Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have chosen the month of May for their wedding, but one royal ancestor would not have approved.
Harry's great-great-great-great grandmother Queen Victoria refused to allow her children to marry in May because she considered it unlucky.
The superstitious rhyme "Marry in May, and rue the day" may have put Victorian brides off, with 19th century priests often dealing with a rush of people who wanted to marry on April 30 to avoid it.
Successful royals weddings in May include the Queen's eldest grandson Peter Phillips and his Canadian bride Autumn Kelly who wed in Harry and Ms Markle's chosen venue, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on May 17 2008.
The couple, who have two daughters, celebrate their 10 year anniversary next May.
But the Queen's sister Princess Margaret married Antony Armstrong Jones, later the Earl of Snowdon, on May 6 1960 and that marriage ended in divorce.
May has two bank holidays, Monday May 7 and Monday May 28 this year. Schools also break for a half term over the second bank holiday, known as the Spring Bank Holiday.
Princess Charlotte of Cambridge's third birthday is on May 2, which makes this date unlikely.
The first week of May might also be unsuitable for the Duchess of Cambridge if she goes overdue with the birth of her third child, plus local government elections are taking place on May 3.
It could be that the royal wedding takes place in late May to give Kate the chance to recover after the arrival of the new prince or princess.
Royal weddings traditionally take place on a weekday.
Queen Victoria herself married in February on a rainy day with high winds.
