Difference Between the Two Weddings

The past decade has been a witness to two weddings in Britain's royal family. Prince William and Kate Middleton walked down the aisle in the year 2011.

Seven years later, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot. If you look at how the royal tradition has been so far, the two wedding ceremonies have been quite similar.

However, there is a major difference between the two couples. William and Kate are all set to attain the status of King and Queen consorts one fine day. On the other hand, Harry and Meghan have decided to let go of their royal duties. The beginning of their married life has been quite different.

The Engagement Ring

Prince William gifted Kate Middleton a ring that belonged to his mother, the late Princess Diana. The 12-carat ring has a blue sapphire in the middle and diamonds all around it.

In Meghan Markle’s engagement ring, there is a stone in the center and two diamonds on either side. The market value of the ring is something in the ballpark of $400,000. That’s a lot of money.

Harry fell head over heels in love with Meghan in Botswana, and that is where he gifted the ring to his lady love. This ring is worth $350,000.*

The Day of The Wedding

Before the big day, Meghan Markle was put under the scanner by the British media. They doubted whether she was truly fit to be a member of the royal family because of her background as an American actress.

This spoiled the mood for the engagement a little bit. After staying with the royal family for two years, Harry and Meghan decided to let go of their royal duties. According to some sources, the difference between the two weddings was a major reason why Meghan was never inclined to be a part of the royal family.

However, this does not stop the day of marriage to be of absolute delight for Meghan as it had been for Kate. The days went down as quite the memorable ones in their own way.

A Wave at the Crowd

It has always been a part of the old tradition that the new bride of the royal family shall wave at the crowd that waits to greet them eagerly.

This happens during the carriage ride, and this waving is a token of appreciation. However, there is a slight difference between the two styles of waving.

While Kate keeps her fingers together, there are gaps between Meghan’s fingers. Both Kate and Meghan don’t move their hands while waving. This might not seem to be a major difference to some, but it surely catches the eye. And makes one wonder if that's part of the Royal tradition.

Different Appearance of Prince Charles

Though Camilla Parker-Bowles, the better half of Prince Charles, wore quite similar attires on the occasion of Prince William and Prince Harry’s wedding, the Prince somehow chose to opt for different outfits. He wore a vintage royal suit adorned with bells and whistles for Kate's wedding.

However, he decided to wear a normal gray suit, which wasn’t fancy in any way. Was it a deliberate choice?

We don’t know. But this difference can be counted as a major one. Maybe that caught Meghan’s eye, and we wonder whether this might have been the reason for her decision to relieve herself of her royal duties.

The Wedding

Walking down the aisle is never easy when so many people are looking at you. It’s natural for the brides to get stressed out before their big day. The situation demands perfection. Kate’s father accompanied her when she walked down the aisle to marry Prince William.

You can consider her lucky, as Meghan’s father could not attend her wedding. He was going through some health issues and was unable to turn up.

Meghan didn’t allow that to let her down. She mustered all the courage to walk down the aisle alone to meet Prince Harry. Her mother was the only one from her family.

Garments They Wore at the Reception

After the wedding ceremony was over, both Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle changed their wedding attires and slipped into a different dress for the reception party organized by Prince Charles.

Kate looked extremely beautiful in a white dress designed by Alexander McQueen. Meghan too wore a white dress designed by Stella McCartney. We are not sure about the price, but it was an expensive one of course.

Meghan’s dress was worth a whopping $157,000. She accompanied Prince Harry in this gorgeous dress as the couple entered an old blue Jaguar. Meghan certainly looked ravishing.

The Wedding Kiss

The wedding kiss is always special, and it's a major tradition as well. Prince William and Kate Middleton shared their wedding kiss on the balcony of the iconic Buckingham Palace. A sea of people looked on as both the royal couples kissed each other after the wedding.

On the other hand, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seemed too eager to share their wedding kiss, as they didn't wait to reach Westminster Abbey.

After exiting St. George's Chapel, Harry and Meghan kissed each other right after the wedding ceremony. For sure, love was in the air as it was the beginning of a life-long journey.

