The Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle easily goes down in history as one of the most watched and well-known weddings of our time. People near and far had to take in the sights of American-born actress, Meghan, in her gorgeous wedding gown as dapper Prince Harry awaited to kiss his bride. It really was a wedding fit for a prince and princess!
If you were lucky enough to be invited to the Royal Wedding, then you must be someone special. We know that most of Meghan’s family members were not even invited, with the exception of Meghan’s beautiful mother sitting by her side. Prince Harry had many royal family members in attendance, of course. He also honored his late mother, Diana in many forms. As for the rest of the guests, let’s just say there were some interesting and surprising characters who were at this lavish affair.
You may be quite shocked by some of the people who were on the royal guest list. These range from American celebrities, politicians, and funny people, all the way to those that maybe Meghan did not really want to invite, and more! Read on for some surprising royal wedding guests, some will definitely make you scratch your head as you think, why would they invite them?! Or, how do they know those people?!
17 None Other Than Harry’s Ex-Girlfriends
Okay, we know the royals are polite, but really?! Not only did Prince Harry invite an ex-girlfriend, he invited two ex-girlfriends! We really, really wonder what Meghan thought about this. Was she upset or was she like, "I’m the one marrying the Prince, not them!" Either way, it is quite surprising to see that two girls that dated Prince Harry for some time were in attendance at the wedding of the year.
The first ex-girlfriend, Chelsy Davy dated Harry for seven years, from 2004-2011.
According to Hello Magazine, Chelsy previously told The Times in 2016, “It was so full-on: crazy and scary and uncomfortable. I found it very difficult when it was bad. I couldn't cope… I was trying to be a normal kid, and it was horrible."
That is a long time to date a prince. Clearly, they are on good terms, at least good enough for him to invite her and her to attend, but, hey, if you are invited to the royal wedding, you go! Harry and his other ex-girlfriend, Cressida Bonas dated for just two years. Hello Magazine reports she was the one who ended the relationship with Harry, but, they must still be friendly since she was privy enough to receive an invitation.
16 George And Amal Clooney Stole The Show
If you want class, you invite the Clooneys! But, how in the heck do Prince Harry and Meghan know the classy duo?! According to Elle Australia, it is actually Meghan and Amal who became very dear friends. Shocking, much?! While both are beautiful and smart women, for some reason it comes as a big surprise to learn they are so close.
They also reported that “[Amal] Clooney and Markle struck up their friendship after being introduced by a mutual friend after the now-Duchess' move to the UK. Considering their individual work in the humanitarian sphere, we're not surprised by the close relationship the two share.”
According to Cosmopolitan UK, Amal and George are very big with charity work, especially in the human rights arena (Amal is a human rights lawyer). The royal family is all about charity, so once you learn this, it is not much of a surprise that they have connected in such a way. In fact, they are such good friends that the Clooneys had amazing seats at the ceremony and were also invited to the private reception. That source also says that Amal got Meghan to use her hairdresser for pre-wedding engagements.
15 The Mulroneys Also Made It There
Meghan Markle made a name for herself as an actress on the television show, Suits. What many people do not realize, is that the show did not film in Hollywood, it filmed in Canada, and that is where Meghan lived and spent a great deal of time. Because of her Canadian connection, Meghan made many friends who were Canadian, including the daughter-in-law of the former prime minister, Brian Mulroney. Brian’s son, Ben, married Jessica Brownstein, and we all know her now after the famous royal wedding!
Many people were scratching their heads in wonder as to who this friend was of Meghan’s and who those adorable twin boys were that acted as Meghan’s page boys during the ceremony.
Meghan and Jessica are best friends, it is as simple as that! Just like the rest of us would include our best friends in our wedding, so did Meghan!
It just happened to be that Jessica’s twin boys, age 7, were the perfect fit to be the page boys. Jessica’s daughter, who is 4, also was a bridesmaid! While Jessica is famous in Canada in her own right, she is a fashion stylist and has appeared on television shows, according to Town and Country, she is truly well known now after appearing in a gorgeous dress and allegedly serving as Meghan’s apparent unofficial wedding planner.
14 Seriously, Does Oprah Know Everyone?!
For real, if there is a big event, Oprah seems to be there! The well-known lady is everything, no doubting that. Clearly, she must know the royal family, and we are certain the entire royal family all know her (because really, who doesn’t?!). But, to some of us, it might be a bit of a surprise to actually see Oprah attending the royal wedding. In fact, it may come as a shock to many to even see Oprah on that side of the pond!
