Carol Kirkwood's 'opulent' five-star wedding venue – with links to Meghan Markle

Carol Kirkwood was the latest BBC Breakfast star to tie the knot, but she isn't the only celebrity to choose her luxurious wedding venue. In December 2023, the presenter and her long-term partner Steve Randall gathered their close friends and family at Cliveden House for their big day. She later described it as "the most perfect and romantic and intimate wedding." So why has the five-star hotel seen a slew of famous faces come through its doors over the years? We delve into the Berkshire wedding venue, which has special links to the Duchess of Sussex…

Cliveden House weddings

Nestled in 376 acres of Berkshire countryside, the Grade I stately home is described as having an "opulent history" and "luxuriant interiors." Brides such as Carol can choose a range of locations to exchange vows depending on the size of their guest list. Weddings with over 60 attendees can hire the venue for exclusive use, with up to 130 guests for the ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast and up to 180 guests for the evening party. The venue can also accommodate larger weddings of 121 to 230 seated guests in a marquee.

The size of the wedding impacts the price, with packages for 8-16 guests costing £510 per adult and £100 per child, while those inviting 30-60 guests would need to shell out £330 per adult and £100 per child. This includes two reception drinks per person, a three-course wedding breakfast, an overnight stay in a bridal suite and more perks.

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For those looking for a post-wedding stress-reliever, the hotel's spa not only offers relaxing treatments, but also a steam room, an infrared sauna, hot tubs, an indoor pool and, most iconically, the 'Profumo' pool which is the last listed outdoor pool in England.

Famous guests

The hotel has attracted the likes of Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin in the past, but it was Meghan Markle who chose to make it part of her big day. While she chose St George's Chapel at royal residence Windsor Castle for her ceremony, the night before her 2018 royal wedding to Prince Harry, the Duchess headed to the stately home with her mother Doria Ragland.

Her makeup artist and long-term friend Daniel Martin opened up about the preparations at Cliveden, revealing she enjoyed a "chill morning" with cereal and fresh fruit. Daniel said on Good Morning America: "We had breakfast. Guy, her dog, was with us. We were playing around with him. It was a very chill morning."

Carol's wedding

Weather presenter Carol chose to host her intimate ceremony at the Buckinghamshire property. She looked elegant in a Bardot satin wedding dress with a fitted waist and an A-line skirt, styling her blonde hair in a classic updo, while her partner Steve looked dapper in a black suit with a silver tie. Proving Cliveden offers a very picturesque backdrop, Carol and Steve posed for photos in a majestic archway against the backdrop of winding treetrunks before heading inside where they stood in a wood-panelled room with intricate carvings and vintage carpets.

Carol previously confessed she planned to wed Steve in secret before "[telling] everyone later." She said during Good Housekeeping Live, she should "get on with it", adding: "I imagine we are just going to go and do it and tell everyone about it later." However, she later clarified they chose an "intimate" wedding with a small guest list. "We had the most perfect day. It was a tiny wedding but so romantic and intimate. A day we will never forget. We are bursting with happiness. It wasn’t a ‘secret’ wedding, just a private one," she wrote.

Carol was previously married to cricket player Jimmy Kirkwood for 25 years before they got divorced in 2008. She went on to find love with fitness fanatic Steve, who split from his ex-wife in 2017.

Steve proposed in spring 2022 during a romantic stroll near the couple's home in Berkshire, and Carol announced the happy news during a BBC weather forecast for the Chelsea Flower Show. Speaking of the proposal, she told HELLO!: "It was a lovely, sunny day and we had taken a picnic with us, and we were sitting by the river, watching the boats going by. Steve started fidgeting; I turned to say: 'What's wrong?' He was on his knee, and he proposed. At first, I thought he was joking, but he said: 'No no, I really do mean it, Will you marry me?' I said: 'Yes!! Of course!'"

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