Harry and Meghan put own touch on ceremony

The Order of Service for Harry and Meghan's royal wedding reveals how they are putting their own modern touch to the traditional ceremony.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are bringing their own modern touch to their royal marriage ceremony, fusing the traditional and the contemporary.

The couple's Order of Service reveals the soul classic Stand By Me by Ben E King will echo around the 15th century St George's chapel, performed by Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir.

Harry will also wear a ring, Meghan will not promise to obey her husband and the wording of the service is more contemporary than traditional.

The gospel choir will perform Etta James' uplifting version of Amen/This Little Light of Mine - a favourite in African-American churches - as the newlyweds leave the chapel.

The service will also feature English Baroque composer William Boyce's Symphony No.1 in B flat.

Although the ceremony in the Gothic surrounds of Windsor Castle's chapel is deeply religious, the service will use the words from the more up-to-date Marriage Service from Common Worship (2000), which features modern language, such as "you" rather than "thee" or "thou".

The prince and his American former actress bride will pledge themselves to one another "for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, 'til death us do part".

In The Declarations part of the service, they will also promise to love, comfort, honour, and protect one another and be faithful to one another for the rest of their lives.

The 600-strong congregation, which will include the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, will be asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury: "Will you, the families and friends of Harry and Meghan, support and uphold them in their marriage now and in the years to come?"

The guests will answer: "We will".

Welsh rugby anthem Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, otherwise known as Bread of Heaven, is among the hymns - likely to have been chosen by rugby fan Harry.

He is patron of England's Rugby Football Union, while brother and best man the Duke of Cambridge is royal patron of the Welsh Rugby Union.

With Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, pulling out of attending the wedding due to ill health just two days before the big day, the Order of Service still makes reference to him escorting his daughter through the Quire.

This duty will now be performed by the Prince of Wales, while Thomas Markle is in Mexico.

There was not enough time to reprint the 600 copies of the 20-page A4 Order of Service.

Diana, Princess of Wales' sister Lady Jane Fellowes will deliver a reading from the Song of Solomon, which stresses the strength and power of love, with Harry and Meghan wanting the family of the prince's late mother to play a role on the day.

Music before the service includes Ralph Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Greensleeves and Elgar's Chanson de Matin.

In keeping with royal wedding tradition, the national anthem will be played at the end.


Share
3 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world
Harry and Meghan put own touch on ceremony | SBS News