Meghan Markle Reveals She Kept Surprise on Wedding Veil a Secret from Prince Harry
What do you do when your marriage requires you to acclimate to an entirely new culture? If you’re Meghan Markle, you dive in with both feet.
The Duchess of Sussex has speedily learned the ins and outs of royal protocol. She even has apparently learned how to speak with a British accent.
But as big as those endeavors are, Meghan has done even more: She has embraced her adopted country’s traditions, even incorporating them into the veil she wore on her wedding day.
Truth be told, most Americans have at least heard of the nuptial tradition that Meghan honored. According to The Knot, it dates back to an Old English rhyme.
“Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixpence in your Shoe.” Along with a bit of money to smooth her way, a bride is supposed to include these four objects in her wedding as good luck charms.
Meghan did just that when she wed Prince Harry, specifically in what she chose to adorn her head. Newsweek stated that her “something borrowed” was Queen Mary’s diamond tiara, a crown crafted in 1932.
Her “something blue,” though is sure to thrill the hearts of romantic readers the world over. See, on her first date with Harry, she wore a blue dress.
Before she strode down the stone aisle of St. George’s Chapel, she had Givenchy designer Clare Waight Keller weave a piece of that dress into her veil. And that wasn’t the only surprise Meghan included.
She told Keller that she wanted to include a nod to the Commonwealth of Nations in the garment. The Commonwealth is comprised of 53 countries, most of which are former British territories.
“It was important for me, especially now being a part of the Royal Family, to have all 53 of the Commonwealth countries incorporated,” she said in the documentary “Queen of the World.”
“I knew that it would be a fun surprise as well for my now husband, who didn’t know, and he was really over the moon to find out that I would make this choice for our day together.”
So how did Meghan pay tribute to all of these different nations? Well, as the Daily Mail reports, the 15-foot-long veil was decorated with different flowers.
These weren’t just any flowers either. Each one corresponded to a different area.
For instance, one section of the veil was stitched with a Sri Lankan blue water lilly, while another bore Rwanda’s torch lily. It also included the Victoria Regia water lily from Guyana.
In “The Queen of the World,” Meghan can be heard saying, “Fifty-three countries, oh my goodness! It’ll keep us busy.”
Meghan said that her husband’s family was just as surprised as he was. “I think the other members of the family had a similar reaction and just appreciation for the fact that we understand how important this is for us and the role that we play, and the work that we’re going to continue to do within the Commonwealth countries,” she said.
“So, yeah, it was good news all around, I think. So I hope people liked it as much as I liked helping to create it.”
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