But, in fact, Oprah was an invited guest and attended looking classically beautiful.
Turns out, the royal family does know Oprah, through Meghan and her mom.
According to Elle Australia, Meghan’s mom, Doria Ragland, was seen leaving Oprah’s mansion a few weeks prior to the wedding. They report that Oprah would like to, or actually has, conducted an interview, likely a tell-all type of interview, so that the world can learn more about American-born Meghan, now known as the Duchess of Sussex, and her mother, a yoga instructor from California. Apparently, Oprah and Doria discussed race issues and how the world may react to Meghan and Harry’s royal marriage.
13 Maybe James Corden Is Vying For Royal Jester
Shocked to learn that funny-man James Corden attended the royal wedding? Not only was he invited, but, according to Elle Australia, Corden was specifically chosen to host the private royal reception. We bet that was a hoot! As it turns out, James Corden and Prince Harry are quite buddy-buddy. Cosmopolitan UK reports that James and Harry are essentially drinking buddies, and have “numerous boozy nights out in Mayfair together.”
And that just may be very true! Apparently, James and Harry have been friends for years now, and have been seen out partying the night away together, along with David Beckham! Now, that is quite the group! Imagine running into that trio at a bar?! Elle Australia also reports that James Corden, along with his wife Julia Carey, are close friends basically all of the royal family.
They even set Prince William and Kate’s newborn son, Louis, a gift after he was born. It seems a bit funny to think of James Corden hanging out with the royals, but maybe these royals are not as stuffy as they seem. Maybe they are actually loads of fun and laughs if comedian James Corden is a good friend and fit to be a royal wedding guest.
12 One Of Megan’s Surprising Best Friends
Actress Priyanka Chopra is known for her acting chops on shows such as Quantico and more. The Indian actress and singer certainly does not seem like she has any ties to the royal family! Yet, there she was, invited and in attendance at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. According to Bustle, Priyanka does not know the royals, but she does know the newest member of the royal clan, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan.
Bustle also reports that the actresses met each other while attending an event that was all about women. Priyanka had stated,
"We bonded as actors. We just became friends, like two girls would."
Even Meghan has talked about the incredible friendship that she has with Priyanka, "Priyanka is unbelievable," Markle said. "She has become a really good friend. ELLE Magazine in the U.S. hosted a dinner celebrating Women in TV, and we met that night — turns out that she really likes Suits.
"And you know when you meet someone and you just 'click'... It was just an easy, natural progression." Markle added, "We’ve managed to keep in touch via email and text, and try to see each other whenever we’re both in the same town."
11 A Man On Every Girl’s Wish List - Idris Elba
Women swoon over actor Idris Elba, best known for his roles in movies such as the Avengers movies, The Mountain Between Us, and so much more. Of course, he is really best known for not only being a fantastic actor, but also for being incredibly handsome! So, how did he get on the guest list for the royal wedding? It might seem odd to see him there.
As it turns out, it is believed that Idris and Prince Harry met a few years ago at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service held at Westminster Abbey in 2014, according to Cosmopolitan UK. They must have really hit it off and stayed in touch, since Idris earned a well-desired spot on the guest list at Prince Harry’s wedding.
Idris brought along his fiancee, Sabrina Dhowre, former model and Miss Vancouver. They had a great time. In fact, Idris really had a ball! As reported by Brides.com, Idris even was DJing the event, playing 80’s shows that made Meghan get up and dance! According to Brides.com, Idris has some DJing experience under his belt, so he was no stranger to getting the party started. It worked for Meghan and her gal pals who had a blast to the tunes of DJ Elba!
10 Harry's Infatuation With The Spice Girls
The Spice Girls at the royal wedding, no way! They certainly do not (or did not, back in their prime) seem like royal material at all, right?! As it turns out, Prince Harry has always had a thing for the Spice Girls! He was famously photographed with them at just 13 years old- seems like the dream of a teenage boy, right?! Rumors swirled around ahead of the royal wedding that not only would the entire Spice Girls clan be invited to the wedding, but they would also be performing. Turns out, that was just a rumor.
The Spice Girls hail from Great Britain, so it may not come as a surprise that they could possibly be invited to the wedding of the year. Well, as Elite Daily reports, only some of the Spice Girls were invited. Only Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice), Emma Bunton (Baby Spice), and Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice) were actually invited. That leaves out Mel B (Scary Spice) and Mel C (Sporty Spice) for reasons that are unknown. Fast forward to the actual wedding day, and it appears only Victoria Beckham was actually photographed as being in attendance. Who knows that the whole story is with the Spice Girls invites!
