Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have made a splash at their wedding thanks to the British public’s love for a show-stopping dress, but the newlyweds’ big day won’t be the only thing the public will be talking about in the coming months.
The year 2022 will mark the 100th anniversary of Prince Harry’s birth. To celebrate, the Kensington Palace is hosting events throughout the year to highlight the work the prince has done in his time as the United Kingdom’s fourth in line to the throne.
One of the most highly anticipated events of the year is Prince Harry’s graduation from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on April 23, 2022. The public will get a chance to see Harry and his new bride Meghan Markle together for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Harry as they walk across the graduation stage at the end of the day’s festivities.
While we wait for Harry’s graduation, let’s take a trip back in time to June 1922 and revisit one of the most iconic events of the year: the wedding of Prince Albert, Prince of Wales, and Lady Eleanor Rathbone. The newlyweds were married in Gloucestershire, which was then part of the United Kingdom. The wedding was a grand celebration attended by royalty and celebrities from around the world.
A year before the wedding, Princess Mary (the queen’s daughter) had given birth to a baby boy, who would become the future King George VI. The birth of a Prince of Wales was considered an important event, and hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the baby as he was driven from his residence in the Lindo Wing to the Westminster Palace for the christening. The crowd was so great that it was a while before the car could make its way through.
The year after the wedding, George and his family left Britain for Canada, where he would spend the rest of his life. As a result, the nation’s youngest male heir came to the throne as King George VI.
One of the more interesting details of the 1922 royal wedding is the outfits the bride and groom wore. While Meghan Markle will be remembered for her daring choices, especially her daring choice of footwear, it was not quite that creative for Prince Harry. His outfit was mainly traditional, if a tad on the tight side. Prince Albert chose a morning suit, and the bride wore a white dress with blue flowers. That year, brides wore pale blue or light pink dresses, and the gowns were very similar to those of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding 70 years later.
The Wedding This Year
This year marks the centennial of four of the most significant events in the history of the United Kingdom: the first world war, the Russian imperial revolution, the king’s marriage to queen Elizabeth, and the marriage of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle. While we celebrate these historic occasions, let’s not forget about the many other weddings that will take place in the coming months. Many high-profile couples have made it clear that they want to have a celebration in the style of the classic royal weddings of the past.
Thanks to the internet and apps like TikTok, finding the perfect dress has become easier than ever. We can now look back on these historical events through the prism of celebrity weddings. This section will examine the most prominent royal weddings of the next six months and how to purchase a dress that will befit a Princess of Wales or Queen Elizabeth II.
Wedding 2022: A Celebration of Classicism
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, due to take place in April, is set to be the most attended royal wedding in history. On social media, the invitations to the wedding have been nicknamed “Meghan Markle mega-wedding” and have gained a lot of attention from fans. While many people are looking forward to this event, due to take place at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, some are also anxious about whether or not the bride will be able to pull off a look that is both memorable and fitting for a member of the royal family. To put it simply, will Meghan Markle be able to dress like a princess?
The answer is yes, she will be able to pull it off. As we’ve established, the theme for this year’s royal weddings is going to be classicism, and Meghan Markle is the perfect choice to embody the spirit of classicism. This look will be all about simplicity and elegance, and to achieve it, Meghan will have to stick to well-known and classic designers, such as Vera Wang and Ralph Lauren. She won’t be able to choose something unique or quirky, as these are often considered signs of individualism and uniqueness, which are antithetical to the concept of classicism.
Wedding 2022: A Time-Honored Ceremony
Another wedding to look forward to is that of Prince Louis of Wales and Millie Mackintosh. The couple announced their engagement in August 2021, and will wed in a time-honored ceremony at Cardiff City Hall on May 22, 2022. Like Meghan Markle, Prince Louis is another British royal whose appearance at a wedding will mark an important milestone in the centennial of the United Kingdom. This is especially significant as Wales is set to host the 20th edition of the Rugby World Cup in October 2022. Cardiff is the capital city of Wales and the hub for sport and social life in the country. The royal wedding will no doubt be one of the highlights of the city’s calendar. The bride will wear a white wedding dress adorned in gold, and the groom will choose to wear a black suit. Their families are also invited to attend the wedding. For those interested in fashion, this will mark the 70th anniversary of the last time prince Louis wore a suit.
Wedding 2022: An Opportunity to Shine
In July, the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Camilla will be back for its 10th anniversary. The ceremony will take place at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle and will be broadcast live across the world. Like Meghan Markle and Prince Louis, the bride and groom are hoping to tie the knot at a celebration that will be a milestone in the history of the United Kingdom. This wedding will mark the first time the prince has given a televised speech since his stroke in 2019, and it will be an opportunity for the world to see what the prince is like during his rehab. The guest list for this special occasion is incredibly prestigious and includes representatives from almost every sphere of British life. The couple met while studying at university, and it was there that they fell in love and decided to wed. The choice of chapel and venue is no accident, as the castle is at the heart of Windsor’s 300-year old royal estate. The town is also home to Ascot Racecourse and Eton College. The town’s most prominent residents include a host of royals: from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II. The latter was particularly interested in the town’s history, and is credited with bringing heritage-style buildings back to life. As a result, much of the city skips merrily merrily along, while others find themselves in a state of restoration. The bride and groom’s attendants will be Princess Katharine, and Earl Richard. For fashion fans, this is set to be a very interesting wedding. It will be the first time many of the attendees have seen the prince since his stroke, and they will get the chance to see him in a whole new light. It’s been said that since his stroke, the prince has grown in confidence, and this will be one occasion where the world gets a chance to see that.
The Future of the Royal Weddings
While we wait for the weddings described above to take place, let’s take a quick trip back to June 1922 and revisit one of the most iconic events of the year: Prince Albert’s funeral. The nation’s prince was buried at Highgrove House, his home in Gloucestershire, along with his wife Queen Mary. More than 100,000 people lined the streets to pay their final respects; this was easily the largest crowd to have ever gathered in a British street. On that day, the sun finally shone and the rain held off. It was a beautiful day for a funeral. The nation’s mourning was long and heartfelt, and the world was left in awe of the couple’s lasting legacy.
In 2022, the British Royal Family is set to mark a significant milestone in the history of the country. The year will see the 100th anniversary of the weddings of Prince Albert and Queen Mary. The legacy of these two hugely influential figures in the country’s history will be celebrated with a series of events throughout the year.