Saturday’s wedding is set to provide Britain a national boost at a time of worry over Brexit. /AFP
The royal wedding of Prince Harry and his glamorous fiancee Meghan Markle is a moment of light relief for a Britain weighed down by political, social and economic woes.
With growth shrinking and the government riven over Brexit, Saturday’s wedding is set to provide a national boost and give people an excuse to party.
Around 100,000 people are expected to pack the streets of Windsor, west of London, to join in the festive atmosphere and get a glimpse of the newlyweds’ carriage winding through the town.
Some 2,640 people have been invited inside the Windsor Castle grounds for a closer look — among them Rashid Bhayat.
“It certainly could be a moment of national unity. It is a real opportunity for the country to celebrate,” the youth inclusion charity chief told AFP.
The wedding in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle brings together Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson, who is sixth in line to the throne, and US former actress Markle, who at 36 is three years his senior.
The dress and the wedding rings are a closely-guarded secret, as is Harry’s uniform and whether he will be given a new title.
The service starts at midday, with the newlyweds emerging to pose on the chapel steps at 1 p.m. before a 25-minute carriage ride through Windsor town.
Queen Elizabeth is then giving a reception for the 600 guests in the castle’s St. George’s Hall.
In the evening, Harry’s father Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, is hosting a private reception for 200 family and close friends at nearby Frogmore House.