George & Charlotte's Role in The Royal Wedding
Let the countdown begin!
On May 19, 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will tie the knot at Windsor Castle - and it will no doubt be a royal affair to remember, the likes of which we haven't seen since Will & Kate (now the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge) wed in April 2011. Tons of royals are expected to be in attendance, along with some notable celebrity friends of the couple, world leaders, and members of the public Harry and Meghan are honouring via a coveted invitation to join them at Windsor Castle. But, VIP guests considered, we're keeping our eyes out for our favourite brother-sister duo: Princess Charlotte and Prince George.
There's a good chance the tiny royals will not only attend the wedding. The royal siblings, who are due to become a big brother (yet again) and big sister in the weeks leading up to Harry and Meghan's big day, are expected to play roles in the bridal party. ABCNews reports that Prince George will most likely serve as a page boy as he did in Pippa's wedding, while Charlotte will serve as a bridesmaid, or flower girl. Note: Brits, particularly royal ones, tend to have a bridal party full of perfectly-dressed children, rather than traditional American bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Marlene Koenig, a British and European royalty expert, tells BAZAAR.com she'd be 'shocked' if we didn't see Prince George and Princess Charlotte dolled up and walking down the aisle. 'George and Charlotte are Harry's only niece and nephew, so it would be a real shocker if they were not included,' she explains. 'In Britain, the bride goes down the aisle first, followed by attendants or bridesmaids and page boys holding the train.'
When asked whether the two would follow Meghan down the aisle, a spokesperson for the royal family seemed to confirm their participation: 'The wedding will be a family event,' the spokesman told The Sunday Times. 'You can expect the family to be involved.' The royal tots have already met Markle 'several times' Kensington Palace told The Times. Presumably, the connection they've formed with Markle, and that Markle has formed with their mother, should earn them a spot in the proceedings on May 19th.
Luckily, Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2, have previous wedding experience-the pros stole the show at their aunt Pippa Middleton's nuptials to James Matthews at St. Mark's Church in England in May. George, a page boy, walked the aisle carrying a flower basket, and little sis Charlotte, donned an adorable flower crown, as a bridesmaid. Charlotte will likely wear a similar white dress to Harry and Meghan's wedding as she wore to Pippa's, perhaps going for something in an all white color palette rather than with a touch of blush. However, George, as a page boy, will forgo the blouse and silk knickerbockers in favor of something with a 'military theme,' according to Koenig.
Kate chose not to participate in the her sister's wedding, so as not to overshadow Pippa on her big day. 'Kate would upstage her sister,' royals expert Judy Wade told People magazine prior to the wedding in 2016. 'It’s a tricky situation for Pippa. She would want her sister by her side, as who else would she trust to make things go well? But if your sister is a future Queen, she is going to upstage the bride and draw attention. Kate would want to be in the background as much as possible.'
Kate will likely not join Meghan's bridal party for similar reasons, and because she'll likely be tending to her newborn, due later this month. But we're sure she and her nanny, Maria Borrallo, will both keep a close eye on her children at Harry and Meghan's wedding–perhaps in hopes of avoiding another viral parenting moment similar to the one Kate experienced at Pippa's wedding.
Don't recall what happened just after Pippa and James exited the church as a married couple? After the ceremony, George left the church in tears, after receiving a stern scolding from his mom. Photos of Kate having a strong word with her son, after he played with Pippa's dress, quickly went viral. George was seemingly embarrassed about the whole situation, but returned to his outgoing, smiley self in no time.
'There will be several rehearsals for this wedding, as there is for all royal weddings, and I can only assume that Catherine or Nanny Maria will spend some time talking to the children about their roles, responsibilities, as a part of the bridal party,' says Koenig. 'Young kids in wedding parties will fuss and fidget. If George or Charlotte make funny faces or does something silly, their antics will be recorded for posterity.' After all, who could forget the 'Frowning Flower Girl', Grace Van Cutsem, at William and Kate's royal wedding?
Other possibilities for the wedding party-at least from the groom's side of the family-include Harry's first cousins, Lady Louise Windsor and her brother Viscount Severn, as well as the children of his two first cousins, Mia Tindall (whose mother is Zara Phillips) and Savannah and Isla Phillips (the daughters of Peter Phillips).
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