How the Middletons Looked

Carole and Michael Middleton, parents to Kate Middleton, belong to the high class in British society. They leave no stone unturned to maintain that wherever they go.

Their daughter’s marriage to Prince William was one of the most important occasions of their lives, and they made sure they looked their best. The Middletons share a close relationship with the royal family.

Hailing from a family of lawyers, they know what British royalty stands for. While Michael chose a suit and a top hat, Carole had got into a lovely light blue dress. They wore similar attires to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.

Kate and Meghan’s Tiaras

Weddings in any royal family are always extravagant, and the British royal family is no exception. They are a huge occasion, and the common public was also a part of it.

Aside from the super expensive dresses that are an integral part of the tradition of the British royal family, the tiara is of utmost significance. Kate Middleton wore a Cartier tiara that belonged to Queen Elizabeth II.

Meghan Markle, too received a tiara from the Queen. She opted for diamonds in place of the sapphire. The tiara that Meghan donned was the 1932 Diamond Blue Tiara.

David and Victoria Beckham

David and Victoria Beckham are a power couple. While David has been a huge football star in his career, Victoria is a highly acclaimed fashion designer. The Beckhams turned up for both the weddings.

For Kate Middleton’s wedding, David was in a morning suit. His top hat went quite well with it. Victoria chose an elegant navy dress and added a matching hat to the whole attire.

Coming to Meghan Markle’s wedding, the dresses they chose were almost similar, with some differences here and there. David just let go of the top hat and sported a short haircut. After the event, the Bechmas donated the outfits to charity to use the money raised for welfare.

The Cakes

Wedding cakes also have a very important role on such huge occasions. It’s an old tradition. Kate’s wedding cake had eight levels and was created by Fiona Cairns.

It was a fruit cake, but Fiona decided to keep a chocolate cake as a backup if some guests didn’t like the main fruit one.

At an estimated $160,000, this cake is one of the most expensive ones you will see. In comparison to that, Meghan’s wedding cake was a lemon sponge that also had elderflower syrup and Amalfi lemon curd. This cake was created by Claire Ptak and cost something in the range of $60,000 to $75,000.

The Lovely Banquets

Can you notice the difference between the two wedding bouquets? Very few can. Although they look quite identical, we will point out some significant differences.

The delicate bouquet Shane Connolly designed for Kate Middleton had all–white flowers. Each of them stood for something that William and Kate wished for in their life, like happiness and never-ending love.

On the other hand, Philippa Caddock designed Meghan's bouquet with Harry's flowers. The flowers represent hope, love, and dedication in their life. The beginning has been wonderful for the two couples.

Maid of Honor

Having a maid of honor is an old tradition in British royal weddings. Kate Middleton chose Pippa Middleton, her sister, as her Maid of Honor during her wedding to Prince William.

Kate and Pippa share a close bond, and the latter was there for her sister on the big day. Meghan Markle didn’t opt for a Maid of Honor.

She had her best friends attending her royal wedding. As far as carrying the train is concerned, two pages carried out the task at St.George’s Chapel, the wedding venue.

The Grooms in their Military Attire

Everyone knows that both the royal brothers served in the military. They got into their military uniform on the wedding day according to tradition. Colonel William donned the red uniform of the Irish Guards.

The red uniform was the first of its kind worn by royal grooms since 1973. It was Captain Mark Phillips who did the same back then.

On the other hand, Prince Harry donned a vintage Blues and Royals military attire on the wedding day. Though he was serving as the Captain-General of the Royal Marines, he chose a Major’s uniform.

Two Wedding Dresses

Kate Middleton is always so well turned out, and she did not disappoint at her wedding. She was royal and stunning, and her choice of wedding dress, a gown designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, reinstated her as a fashionable princess.

The dress was the right blend of tradition and modern elegance and reportedly cost around $450,000. This dress had 58 organza-covered buttons and Rouleau loops. The distinctive dress even had a nine-foot train.

The wedding dress that Meghan Markle wore at her wedding to Prince Harry was a work by British fashion designer Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. The bride's veil had embroidery of flowers representing the countries of the Commonwealth.