9 Serena Williams Knocked One Off The Court
That is right, tennis pro-Serena Williams and her husband, Alex Ohanian, were invited to the wedding of the century! They were guests of Prince Harry and Meghan, and that came as a bit of a surprise. Who would have thought the royal family knew the royal queen of the tennis court?!
Well, as it turns out, Serena and Meghan are closer than any of us could have ever imagined.
According to Cosmopolitan UK, Meghan and Serena met at a charity football game. The two hit it off, and after the game, Meghan challenged Serena to the Ice Bucket Challenge (which, if you remember, required participates to dump a bucket of ice water over their heads to raise money for ALS).
Elle Australia reports that Meghan said the following about her newfound friendship with Serena, “We are both the same age, have a penchant for hot sauces, and adore fashion, but what connects us more than those things is perhaps our belief in exceeding expectations—our endless ambition." Guess they exchanged invitations to events. Serena invited Meghan to tennis matches, so Meghan returned the favor by inviting Serena to the wedding of the century, her amazing royal wedding!
8 Was Tom Hardy There For Movie Ideas?
Tom Hardy is a well-known actor, so it might have seemed a bit strange to see him walking into the royal wedding. But, he had an invite and was a much-wanted guest! Tom Hardy is best known for his roles in action films, such as Mad Max, Black Hawk Down, and much more. Tom Hardy happens to know Prince Harry quite well, and in a very charitable fashion, believe it or not.
It turns out the tough guy Tom Hardy has a thing for charity. According to Cosmopolitan UK, Tom Hardy first met Prince Harry back in 2010 when Tom Hardy was named the ambassador for The Prince’s Trust, a charity founded by Prince Charles that works to help young people obtain an education, find jobs, receive training, and much more, according to princes-trust.org.uk. Who knew Tom Hardy was that kind of guy?! Prince Harry likely has worked closely with the actor in this charity, doing good deeds nonetheless.
Tom Hardy attended the royal wedding with his wife, Charlotte Riley. Many royals fans did not notice him at first, as he arrived with a different hairdo than we know him by- he was bald! Bustle.com reports that the actor is working on a film where he is playing the role of Al Capone.
7 James Blunt's Unique Connection To Harry
James Blunt is known for his hit song, You’re Beautiful. It makes many scratch their heads wondering how James Blunt got an invite to the royal wedding. Well, as Elle Australia reports, James Blunt may have more of a personal connection to Harry than many of the other celebrity guests.
James and Harry have an interesting connection to one another, and have known each other for quite some time. It was probably a no-brainer to Prince Harry to invite James and his wife to the wedding.
We may know James Blunt as a singer, but Prince Harry knows him as a soldier. They served together in the British Army, where James Blunt served as an officer. This is where the two men connected, and, so, James’ invitation to the royal wedding really has nothing to do with his singing (unless he liked to sing to his fellow comrades!).
James Blunt attended the wedding with his wife, Sofia Wellesley, who, interestingly enough, has her own royal connection. According to Elle Australia, Sofia is the granddaughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington. Looks like James and Sofia are the perfect fit for a royal wedding guest. They have both a personal and a royal connection.
6 Megan’s Co-Stars Lucky To Have Worked With Her
The royal wedding between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry is one that many people were hoping to obtain an invitation to attend. Only the lucky ones got invited to the big day, and the even luckier ones got a personal invite to the private reception. In other words, you have to be someone special and someone very near and dear to both Meghan and Harry in order to be at their wedding! We all know that Meghan did not even invite the majority of her family, only her mother was in attendance that day.
Lucky for Meghan she has good friends that have stood by her side and supported her through her relationship with Prince Harry.
Her co-workers from her show Suits, really hit the jackpot because most of them received an invite to the royal wedding!
Sarah Rafferty, Meghan’s co-star, spoke to People, and shared this about them and their female co-stars, “We called ourselves the sister wives… We were with each other for longer than we went to college or high school with our friends,” she said, adding, “So we became family. We’re still family, so this is a wonderful family affair.” Looks like Meghan made some nice friends!
5 Mumford And Sons... And Royalty?
Mumford and Sons is a band out of Britain, so it may not be totally shocking to see some musicians at the royal wedding, but this one kind of surprised many people, who were wondering how Prince Harry and Meghan know a member of this well-known band, known for their hit songs, such as I Will Wait.
