Entertainment
Queen Elizabeth may be small in stature, but her influence, not only on the British Isles, but all over the world, is mighty. And thanks to the upcoming nuptials between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, those tuning in will be reminded of just how important she is. The queen's role at the royal wedding has yet to be disclosed, but those close to the royal family have said that it's definitely important. While speaking with Entertainment Tonight, royal expert Katie Nicholl called the queen's role in the big event "very prominent and important," but what does that mean exactly?
When looking into the history of royal weddings, the queen has seemingly always had a heavy hand within — both leading up to and during the big events. Whether giving the royal who's ready to wed her seal of approval on their future spouse, or opening up her home to host the big day, whatever the queen wants she seems to get. But seriously... when the rest of the world is waiting for you to give your public blessing for the royal engaged couple, it's clear that you're kind of a big deal.
It's going to be a bummer not being able to see footage of Queen Elizabeth enjoying herself as she listens to the sweet sounds of the Spice Girls at the royal reception, but at least her presence has been felt throughout the events leading up to the big day.
1
Delivering The Official Stamp Of Approval
It's normal for close family members of the soon-to-be newlyweds to offer their blessings before the nuptials, but when it comes to the royals, getting the queen's official approval is a necessity. Before Prince Harry can even walk down the aisle, Her Majesty must give her royal consent. And thankfully, the Queen of England delivered the written approval, publicly, just in time.
In the official letter, dated for March 14, the queen wrote,
"I declare My Consent to a Contract of Matrimony between My Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales and Rachel Meghan Markle, which Consent I am causing to be signified under the Great Seal and to be entered in the Books of the Privy Council."
And the world can't wait to see the queen's "Beloved Grandson" wed the Suits star on May 19.
2
Wedding Planning
It's been reported that, while the queen would typically have a big influence over the ceremony details, Her Majesty has decided to take a back seat with the wedding planning. According to royal expert Nicholls, Queen Elizabeth is "being very, very accommodating."
"She has said to the couple, 'This is your wedding, this is your day. Plan it as you want it'," noted Nicholls in the Entertainment Tonight interview. "[This] is very generous because, don't forget, the queen is opening up her home."
And things can't get any sweeter than that.
3
Hosting The Nuptials
Speaking of the queen being generous, the royal couple is having their ceremony at Windsor Castle, AKA where Her Majesty lies her sleeping head.
4
The Wedding Gift
It's pretty much a universal custom to purchase a wedding gift for a couple, and according to reports, Queen Elizabeth might deliver the most extravagant ones out of all of Prince Harry and Markle's guests. And they're not talking fine china or vintage cutlery. It's being reported that Her Majesty is considering gifting the soon-to-be-newlyweds with one of her properties, and fancy royal titles to match — just as Queen Elizabeth gifted Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Prince Charles and Kate Middleton.
According to the Independent, Prince Harry and Markle could be the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Connaught, Clarence, or Windsor after their official nuptials. And in addition, they could be calling York Cottage home sometime soon.
5
Mailing The Invitations
And when it comes to mailing out those coveted invites, yeah, it's mandatory for the queen to do that too. It's being reported that royal protocol requires that the official wedding invititations come from Queen Elizabeth, so if you didn't receive one in the mail, don't send Prince Harry and Markle your complaints.
With all of the important tasks that Queen Elizabeth has taken on throughout the planning process, it's only right that she have an equally significant role in the actual ceremony. And since it hasn't been announced just what role the engaged couple would like for Her Majesty to play on the big day, royal watchers will seemingly have to wait until May 19 to find out.
