British Royal Family Traditions That Prince Harry And Meghan Are Breaking — And Keeping

The countdown for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding has begun! The grand union is set to take place in the springtime of next year, with the crisp month of May looking like it could hold the final date.

British citizens and excited observers from around the world are following every step of the lovely couple's engagement, with many of them wondering if Prince Harry will hold a wedding similar to that of his older brother's, Prince William, that broke a handful of royal wedding rules. 

Will Prince Harry and his bride-to-be stick to tradition, or will the couple challenge convention? We'll keep you posted. 

Prince William has been made Prince Harry's best man 

 

It may seem like an unsurprising announcement, but according to royal British tradition, there is technically no such thing as the best man in royal weddings. Instead, a "supporter" or "supporters" are chosen to become the best man, or men. Prince William broke this tradition by choosing Prince Harry to become his best man, while Prince Harry will be giving his brother the same honor at his wedding. 

 

This royal wedding looks like it will be scheduled on a weekend 

Traditionally, royal weddings in Britain are held on weekdays and the day is officially declared a bank holiday. Thanks to the free day, British citizens get to watch the ceremony unfold on television at home, or can gather on the streets to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds if they're lucky. Although no official date has been set for Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding, the couple is said to be considering holding it on a Saturday. 

 

Prince Harry will wear a traditional military uniform at the ceremony 

 

As the groom, and a prince, Harry is expected to don traditional military dress at his wedding. It is customary for British monarchy to wear traditional garments during formal occasions. Meghan, on the other hand, must wear a white wedding dress — a tradition began by Queen Victoria when she chose to wear white to her wedding in 1840, a time when richly colored wedding dresses were in fashion. 

 

Meghan's wedding bouquet has to have myrtle in it

Wedding planners may be light years away from deciding on Meghan's bouquet, but British royal tradition requires that it incorporate a sprig of myrtle — an herb that is said to bless a marriage with happiness and good fortune. Bridal myrtle doesn't just come from anywhere, though; Princess Victoria (the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria) first used it in her bouquet, and myrtle given to every succeeding royal bride has been plucked from the very same myrtle bush Prince Victoria tended to. 

 

Car or coach: what will the couple choose? 

 

In the past, British royal brides were transported to the ceremony and the reception on a horse-drawn glass coach in true fairytale fashion. Kate Middleton broke away from this by opting to ride the Queen's Rolls Royce Phantom to take her and her father to her wedding, while Prince Charles and Camilla picked a dashing Bentley to take after their wedding. Princess Diana chose the 1881 Glass Coach to bring her to Westminster Abby for the ceremony. What will Meghan's pick be? 

 

St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle is the official wedding venue 

Choosing this historic Gothic chapel was an unexpected decision from this couple. As most people expect royal weddings to be as awe-inspiring as can be in terms of grandeur and number of guests, Prince Harry and Meghan have instead expressed their desire to hold a more intimate wedding. The chapel can accommodate approximately 800 guests — a big difference from the traditional royal wedding venue of choice, Westminster Abbey, that can house 2,000 people. 

Whether Prince Harry and Meghan maintain tradition or shake things up a little, these things are for sure. The ceremony will be absolutely beautiful, and the couple can look forward to being in wedded bliss!