Cosmopolitan UK reported that Marcus Mumford and his wife, Carey Mulligan were invited and in attendance at the wedding of the year. Turns out, both members of this couple know Prince Harry! Carey does charity work for War Child Charity in the Congo which has put in her touch with Prince Harry who is big on charity work. Her musician husband, Marcus, also does charity work for One Campaign, which works to combat AIDS and poverty.
Elle Australia reports that Marcus Mumford and Prince Harry have known each other for awhile, too. Back in 2013, Prince Harry took his then-girlfriend, Cressida Bonas to see Mumford and Sons, and were invited backstage. Marcus and Harry appeared to have gotten along quite well and have continued their friendship all these years it seems!
4 Kate’s Family Is Part Of Royalty Now Too
Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, has an amazing sister-in-law, and apparently, they get along just wonderfully. Many people were surprised to see some of Kate’s family in attendance at Prince Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding, but really,
Kate’s family is now part of the wider royal family now, too!
We see no reason why Kate’s parents, sister, and brother would not be included at the royal wedding. Some do not understand it, but it makes sense for them to be included, or at the very least, invited. They did all attend, too. Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton looked lovely as they walked into the ceremony. Kate’s infamous sister, Pippa, who is pregnant, looked stunning in a floral dress walking alongside her husband, as reported by US Magazine.
Kate’s brother, James, also was in attendance. They are all one big happy (and royal!) family now! It looks like Meghan is inheriting two sisters with the likes of Kate and Pippa. Pippa invited Meghan to her wedding last year. We think it is nice, for Meghan to have this seemingly wonderful extended family, since her family, aside from her beautiful mom, Doria, is not that great it appears.
3 Singer Joss Stone Is A Royal Favorite
It may come as a surprise to find out that singer Joss Stone was invited to the royal wedding, but she happens to be closer to Prince Harry, Meghan, and other members of the royal family than we all would think she would be. Joss Stone is certainly known for her talented singing from which she garnered most of her fame, but she also happens to be a very charitable person, which is where her connection to the royals comes in.
According to Cosmopolitan UK, Joss Stone is the ambassador for the Sentebale charity to help orphans with AIDS in Lesotho. Prince Harry created this organization. Elle Australia reports that Prince Harry and Joss Stone met over a decade ago in the charity arena. Since then, she has paired with Prince Harry to do humanitarian work.
This has brought her closer to many members of the royal family and all the charitable contributions they make to society. Joss Stone attended Prince William and Kate’s wedding and also sang for Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee celebration a few years ago. After learning all of this, it kind of seems like a no-brainer for Prince Harry and Meghan to send an invitation her way.
2 A Connection To Diana Through Elton John
According to Cosmopolitan UK, singer Elton John was very close with Prince Harry’s late mother, Diana. We all know that Princess Diana was killed in a horrific car crash while being chased by the paparazzi. Prince Harry was only 12 years old when he lost his mother (his brother, Prince William, was 15 years old). Both boys were incredibly close their mom, so it was devastating for them when she died. Prince Harry, as well as his brother, try to honor their mother in the best ways they know how.
For Prince Harry, at his wedding, it meant including those people who were near and dear to his late mother’s heart.
Some people may wonder why Elton John would be at the royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, but that answer is really quite simple. Prince Harry’s mother would have wanted him there. Not only was Elton John invited and in attendance, but he also performed at the newly wedded couple’s lunchtime reception, according to People. The site also reports that Prince Harry asked Elton John personally if he would be willing to perform. The singer had also performed Candle In The Wind at Princess Diana’s funeral.
1 An Unofficial Royal Family In Attendance
The entire royal family, from Queen Elizabeth to Prince Charles to Prince William and Kate to now Prince Harry and Meghan, maybe the official royals of Great Britain, but David and Victoria Beckham may hold that candle close, reigning in the title of unofficial king and queen! The Beckhams are a very well known family in England and around the world. David may be a football star and
Victoria may be well known for her role in the Spice Girls and in the fashion world, but more importantly, they are known for their incredible charity work. This is how they know Prince Harry and Meghan.
We have already learned that Prince Harry and the unofficial prince David are buddies. They spent time together, both in the charitable arena, and socially. Some people were surprised to learn how close Prince Harry and Meghan are with the Beckham clan, and the fact they were invited to the royal wedding. Now, it should come as no surprise that the Beckhams are quite tight with the royal family. They also attended Prince William and Kate’s wedding! Do you think Victoria hooked Meghan (and Kate) up with some fashion goodies??!
References: Cosmopolitan UK, People, Town and Country, Brides.com, Bustle, Elle Australia, Hello Magazine, US Magazine, Elite Daily