The Stunningly Stylish Mothers Of The Brides

Most women, royal or otherwise, will want their daughter to shine. Carole Middleton didn't want to take the focus away from her daughter, and the Duchess of Cambridge is no different. She wanted her daughter to shine on her big day.

She stood out with her choice of pale blue dress, designed by Catherine Walker; it turned out to be the perfect outfit for the spring wedding. The Mother of the Bride looked chic and elegant on Kate's wedding day.

Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, chose another muted color, which looked gorgeous. Doria's brought about some Los Angeles flavor. And she showed her support for Prince Harry and Meghan. The light green Oscar de la Renta dress looked great on her, and every fashion pundit couldn't agree more.

Duchess Of Sussex’s Fashion Moment

The simpler the cuts, the more it accentuates the curves and stands out for its elegance, yes it all stands true for Meghan's dress. Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy designs the elegant dress.

The dress had an open boat-neckline with an otherwise simple design, which stands free of any other overt embellishments. It stood out with its simplicity and timelessness. We are sure many years down the line. The dress is still a classic.

The Duchess made it more special as she had a piece of fabric from her blue dress that she wore for the first time on a date with her Prince charming. Although Meghan had a modest trail, she let her veil speak for itself as it was almost 16.5 feet long.

The Elite Guest List

A grand evening reception always follows a royal wedding. However, lucky are those people who are invited for grandiose weddings and invited for the evening receptions.

While royal weddings are always in the news, nobody talks about the wedding receptions, which are no doubt grander, with people flaunting their best attires in the evenings.

When it comes to royal weddings, Prince William and Kate Middleton had their wedding in Buckingham Palace, whereas Prince Harry and Meghan held their reception at St. George’s Hall in Windsor Castle. The weddings were replete with winning speeches, toasts, and loud noises for the royal couple. The scale at which they hosted the reception is something people would talk about for many years down the line.

The Exorbitant Costs

How much does a royal wedding cost? Well, it sure must cost the earth. Royal weddings are so extravagant since every detail is properly cared for, and everything has a luxurious connotation.

It all does not come cheap, and with the costs spiraling over, what with the guest list and all. There is just so much to include. Everything from the decor to the outfits to the food and so much more, something was exciting in it for everyone. We bet it takes days to plan a royal wedding like that.

For the wedding of Prince William and Kate's 2011 wedding hosts, there were as many as 2,500 guests and cost the royal family a whopping $34 million! There weren't as many guests at Prince Harry and Meghan's 2018 wedding, and it cost them $55 million.

Chelsy Davy’s Gorgeous  Outfits

Chelsy Davy had an enduring presence in Prince William and Prince Harry's weddings. Prince Harry had an on-again-off-again relationship with Chelsy Davy, a businesswoman from Zimbabwe.

Harry and Chelsy had a relationship going from 2004 until 2011. We are sure she is a good friend to the royal family. No wonder she had an invite to both Prince William and Prince Harry's weddings.

She did stun everyone with her chic outings at the weddings. While most of her outfits had sleek lines, what stood out was her choice of accessories. For Kate and Prince William's wedding, she chose a tone-on-tone green outfit. While for Prince Harry's and Meghan's wedding, she chose a blue with an interesting headpiece.

The Queen’s Royal Ensemble

Queen Elizabeth II sure can brighten any wedding with her bright outfits. She has been famously quoted as saying that she can never wear beige since it does not suit her personality.

And, of course, she ditched beige for Prince William and Kate's wedding. The Queen wore a primrose yellow long sleeve dress complete with a matching hat.

In 2018, she surprised everyone with her sartorial choice at Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding. The outfit stood out with her riotous color combination. Her bright green coat over a purple dress. With a matching green hat complete with purple feather ornamentation. We are sure The Queen's outfit can never be boring or dull. However, she manages to retain her grace and elegance even while dressing in not so bright hues. 

The Lovely Veils

There is little to choose between the two elegant brides when it comes to royal veils. Kate's wedding dress train may have beaten Meghan's in terms of length. However, Meghan's was no less intricate and beautiful.

Kate's veil was a top-secret project from the Royal School of Needlework paired elegantly with the tiara that belongs to the Queen.

