Prince William was once close with his brother (Image: WireImage)
Prince Harry played a very important role in Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, before their relationship crumbled amid a bitter royal feud.
On April 29, 2011, university sweethearts Kate Middleton and Prince William emerged at the top of the steps outside Westminster Abbey after tying the knot. After sharing a fleeting glance, the newlyweds descended the red-carpeted stairs to embark on their new life together.
“It was the most perfect, magnificent day, a real show of the best of Britain,” royal commentator Richard Palmer recalled. “Many people really felt like they knew William and Kate as individuals, and while the popularity of the royal family had fluctuated over Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, the wedding between William and Kate really heralded a new era for the monarchy.” William and Kate’s anniversary came as King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the US on a state visit.
The Duke of Sussex was best man at his brother’s wedding and Palmer suggested his speech at the reception went down a treat with guests.
He told The Mirror, “When I spoke to people coming out of the wedding reception at Buckingham Palace later on in the day everyone commented on what an incredible and fantastic time they had had – particularly listening to Harry’s funny best man speech, which I think showcased him at his very best.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton got married in 2011 (Image: Getty)
Royal broadcaster Katie Nicholl said the wedding was one of the most unforgettable royal occasions of recent generations. “It was an absolutely momentous day,” she said.
Nicholl added, “We had this lovely young woman marrying a prince, who she happened to meet and fall in love with at university, and it felt like the entire nation was invested in this fairy-tale royal romance. The whole day was beautiful. Her dress, the ceremony, the carriage procession from the Abbey back to Buckingham Palace… It was full of magical moments.”
Alongside royalty from across the globe, including the Sultan and Queen of Brunei and the King and Queen of Swaziland, several prominent entertainment figures also made the guest list for the wedding, among them Sir Elton John, David and Victoria Beckham, and singer Joss Stone.
An additional 24 million viewers tuned in from their homes across the globe.
Prince Harry was the best man (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Prince William, dressed in his Irish Guards uniform, made his entrance into Westminster Abbey from the nearby Clarence House, spending the tense moments before the ceremony began alongside his brother and best man Prince Harry.
Charles and Camilla, at the time the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, were the first of the royal guests to take their seats, with the father of the groom cutting a striking figure in his Royal Navy commander’s full-dress uniform.
Camilla wore an oyster-coloured coat dress by one of her favored designers, Anna Valentine, complemented by a hat from royal milliner Philip Treacy.
As the royal attendees settled into their places, Kate was making her way from the nearby Goring Hotel, traveling in a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI alongside her father, Michael Middleton.
Emerging from the car, Kate unveiled an ivory dress created by Sarah Burton, creative director at Alexander McQueen.
The ivory satin bodice featured subtle padding at the hips and a cinched waist, “and was inspired by the Victorian tradition of corsetry that is a particular Alexander McQueen hallmark,” according to the Palace, incorporating floral designs hand-applied onto silk netting by artisans at the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace.
After briefly pausing to acknowledge the crowds, a visibly anxious Kate stepped into the Abbey to walk the 97 meters to the High Altar as the Choir of Westminster Abbey sang I Was Glad by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry.
The Dean of Westminster led the service, while Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams officially united the couple in marriage. Prior to the ceremony, the Archbishop characterized them as “sensible, realistic young people.”
The wedding was watched around the globe (Image: POOL WPA/AFP via Getty Images)
“They have known what matters, what’s the heart of all this,” he told the BBC. “They have worked towards that because I think they are deeply unpretentious people and that message about taking that responsibility sensibly, realistically and courageously, and that comes over very strongly in conversation with them.”
The ceremony featured a reading by Kate’s brother James Middleton – the sole scripture passage during the service – selected by William and Kate, proclaiming “Let love be genuine.”
The couple exchanged vows to “love, comfort, honor and keep” each other.