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The royal couple chose a modern touch to their marriage ceremony.
Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were on Saturday pronounced man and wife at the majestic St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle where the couple exchanged wedding vows in the presence of 600 guests as millions of people around the world watched the historic event.
They were pronounced husband and wife by the Archbishop of Canterbury, cheered on by crowds watching on large screens outside and watched over by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip among the other members of the royal family. It had been announced earlier that the 92-year-old monarch had bestowed the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the newly-weds in keeping with royal tradition.
The royal couple exchanged their vows and rings in the presence of 600 guests, which included the likes of Meghan’s close friend actress Priyanka Chopra and other celebrities like George and Amal Clooney, David and Victoria Beckham and Sir Elton John.
After their marriage ceremony, Prince Harry and Meghan emerged from the chapel -- Household Cavalry lining the steps -- and shared their first kiss as a married couple. The crowd cheered wildly on witnessing the much-awaited scene.
The service was conducted by the Dean of Windsor with Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the spiritual head of the Anglican Church, overseeing the exchange of vows. A black US bishop, Michael Bruce Curry, gave the wedding address.
The wedding became official when Justin Welby read this: “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.”
Harry, 33, and Meghan, 36, became the sixteenth Royal Couple to celebrate their marriage at WindsorCastle since 1863.
Harry was seen smiling as Meghan entered the Chapel with Prince Charles. Prince Charles stepped into the role of Meghan’s father and escorted her down part of the aisle for her marriage with Harry after it was confirmed that her father Thomas Markle Sr would not be attending the wedding ceremony due to ill-health.
Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, arrived earlier as the only member of Markle’s family to attend the wedding. After an hour-long ceremony, which included hymns and readings, the newly-weds set off to take a tour of Windsor city centre in a traditional open-top Ascot landau horse-drawn carriage.
Prince Harry’s niece, three-year-old Princess Charlotte, was one of the six young girls chosen as bridesmaids at the wedding and her elder brother, Prince George, aged four, was a pageboy among a total of 10 children chosen for the roles.
The royal couple chose modern touch to their marriage ceremony.
Instead of using traditional vows, the royal couple selected words from The Marriage Service from Common Worship (2000).
They pledged themselves to one another: “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part”.
The marriage service featured contemporary language -- using the word “you” instead of “thee” and “thou” and offers the most flexibility in the choice of readings and prayers.
Senior members of the royal family and a raft of celebrities were among the 600 invited guests and another 2,640 members of the public watched the ceremony from the grounds of Windsor Castle.
