The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle starts at around 12 p.m. London time (7 a.m. ET).
Below is the full text of the order of service for the ceremony.
The marriage vows are taken from Common Worship, the Church of England’s standard liturgy, first published in 2000. It is a break from tradition: for their 2011 wedding, Prince William and Kate Middleton chose a slightly amended version of the vows from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.
The text was prepared before health issues prevented Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas, from attending, and a reference to him remains.
Music before the service:
From 10.35 am Mr Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music, will play
Marche Hèroïque Sir Alfred Herbert Brewer (1865-1928)
Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 541
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Psalm-Prelude Set 1, No. 2 Symphony No. 4, Andante Cantabile Prelude on ‘Rhosymedre’
From 11.10 am the Orchestra will play
Salut d’Amour
St Paul’s Suite, movement 4
Lady Radnor’s Suite, movements 2, 3 & 5
Capriol Suite, movements 2, 3, & 5 Fantasia on Greensleeves
Serenade for Strings, movement 1 Chanson de Matin
Herbert Howells (1892-1983) Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Sir Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Gustav Holst (1874-1934)
Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848-1914)
Peter Warlock (1894-1930) Ralph Vaughan Williams Sir Edward Elgar
Sir Edward Elgar arr. Benjamin Woodgates (b. 1986)
At 11:25 a.m. Members of the Royal Family arrive at the Galilee Porch and are received by the Dean of Windsor who presents the Canons of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Those in the Quire stand as they are conducted to their places.
All sit.
At 11:40 a.m. The Bridegroom and his Best Man arrive at the West Door and are received by the Dean of Windsor. All stand as the Bridegroom and his Best Man are conducted to the Bray Chantry Chapel.
At 11:42 a.m. Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall arrive at the Galilee Porch and are received by the Vice-Dean who presents the Canons of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Those in the Quire stand as they are conducted to their places.
At 11:45 a.m. the Mother of the Bride, Ms Doria Ragland, arrives at the Galilee Porch and is received by the Dean of Windsor and is conducted to her seat in the Quire.
At 11:52 a.m. Her Majesty The Queen arrives at the Galilee Porch and is received by the Dean of Windsor who presents the Canons of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Those in the Quire stand as Her Majesty is conducted to her place in the Quire.
A fanfare will sound.
All stand as the Choir and Clergy move in procession to the Quire.
Sacristan
The Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
The Director of Music, Mr James Vivian
Minor Canon, The Reverend Franklin Lee
Chaplain to The Queen, The Reverend Prebendary Rose Hudson-Wilkin
Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos
Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in the USA, The Most Reverend Michael Curry
The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby
Canon Steward, The Reverend Canon Dr Mark Powell
Canon Precentor, The Reverend Canon Martin Poll
Vice-Dean, The Reverend Canon Dr Hueston Finlay
All sit
The wedding service
At the entrance of the Bride, all stand.
A fanfare will sound at the Bride’s arrival.
The Bride, having been greeted by the Dean of Windsor, moves in procession through the Nave where she is joined by her Father, Mr Thomas Markle, to the High Altar. The Bridegroom and his Best Man await.
(Editor’s note: The order of service was prepared before health issues prevented Meghan Markel’s father from attending)
INTROIT
Performed by the Orchestra and Ms Elin Manahan Thomas (Soprano) with Mr David Blackadder (Trumpet).
Eternal source of light divine,
With double warmth thy beams display,
And with distinguished glory shine,
To add a lustre to this day.
George Frederick Handel (1685-1759)
All remain standing.
At the High Altar, The Dean of Windsor greets the congregation.
THE WELCOME
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you:
And also with you.
God is love, and those who live in love live in God and God lives in them.
1 John 4.16
All sit The Dean of Windsor reads:
THE PREFACE
In the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,we have come together to witness the marriage of HENRY CHARLES ALBERT DAVID and RACHEL MEGHAN, to pray for God’s blessing on them, to share their joy and to celebrate their love.
Marriage is a gift of God in creation through which husband and wife may know the grace of God. It is given that as man and woman grow together in love and trust, they shall be united with one another in heart, body and mind, as Christ is united with his bride, the Church.
