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How Harry and Meghan’s big day compared to William and Kate's

There were some significant differences and similarities between both royal weddings. [Photo: Getty]
There were some significant differences and similarities between both royal weddings. [Photo: Getty]

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding took place yesterday and it was beautiful down the very last detail, but how did it compare to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge‘s day in 2011?

Both weddings have transpired to be the biggest of the decade, and were watched by millions the world over, but there were a few differences between the two.

Seven years apart, we break down what differed and what was similar about the nuptials…

The differences

At Harry and Meghan’s wedding – held at Windsor Castle in Windsor – about 100,000 members were out in force to celebrate with the couple.

In their droves, fans greeted the newlyweds as they made their procession through Windsor, while 2,640 were invited to the Castle Grounds as guests.

The crowds were far larger at Kate and William’s wedding. [Photos: Getty]
The crowds were far larger at Kate and William’s wedding. [Photos: Getty]

However, nearly a million were out to see Prince William and Kate’s wedding at 2011, lining the entrance to Westminster Abbey and filling up the Mall outside Buckingham Palace

This likely has a lot to do with the location: the narrow streets of Windsor can’t accommodate as many people as the the capital, while the Berkshire town is also harder to travel to.

Unlike Prince William, Prince Harry chose to wear a wedding ring. [Photo: Getty]
Unlike Prince William, Prince Harry chose to wear a wedding ring. [Photo: Getty]

Unlike Prince William, Prince Harry chose to wear a wedding ring.

The move breaks tradition as not all royal grooms decide to wear a wedding band, Harry’s brother, grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh and uncle the Duke of York included.

Harry’s band was made by Cleave and Company and is made of platinum with a textured finish.

Meghan Markle's dramatic veil was 16 foot long. [Photo: Getty]
Meghan Markle’s dramatic veil was 16 foot long. [Photo: Getty]

The bride’s wedding dress was one of the most-talked about subjects surrounding each royal wedding, and while that fact makes them similar, Meghan and Kate’s gowns bore some significant differences.

Meghan Markle’s simple yet stunning Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy gown featured a bateau neckline and was made from double-bonded silk cady.

The Duchess’s Alexander McQueen gown featured a lace bodice, long sleeves and a v-neckline.

Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen dress featured along train. [Photo: Getty]
Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen dress featured along train. [Photo: Getty]

Where Meghan’s show stopping element was her 16 foot long veil – which was a tribute to the Commonwealth with the embroidery on the trim featuring the flower of every county included – Kate’s train stole the show standing at nine foot long.

Meghan Markle opted to have her page boys help with her veil, while the Duchess's made of honour, Pippa Middleton, assisted her. [Photo: Getty]
Meghan Markle opted to have her page boys help with her veil, while the Duchess’s made of honour, Pippa Middleton, assisted her. [Photos: Getty]

Unlike Kate, Meghan Markle opted to eschew a Maid of Honour and instead, had a team of page boys and bridesmaids to help on her big day.

Here, twin sons of her best friend Jesscia Mulroney, Brian and John Mulroney, assisted Meghan with her veil as she entered the chapel.

On Kate’s wedding day in 2011, Maid of Honour and the bride’s sister, Pippa Middleton, assisted with the bride’s train as she entered the chapel at Westminster Abbey.

Heading to their ceremony, Harry and Meghan rode in a vintage Jagaur while the Duke and Duchess rode in a dark blue Aston Martin. [Photos: Getty]
Heading to their ceremony, Harry and Meghan rode in a vintage Jagaur while the Duke and Duchess rode in a dark blue Aston Martin. [Photos: Getty]

After their wedding, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – rode from Windsor Castle to their reception at Frogmore House in a silver blue vintage Jaguar E-Type.

The car was first manufactured in 1968.

As for Kate and William’s wedding, the pair left Buckingham Palace in a dark blue Aston Martin DB6 MkII belonging to the Prince of Wales.

While Harry and Meghan’s drive was a very sleek, James Bond affair, Kate and William’s car was trailled by fun balloons, streamers, rosettes and had a “L” learner plate on the front.

Both cars featured novelty number plates: while Harry and Meghan’s bore the car type followed by the date of their wedding, ‘E190518’, Kate and Williams read ‘JU5T WED’.

The similarities

The similarities began when it was revealed that Meghan Markle was wearing a tiara from the Queen’s jewellery vault.

Meghan and Kate both wore borrowed tiaras. [Photo: Getty]
Meghan and Kate both wore borrowed tiaras. [Photo: Getty]

The bride followed in Kate Middleton’s footsteps by borrowing a tiara from the family: specifically, the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau

According to Kensington Palace, the tiara features diamonds set in platinum, was made in 1932 and features a center detachable brooch made of ten diamonds dating back to 1893.

The Palace explained that the tiara is “formed as a flexible band of eleven sections, pierced with interlaced ovals and pavé set with large and small brilliant diamonds.”

The palace confirms that the diamond bandeau was a present to the then Princess Mary in 1893 by the County of Lincoln on her marriage to Prince George, Duke of York, who would become King George V.

Kate’s tiara for her big day was loaned to her by the Queen, who was originally a gifted it for her 18th birthday.

Prince Harry acted as Prince William’s best man at his 2011 wedding. [Photo: Getty]
Prince Harry acted as Prince William’s best man at his 2011 wedding. [Photo: Getty]

It was revealed a few weeks before the big day that Prince Harry had chosen William to be his best man.

Well it would be rude not to return the favour, right? Similarly, William had Harry act as his best man at his wedding in 2011.

Once the ceremony started, the similarities kept on coming, particularly in the way they both pay subtle tributes to Prince Harry and William’s late mother Princess Diana.

Prince Harry and Meghan chose the hymn ‘Guide Me, O Thy Great Redeemer’ in the service, which was sung at Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997.

William and Kate had the same hymn sung at their wedding.

Once married, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walked back down the aisle, followed by their page boys, bridesmaids, and the newlyweds parents, including Prince Charles, Camilla and Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland.

Both weddings followed traditions of having the families follow the newlyweds down the aisle. [Photo: Getty]
Both weddings followed traditions of having the families follow the newlyweds down the aisle. [Photo: Getty]

The same was the case for William and Kate. Following the tradition, the pair were trailed by the bridesmaids, page boys, the best man and maid of honour, and the newlywed’s parents.

The guest list also bared some resemblances, with royal wedding mainstays such as Elton John, Victoria and David Beckham, Prince Harry’s ex Chelsy Davy and Joss Stone in attendance at both weddings.

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