Princes William and Harry are very different to what they used to be. As the younger and now ‘former’ royal has said, they’re on separate paths now, and their weddings were just the tip of the iceberg as we break down the comparison…
Two princely brothers walk down the matrimonial aisle seven years apart. One to the love of his life, whom he met at university and dated for almost a decade. The other weds an American actress after only a year of knowing her. She had no desire to remain a royal and quit after 18 months, dragging her blue-blooded husband and their son to her home country. So while there might be many similarities between their weddings, it is worth pointing out the comparison between the two events.
Now, we need to caution that we are not taking a dig at anyone. We’ve said this before. We’ll repeat it; we’re only making an observation and a comparison. No jabs here, folks.
The Eldest: Heads Of State Because He’ll Become Monarch SomeDay
One of the biggest things that is worth a comparison is who was in attendance at the ceremony itself. William and Catherine will one day sit on the throne as King and Queen/Princess Consort. At the time, no one questioned the number of guests given the positions they would one day occupy.
From what we could find, about 2000 people attended William and Catherine’s wedding, according to Harper’s Bazaar. At the same time, some invitees didn’t show up for various reasons.
Outside of friends and family, guests at the Cambridge wedding included the likes of Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, David and a then-very pregnant Victoria Beckham, then-Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and then-British Prime Minster David Cameron. There were also foreign royals thrown onto the guest list.
Many of these guests, William and Catherine, didn’t even know. They knew the Beckhams, Elton, and Furnish but people like most foreign leaders? Not likely. It’s possible that they knew David Cameron and his wife, Samantha and perhaps Boris Johnson, who had not yet become Prime Minister until years later.
The Youngest: A-List Celebrities He And The Bride Barely Know
To create a comparison to William and Catherine’s wedding, we need to examine the nuptials of Harry and Meghan. The couple’s courtship was nothing compared to the future King and Queen of England. However, after about a year together, the now-Duke of Sussex got down on bended knee and proposed. Given what was mentioned in the biography, Finding Freedom, when and how he did so has been up for debate,
Going over to the guest list itself, it mostly contained A-list celebrities. Most of whom didn’t even know the couple. We did a piece on this very topic a while back. Surprisingly, Rihanna didn’t get an invite, given Harry became close pals with her.
Given Meghan’s background as an actress, she knew people, but how far did her stardom get? She only ever had bit roles in a couple of movies, and Suits didn’t have the same star power as larger shows like Community or Ally McBeal.
The only person who has a royal connection is George Clooney. He owns the company that Jack Brooksbank, the husband of Princess Eugenie, works for. There was also something where Harry knew Idris Elba; we’re not sure. Also, there were very few politicians included on the guest list.
The reason? Since Harry will likely never become king, there was no need to invite stuffy politicians, though Meghan might’ve gotten a kick out of that since she has her views on the subject.
Different Venues Mean Different Things Deserve A Comparison Check
Another comparison we need to point out is the venues. Harry and Meghan married at Saint George’s Chapel, where Princess Eugenie would also wed just months later. This venue is much smaller than Westminster Abbey, where William and Catherine tied the knot.
Saint George’s Chapel holds not quite 1000 people. Westminster Abbey can admit about the 2000 occupants, perhaps a few more, given the few people who could not attend.
The Brides Had Different Styles Of Wedding Dresses
One comparison that cannot be denied is the different styles of wedding dresses Meghan and Catherine had. Both duchesses are considered style icons and have their fans clamouring to buy whatever they are wearing at the time.
Meghan’s wedding dress was simple, with three-quarter sleeves and a boat neck. Frankly, this is boring. Her veil had the flowers of California – the bride’s home state in the US – and the Commonwealth embroidered around the edge. She also wore the Queen Mary Bandeau tiara though it was not her first choice. The veil was unnecessary for a couple of reasons. The first was that she’d been married before, and the Queen allegedly believed it was superfluous; two, it was too long.
In all honestly, Meghan was trying too hard to be modern. She wanted to show that having a simple wedding dress was excellent, but there was a downside. She and Harry paid so much for a wedding to show they were popular like Catherine and William. However, this later proved their downfall as they kicked people experiencing homelessness off the streets.
To complete our comparison, we had to mention the incredible Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen wedding dress Catherine wore on her big day. Paired with the Cartier Halo Tiara and a veil that was the right length, the Duchess of Cambridge looked amazing on her wedding day.
Conclusion
When it comes to their styles, Meghan and Catherine are incredibly different. With their weddings, it was only a matter of time before some did a complete breakdown. We just wanted to cover these royal couples’ fundamentals and nuptials.
There is no wrong or right in this situation. Instead, the differences convey what type of people they are and how they choose to celebrate one of the most significant moments in their lives.