The gift of marriage brings husband and wife together in the delight and tenderness of sexual union and joyful commitment to the end of their lives.
It is given as the foundation of family life in which children are born and nurtured and in which each member of the family, in good times and in bad, may find strength, companionship and comfort, and grow to maturity in love.
Marriage is a way of life made holy by God, and blessed by the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ with those celebrating a wedding at Cana in Galilee.
Marriage is a sign of unity and loyalty which all should uphold and honour. It enriches society and strengthens community. No one should enter into it lightly or selfishly, but reverently and responsibly in the sight of almighty God.
HARRY and MEGHAN are now to enter this way of life. They will each give their consent to the other and make solemn vows, and in token of this they will each give and receive a ring. We pray with them that the Holy Spirit will guide and strengthen them, that they may fulfil God’s purposes for the whole of their earthly life together.
All stand.
THE 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.
Jan Struther (1901-53)
‘Slane’, Traditional Irish Melody
All remain standing as the Archbishop leads
THE DECLARATIONS
First, I am required to ask anyone present who knows a reason why these Tpersons may not lawfully marry, to declare it now.
The Archbishop says to the Couple
The vows you are about to take are to be made in the presence of God, who is judge of all and knows all the secrets of our hearts; therefore if either of you knows a reason why you may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now.
The Archbishop says to the Bridegroom
HARRY, will you take MEGHAN to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?
He answers
I will.
The Archbishop says to the Bride
MEGHAN, will you take HARRY to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?
She answers
I will.
The Archbishop says to the congregation
WILL you, the families and friends of HARRY and MEGHAN, support
and uphold them in their marriage now and in the years to come?
All answer
We will.
The Archbishop invites the people to pray, silence is kept and he says
THE COLLECT
God our Father, from the beginning
you have blessed creation with abundant life.
Pour out your blessings upon HARRY and MEGHAN,
that they may be joined in mutual love and companionship, in holiness and commitment to each other.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
All sit.
READING
from the Song of Solomon
read by The Lady Jane Fellowes from the Nave
My beloved speaks and says to me: ‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land.
The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it.
If one offered for love all the wealth of one’s house, it would be utterly scorned.
All remain seated while the Choir of St George’s Chapel sing the
MOTET
If ye love me, by Thomas Tallis (1505-85)
If ye love me,
keep my commandments,
and I will pray the Father,
and he shall give you another comforter,
that he may ‘bide with you forever,
e’en the spirit of truth.
All remain seated
THE ADDRESS
by The Most Reverend Michael Curry
All remain seated
Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir will sing ‘Stand by me’ from the West End of The Chapel.
When the night has come,
And the land is dark,
And the moon is the only light we see.
No, I won’t be afraid.
Oh, I won’t be afraid,
Just as long as you stand, stand by me.
So darling, darling, stand by me,
Oh, stand by me.
Oh stand, stand by me. Stand by me.
If the sky that we look upon,
Should tumble and fall,
Or the mountain should crumble to the sea. I won’t cry, I won’t cry.
No, I won’t shed a tear.
Just as long as you stand, stand by me,
Darling, darling, stand by me…
Whenever you’re in trouble,
Won’t you stand by me, oh stand by me.
Oh stand, stand by me. Stand by me.
Words: Jerry Leiber (1933-2011)
Music: Ben E. King (1938-2015) and Mike Stroller (b. 1933) arr. by Mark Delisser (b. 1973)
All remain seated as the Archbishop leads
THE VOWS
HARRY and MEGHAN, I now invite you to join hands and make your vows, in the presence of God and his people.
The Bride and Bridegroom face each other and join hands. The Bridegroom says
I HARRY, take you, MEGHAN, to be my wife, to have and to hold from , this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God’s holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow.
The Bride says
I MEGHAN, take you, HARRY, to be my husband, to have and to hold , from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God’s holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow.
They loose hands.
