On Saturday, May 19, British royal Prince Harry wed American actress, Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle.

The couple, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,  was extremely tight-lipped about their 600 invited guests leading up to the wedding.

As the guests started to arrive, there were immediately some notable names in the bunch.

Tennis star and friend of Markle, Serena Williams, arrived with her husband (founder of Reddit) Alexis Ohanian. Some of Markle’s former co stars from the television show Suits, Patrick J. Adams, Rick Hoffman, and Gina Torres were in attendance.

High profile couples, such as George and Amal Clooney and David  and Victoria Beckham, were in attendance.

It was rumored that the royal couple wanted to invite the Obamas instead of the Trumps. However, government officials urged them to refrain because it may further tensions between the U.S. and England. Therefore, the former president and first lady were not added to the list.

The 600 guests were not the only ones witnessing the wedding, since the ceremony was broadcast around the world.  Bishop Blanchet  students and staff were among those watching the event. Social Studies Teacher Molly McFarland loved watching the wedding found some nostalgia in the event.

“It’s kind of like the red carpet. My mom and I always watched it,” said McFarland, “and I grew up loving Diana.”

Prince Henry, Duke of Sussex, more commonly known as Prince Harry, was born into the royal family, and is sixth in the line to the throne. He has a background in the military, following in his older brother, William’s footsteps. They both wore their traditional military uniforms for the wedding, adorned with badges earned in combat. 

Before her union to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle was already a well-known actress, activist, and humanitarian. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she is most recognized for her role in the legal drama TV show, Suits.

Markle retired from acting after announcing her engagement to Prince Harry in 2017, and was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2018.

The couple met on a blind date set up by a friend in June 2016, and made their first public appearances together over a year later in September of 2017. By the time of their engagement that November, Markle had already met Queen Elizabeth and other royal family members on several occasions.

On the day of the wedding, Markle donned a gown designed by British designer, Clare Waight Keller, who currently acts as artistic director of the iconic fashion brand, Givenchy. The most notable aspect of Markle’s outfit was her 16.5 foot-long veil with embroidered flowers representing each of the countries of the Commonwealth.

Senior Elijah Sherwood was impressed by Meghan’s attire and is excited for Harry and Meghan’s future.

“Meghan looked beautiful in her wedding gown,” said Sherwood. “I’m excited for the couple, I think the will be great role models for the next generation.”

This Royal Wedding between Harry and Meghan signifies a shift in the history of England, representing more accurately the diversity of the country. Markle, whose mother is African American,  becomes the first British royal of African descent  since Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, according to a New York TYimes article.

One of the most talked about moments of the wedding was the memorable homily, given by a black American bishop, Michael Bruce Curry.

Curry talked about the power of love on a broader scale, and how it relates to the royal family. The sermon was considered unorthodox compared to past homilies of royal weddings, as topics such as slavery were brought up. It lasted around 14 minutes, which some considered to be too long.

Senior Elizabeth Green thought the mass was too long and didn’t appeal to the younger generation.

“Maybe young people would like it more if it was less boring,” said Green. “The mass was too long.”

Despite this opposing view, many enjoyed watching the modern fairytale unfold between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.