Key Takeaways

  • At Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding, Prince Harry served as the groom’s best man.
  • In his speech, he included a number of jokes, as well as heartfelt reflections.
  • His kind words ultimately made Kate cry, according to a royal biographer.

When Prince William and Kate Middleton said “I do” on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey, millions tuned in from around the world to watch the duo exchange their vows. However, while eager fans followed the opulent ceremony, post-nuptial carriage ride, and romantic kiss at Buckingham Palace, only invited guests witnessed the subsequent festivities. At their evening reception, the newlyweds participated in a number of traditional customs, including listening to their loved ones’ heartfelt speeches. However, when it came time for Prince Harry to give his best man toast, his words reportedly left Kate in tears, according to Christopher Andersen, a royal biographer, the Daily Mail reported.

In Andersen’s book Brothers and Wives, the royal expert notes that in Harry’s speech he apologized to Kate “for having to marry a bald man,” gave impressions of his brother, and revealed William’s nickname for his partner, Babykins, to all of their guests. Additionally, during the toast, Harry referred to the couple as “the dude and the duchess.” However, while the best man added touches of humor to the occasion with his words, he also made sure to include a few heartfelt reflections. “There were muffled sobs when Harry told his brother, ‘Our mother would be so very proud of you,’ and sighs when he said he loved Kate like a sister,” Andersen wrote, according to the Daily Mail. When Harry admitted that the newlyweds’ romance was inspiring to him in his own dating life, Kate reportedly wiped away tears.

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Before giving his speech, Harry turned to his best friends, Thomas Van Straubenzee and Guy Pelly, for their thoughts on his proposed words. Upon reading the draft, the two pushed him to drop a reference to “Kate’s killer legs,” the Daily Mail reported in 2011. Ultimately, his speech at the post-nuptial celebration included a number of sentimental notes. “Harry said William was the perfect brother,” an attendee told the Daily Mail. “It was exactly how you would expect a best man’s speech to be. He cracked loads of jokes about William. He called him a ‘dude’ several times. He kept coming back to it, saying ‘What a dude.'”

Harry’s speech clearly made an impact on William. When it came time for him to give the best man speech at Harry’s 2018 nuptials to Meghan Markle, he also opted to include a number of jabs and jokes. According to the Daily Mail, William delivered a “naughty” toast at the celebration. However, even though William may have showcased his humor in his remarks, then-Prince Charles took a more sentimental approach for his toast, mentioning how proud he was of his son. “He ended it calling him, ‘My darling old Harry, I’m so happy for you,’ which was very sweet,” a guest told People at the time.