THE GIVING OF THE RINGS
Heavenly Father, by your blessing let these rings be to HARRY and MEGHAN a symbol of unending love and faithfulness, to remind them of the vow and covenant which they have made this day, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Bridegroom places the ring on the fourth finger of the Bride’s left hand and, holding it there, says
MEGHAN, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
They loose hands and the Bride places a ring on the fourth finger of the Bridegroom’s left hand and, holding it there, says
HARRY, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
All remain seated.
THE PROCLAMATION
The Archbishop addresses the people
In the presence of God, and before this congregation, HARRY and MEGHAN have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings. I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife.
The Archbishop joins their right hands together and says
Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.
All remain seated while the Choir of St George’s Chapel sing
THE ANTHEM
The Lord bless you and keep you, by John Rutter (b. 1945)
The Lord bless you and keep you:
The Lord make his face to shine upon you,
to shine upon you and be gracious unto you.
The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you.
All remain seated.
THE BLESSING OF THE MARRIAGE
The Archbishop says
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, for you have created joy and gladness, pleasure and delight, love, peace and fellowship. Pour out the abundance of your blessing upon HARRY and MEGHAN in their new life together. Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts and a crown upon their heads. Bless them in their work and in their companionship; awake and asleep, in joy and in sorrow, in life and in death. Finally, in your mercy, bring them to that banquet where your saints feast for ever in your heavenly home. We ask his through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve and keep you; the Lord mercifully grant you the riches of his grace, that you may please him both in body and soul, and, living together in faith and love, may receive the blessings of eternal life. Amen.
All sit or kneel.
THE PRAYERS
Led by Archbishop Angaelos and The Reverend Prebendary Rose Hudson-Wilkin from the Nave.
Faithful God, holy and eternal, source of life and spring of love, we thank and praise you for bringing HARRY and MEGHAN to this day, and e pray for them.
Lord of life and love:
hear our prayer.
May their marriage be life-giving and life-long, enriched by your presence and strengthened by your grace; may they bring comfort and confidence to each other in faithfulness and trust.
Lord of life and love:
hear our prayer.
May the hospitality of their home bring refreshment and joy to all around them; may their love overflow to neighbours in need and embrace those in distress.
Lord of life and love:
hear our prayer.
May they discern in your word order and purpose for their lives; and may the power of your Holy Spirit lead them in truth and defend them in adversity.
Lord of life and love:
hear our prayer.
May they nurture their family with devotion, see their children grow in body, mind and spirit and come at last to the end of their lives with hearts content and in joyful anticipation of heaven.
Lord of life and love:
Hear our prayer.
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come, your will be done; on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen.
All stand.
HYMN
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.
William Williams (1717-91)
‘Cwm Rhondda’, John Hughes (1873-1932)
Descant verse: James Vivian (b. 1974)
All remain standing as the Dean of Windsor says
THE BLESSING
God the Holy Trinity make you strong in faith and love, defend you on every side, and guide you in truth and peace; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
All remain standing.
The organ plays as those who are signing the registers move from the Quire to the North Quire Aisle.
All sit at the conclusion of the organ music.
During the Signing of the Register the following is played by Mr Sheku Kanneh-Mason and the Orchestra:
Sicilienne
Maria Theresia von Paradis (1759-1824) arr. Chris Hazell (b.1948)
Après un rêve
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) arr. Chris Hazell
Ave Maria
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) arr. Chris Hazell
All stand as the Bride and Bridegroom return to the Quire.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save The Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save The Queen!
THE PROCESSION OF THE BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM
During the Procession the following is played
Symphony no. 1 in B-flat: Allegro
William Boyce (1711-1779)
Amen/This little light of mine
Etta James Jester Hairston (1901-2000)
All remain standing during the Procession of the Bride and Bridegroom, until members of their families have left the Chapel.
All remain standing as the Ecclesiastical Procession leaves by way of the Organ Screen and the North Quire Aisle.
Thereafter please leave the Chapel as directed by the Lay Stewards. Those in the Quire should leave by way of the South Door in order to stand on Chapter Grass to view the Carriage procession on Chapel Hill.
Copyright © The Archbishops Council 2000, 2005