Clare Waight Keller was the brains behind Meghan's long 16.5-foot-long veil that had wildflowers from 53 countries after Meghan made a special request to design the veil so that it includes all of Commonwealth's nations in the veil design. This is what gives her vel a distinctive edge. Meghan's veil was a talking point among designers worldwide.

Pippa Middleton’s in the Fashion Centerstage

Pippa Middleton, the younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, Pippa Middleton has always impressed one and all with her enviable wardrobe. At her 2011 sister's wedding, she was the Maid of Honor, and obviously, all eyes were on her as people wanted to find out what she would wear at the wedding.

Pippa did not disappoint as she wore a gown featuring a design that complemented her sister's and the bridesmaids' dresses. She stood out with her simple yet elegant style.

Pippa walked down the aisle herself in 2017. She attended Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding wearing a stunning floral dress which cost her $695! Her accessories were also a winner! Right from her clutch to her headpiece, everything had savvy written all over it.

Brides’  Royal Baubles

The Duchess of Cambridge's gorgeous earrings were elegant. She chose a pair of Robinson Pelham diamond earrings to set her back by $20,000. The diamond earrings were of teardrop shape and enhanced her other jewelry: her tiara.

We are glad to note that the earrings weren't ostentatious and enhanced her outfit. Meghan's Cartier earrings were also pretty and classy. The diamond and white gold earrings paired also went well with the tiara, which belongs to the Queen. Yes, it is a hand-me-down from Queen Mary in 1953.

Both Kate and Meghan made their wedding outfits, and jewelry was a lesson about doing royal dressing right. Meghan's bracelet was also a class apart as it was a Reflection de Cartier diamond bracelet. The diamond jewelry went so well with the all-white ensemble.

Princess Anne Purple Hued Outfit

Princess Anne also impressed everyone with her choice of outfit. Princess Anne is the daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. She attended both her nephew's weddings in contrasting outfits.

For Prince William and Kate's wedding, she chose to wear a purple and green collared coat. Her hat took on the accents of her outfit and looked great with it. She chose a simple string of pearls to enhance her outfit.

For Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding, Princess Anne chose a deeper shade of purple coat in a wrap style. Besides that, her accessories were also pretty, right from her clutch to her matching hairpiece. She loves her collared outfits, it seems, and it sure does make her look dainty and chic.

Milling Crowds

Prince William and Kate's wedding had a huge crowd outside the palace waiting to take a look at their favorite couple. Well, the crowd for William's and Kate's wedding was slightly more than Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding.

One reason for the same could be Prince William is much more likely to be crowned King in the future. The couple had a bigger wedding venue, which meant at least 2,000 people were there to catch the royal wedding at Westminister Abbey.

On the day of Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding, there was quite a crowd at the Windsor Castle to bless the newlyweds. However, not many people could gather there because of the smaller venue. We are sure the crowd had the same love and admiration for both royal couples.

Peter Phillips’ Ensemble

Peter Phillips is the eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II, and it only makes sense that he would attend both royal weddings with his wife, Autumn. The couple shares two daughters, Savannah and Isla.

Everyone approved of Autumn Kelly's outfits. She wore a stunning purple collared dress with a flared skirt that looked elegant and stylish at the same time. She was certainly a scene-stealer at Prince William and Kate's wedding.

When she and Peter made their presence felt at Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding, Autumn chose an elegant long-sleeved royal blue dress. Her choice of accessories was interesting as it was teal. We loved the tone on tone use of blue. Her clutch put the final touches to her regal look.

Lady Spencer’s Gorgeous Outfit

Lady Kitty Spencer was the niece of Princess Diana and cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry and attended both of her cousins' weddings.

She chose contrasting looks to the weddings, while she chose a fail-safe color beige for Kate and Prince William's wedding. She did make the look interesting with an interesting hairpiece which was dramatic yet looked great on her.

Kitty wore a green square neck dress for Meghan and Harry's wedding with floral designs adorning her skirt. She accentuated the colors of the flowers in her dress with a flaming orange clutch. Her neckpiece was simple yet elegant and glittered away merrily in the morning light. Her makeup was subtle and made her look oh-so-pretty. We think she pulled off both looks admirably.