Be in the right place for the big day. Here’s all you need to know
9am – Members of the public who have been invited to watch the wedding day from the grounds of Windsor Castle begin to arrive.
930am-11am – Wedding guests start to show up in their finest at Windsor Castle’s Round Tower, they will enter via the South Door.
1120am – The royal family will start to make their entrance, with all eyes on Princess Beatrice’s hat. They will arrive on foot and enter via the chapel’s west door.
1140am – Prince Harry and his best man, Prince William, will arrive and be greeted by the Dean of Windsor. It is expected they will arrive on foot, walking past guests inside the grounds at the Horseshoe Cloister, many of whom are representatives of charities that he works closely with.
1142am – Ms Markle’s mother Doria Ragland arrives at the Galilee Porch and is received by the Dean of Windsor.
1145am – The Prince of Wales arrives at the Galilee Porch.
1152am – The Queen, as per protocol, will be the last member of the royal family to arrive for the wedding service. This will be followed by the royal fanfare.
1159am – Ms Markle arrives at the Chapel’s West Steps by car, she stayed last night at the £2000 a room Cliveden Estate. She will walk through the Nave on her own followed by her bridesmaids and pageboys who include Princess Charlotte and Prince George. She will then be accompanied by Charles down the aisle of the Quire.
1200 – Service begins, with the Dean of Windsor greeting the congregation. Then follows the first hymn:
Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever child-like, no cares could destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.
Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labours, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.
Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.
Then comes the declarations, the Archbishop of Canterbury asking ‘if anyone present who knows a reason why these persons may not lawfully marry, to declare it now.’
Now that would be a story.
The vows then follow with a reading by Lady Jane Fellowes, Prince Harry’s aunt, from the Nave.
Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir will sing ‘Stand by me’ from the West End of The Chapel.
The vows then follow, maybe a kiss. They’ll be prayers and another hymn, one of Princess Diana’s favourites. It was sung at her funeral and the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,
Pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty, Hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven,
Feed me till I want no more.
Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through:
Strong deliverer,
Be thou still my strength and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of death, and hell’s Destruction
Land me safe on Canaan’s side:
Songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.
1pm – Service ends and the newlyweds emerge at the West Steps of the Chapel. The congregation will head to a lunchtime reception at St George’s Hall, hosted by the Queen.
Shortly after a carriage procession through the streets of Windsor begins, taking around 25 minutes.
