What you need to know about the Royal Wedding

On the 19th of May, the whole world and the media will be watching Windsor Castle as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot. The happy couple have already promised a day that is focused on fun, joy and the chance to celebrate with the public and we expect that their wedding will reflect the characters of the bride and groom. But what styles will be a fashion hit for this special occasion?

The wedding dress
As you’d expect the details of the dress are being kept a closely guarded secret. Some of the designers that seem to be in contention for the commission include Erdem, Antonio Berardi, Marchesa, Misha Nonoo while the firm favourite at the moment appears to be the Australian couple Ralph & Russo who designed Markle’s engagement gown. Whether Miss Markle decides to go for something traditional or brave and daring remains to be seen and is already causing lots of excited discussion.

Past Royal weddings (Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and Princess Diana, Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge)

The flowers
London florist Philippa Craddock has been chosen to design the wedding flowers which will follow a natural wildflower theme. Flowers will be locally sourced from the gardens of the Crown Estate and Windsor Great Park. Peonies will be incorporated into the arrangements as they are Miss Markle’s favourite flower. Pollinator-friendly plants will be chosen as well as flowers that are naturally blooming in May.

The cake
Pastry chef Claire Ptak who is the owner of a London-based bakery Violet Cakes has been chosen to create a lemon elderflower cake that will incorporate the bright colours of spring and it will be covered in buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers. The cake is a break from the traditional fruit cake and is just one of the ways that the couple are adding their own unique touch to their wedding.

Royal titles
Tradition dictates that male members of the Royal family receive a title from the monarch on their wedding day and the vacant title of Duke of Sussex is the most likely choice for Prince Harry. Miss Markle will also become an HRH and a senior royal and will likely become The Duchess of Sussex.

Hats
With the ladies dress code making hats compulsory, there will be plenty of wonderful outfit and hat combinations on show at the Royal Wedding. Expect the works of top milliners such as Rachel Trevor-Morgan, milliner to the Queen, Beverley Edmonson, Laura Apsit Livens and Noel Stewart to feature prominently with the Royal family and guests alike.



Some of the hats worn at the last major Royal wedding in 2011

So what styles of hat are likely to be popular? With peonies likely to feature heavily in the wedding flowers on the day and plenty of other spring flowers decorating the venue, you can expect floral detailing to be a popular.

Pillbox hats provide the perfect base for plenty of decorative flourishes. The classic side sweep hat may also prove to be a popular choice with attendants at the Royal Wedding. With plenty of uniforms on display, we’re also likely to see plenty of hats chosen to match the outfits of partners.