to catch a glimpse (and plenty of selfie material). What most people don’t know is that there was a rain-plan carriage ready to go: the Scottish State Coach, which can be covered if the weather turned typically British.

Luckily, the sun cooperated. But the backup carriage shows just how meticulously planned royal events areright down to the horses’ transportation options.

13. Even the Menu Celebrated Seasonal, Local Food

At the lunchtime reception hosted by the Queen in St. George’s Hall, guests were served a menu built around seasonal ingredients from royal estates. Canapés featured items like poached free-range chicken, locally grown vegetables, and pastry shells filled with lightly spiced crab or pea and mint. The idea was to keep food bite-sized and socialno one wants to wrestle a steak in front of the Queen and a bank of cameras.

This approach echoed Meghan and Harry’s overall vibe: fresh, modern, quietly eco-conscious, and more about mingling than rigid formality.

14. The Official Photos Told Their Own Story

Photographer Alexi Lubomirski shot the official portraits at Windsor Castle, and even these images were filled with quiet symbolism. One of the most striking photos shows the couple seated casually on the steps, Meghan leaning into Harry, her veil spilling around them.

Compared with past royal wedding portraits, the mood felt more relaxed, romantic, and intimate. The blend of traditional family groupings with this more candid style perfectly captured what the day was all about: honoring royal heritage while gently, but firmly, bending the rules.

What These Small Details Reveal About Meghan and Harry

Individually, each of these detailsflowers donated to hospices, a secret blue stitch, a lemon-scented cakemight seem minor. Together, they form a kind of quiet manifesto. Meghan and Harry used their wedding to signal who they were and what they cared about: inclusivity, service, sustainability, modern love, and a willingness to adjust tradition rather than be swallowed by it.

Looking back now, knowing how dramatically their relationship with the institution would change, the wedding reads almost like a preview. All the themes that later defined their livesglobal causes, independence, mental health, social justicewere already woven into the fabric (literally, in the veil’s case) of that day in Windsor.

Experiences and Reflections on Meghan and Harry’s Royal Wedding Details

Part of the reason Meghan and Harry’s wedding still fascinates people years later is that it felt surprisingly relatable for such a grand event. Yes, there were carriages and tiaras, but there were also moments any couple could understand: wanting to honor a late parent, including meaningful traditions, and finding subtle ways to say, “This is who we are” even when expectations are sky-high.

Take the bouquet, for example. Viewers who knew about Diana’s love of forget-me-nots felt an immediate emotional pull when they learned those flowers were part of Meghan’s arrangement. It’s the kind of quiet tribute many people build into their own weddingswearing a parent’s jewelry, using a grandparent’s handkerchief, or choosing a song that reminds them of someone they miss. Meghan and Harry just did it on a global stage, with millions of people watching, which made the gesture even more striking.

The Commonwealth-themed veil also resonated in ways that went beyond fashion. Many people who tuned in from outside the U.K. said they felt unexpectedly “seen” when they discovered that their country’s national flower had been stitched into the veil. It turned what could have been just a dramatic piece of fabric into a shared symbol, linking viewers across continents. For fans who love decoding symbolism, the veil became a kind of royal scavenger hunt: Where’s the jasmine? The lotus? The maple leaf?

Then there’s Bishop Michael Curry’s sermon and the Kingdom Choir’s performance. For many viewersespecially those from the United States and Black communities around the worldseeing gospel music and a fiery, love-centered sermon inside a royal chapel felt historic. Social media exploded with comments like, “Did that just happen at a royal wedding?” People who’d never before watched a royal ceremony from start to finish kept replaying those clips, sharing them like favorite movie scenes.

The eco-friendly and charitable choicessuch as donating flowers to hospices and inviting members of the public into the castle groundsalso struck a chord with younger audiences. In an era when many people are skeptical of inherited privilege, those touches suggested an effort to ground a centuries-old institution in current values: sustainability, community, and giving back. It’s not that sending bouquets to hospices solved the world’s problems, but it did show a conscious decision to let beauty flow outward instead of simply staying inside palace walls.

Even the decision to serve lemon elderflower cake instead of traditional fruitcake became a talking point. Couples planning their own weddings started Googling “lemon elderflower recipes” and “nontraditional wedding cakes,” inspired by the idea that you don’t have to follow a script just because it’s always been done that way. Meghan and Harry’s menu choices and relaxed photo style helped normalize the idea that personal taste can coexist with formalitythat you can respect tradition without being completely defined by it.

Ultimately, the smaller details of Meghan and Harry’s royal wedding made the day feel less like a museum exhibit and more like a story you could step into. Whether you were drawn in by the veil, the sermon, the music, or just the way they looked at each other on the chapel steps, those choices built a wedding that people didn’t just watchthey felt it. And that’s probably why we’re still talking about it, still rewatching clips, and still spotting new symbolic threads years after the last bit of confetti drifted away over Windsor.