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11:30am PDT, Apr 29, 2023
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Prince William married Kate Middleton 12 years ago on April 29, 2011. To mark their anniversary, we’re taking a look at the wedding venues favored by members of Britain’s royal family…
Prince William and Kate — who in 2022 became the Princes of Wales after 11 years of being the Duchess of Cambridge — hosted approximately 1,900 guests during their wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey including numerous celebrities, politicians and public figures, plus an estimated 2 billion viewers tuned in to watch from home. In addition to being a popular royal wedding venue, the Abbey — seen here during the couple’s 2011 nuptials — is also where British monarchs are traditionally coronated and buried.
Keep reading to learn more about their wedding venue and to see all the other churches where British royals have exchanged vows…
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On Nov. 20, 1947, Queen Elizabeth II (then still a princess) exchanged holy vows of matrimony with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to whom she was married for 73 years until his death in 2021 (she passed away 17 months later). The couple said “I do” amongst a prestigious crowd of royal family members and friends in the historic Westminster Abbey (where Prince William and Kate Middleton wed), which was built in 1245 by King Henry III. The ceremony was broadcast live over the radio for approximately 2 million listeners and celebrated in the streets by Londoners. In this photo, we see a young Elizabeth and Philip posing with her father, King George VI, and mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother (right), as well as their royal entourage of siblings, cousins and others.
MORE: The best photos from Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding
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On May 19, 2018, Prince Harry married Meghan Markle at St. George’s Chapel (left), which is inside the gates of Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. The site has been a go-to venue for many royal nuptials ever since King Edward VII married Princess Alexandra of Denmark there in 1863. As for more recent decades? Princess Eugenie wed Jack Brooksbank there in October 2018. Her and Harry’s second cousin Peter Phillips wed Autumn Kelly at St. George’s Chapel in 2008, and their uncle Prince Edward married Sophie Rhys-Jones there in 1999. Queen Elizabeth II and husband Prince Philip were both buried in St. George’s Chapel in 2021 and 2022. Keep reading for more views of the popular royal wedding (and funeral) venue…
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St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle seats about 900.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — who became the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their wedding day — married at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018. The chapel was built on the grounds of Windsor Castle between 1483 and 1528 and remains a beautiful testament to Gothic architecture. It’s also the same chapel where the royal family celebrates Easter each year, as well as the service of The Order of the Garter — a 700-year-old order inspired by the tales of King Arthur and his chivalrous knights. Following the nuptial service, the royal couple took a horse-drawn carriage ride through the town of Windsor, much like Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank did a few months later.
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This is a view of the altar inside St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle as Prince Charles accompanied future daughter-in-law Meghan Markle down the aisle as she prepared to marry Prince Harry on May 19, 2018.
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Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Oct. 12, 2018 — the same spot her cousin Prince Harry wed Meghan Markle five months earlier.
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Prince Edward is the youngest of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s four children and was the last to walk down the aisle. On June 19, 1999, Edward and his bride, Sophie Rhys-Jones, said “I do” amongst family and friends at St. George’s Chapel — the same place Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married on May 19, 2018. So far, Prince Edward — who in 2023 became the Duke of Edinburgh — is the only one of Queen Elizabeth’s children who hasn’t divorced.
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On May 17, 2008, Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, married Autumn Kelly, a Canadian commoner he met while at the Montreal Grand Prix. According to Peter, he didn’t even tell Autumn he was a member of the royal family. The couple fell madly in love and were married at St. George’s Chapel on the Windsor Palace grounds. Wedding guests included Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and more than 300 others, as well as Autumn’s family, who flew in from Canada. Peter doesn’t carry any formal title but as Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, is still afforded the privileges and responsibilities as a member of the royal family. He also happened to be the first of her grandchildren to get married. He and Autumn announced their split in 2020.
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Several former monarchs — including Henry VIII and his third wife, Jane Seymour, as well as Queen Elizabeth II’s grandfather, Edward VII — are buried in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, which has a stunning interior. Elizabeth was buried there in 2022 — a year after husband Prince Philip was laid to rest there as well.
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The marriage of Prince Charles — now King Charles III — and Lady Diana Spencer was one of the biggest events of the ’80s. The ceremony, which took place on July 29, 1981, was viewed at home by more than 750 million people — a staggering number for the time. The couple exchanged vows in the historic St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, which was built from 1675 to 1710, replacing the previous house of worship on the site that was burned in the Great London Fire. Though they had a fairy tale day at the gorgeous venue, Diana and Charles divorced in 1996 after allegations of infidelity ripped through the press, with Di later saying the wedding was the “worst day” of her life.
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St. Paul’s Cathedral, seen here during Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ 1981 wedding, features architecture in the English Baroque style.
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After their respective divorces, longtime couple Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles finally made their union official on April 9, 2005, in a civil ceremony held at the Windsor Guildhall, which was built in 1689, in historic Berkshire. The queen and Prince Philip were not in attendance at the wedding, but they did host a reception after the ceremony for the newly married couple — who are pictured here in the White Drawing Room at WIndsor Castle. After the ceremony, Camilla was given the title Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall. In 2022, she became Queen Consort Camilla when her husband became King Charles III.
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After exchanging vows in a civil ceremony at the Windsor Guildhall, seen here, the future King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla headed to St. George’s Chapel for a Church of England service of prayer and dedication, then celebrated with a reception at nearby Windsor Castle.
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The Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor, England — where Princess Beatrice married property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on July 17, 2020 — is located on the grounds of Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, which at the time was the home of her parents, Prince Andrew and ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York. The newlyweds are seen here with the bride’s grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, after the ceremony. Keep reading for another view of the church…
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The Royal Chapel of All Saints at Royal Lodge in Windsor, England, was built in the early 19th century. It was later frequented by bride Princess Beatrice’s great-grandmother, the Queen Mother (formerly known as queen consort Queen Elizabeth), when she lived at Royal Lodge following the death of her husband, King George VI. The Queen Mother remained there until she herself passed away in 2002; after that, Beatrice’s father, Prince Andrew, made it his home. The neo-gothic church is seen here ahead of the Queen Mother’s funeral in 2002.
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Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi were originally supposed to marry at the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace in London in May 2020 — until the coronavirus pandemic altered their plans. The chapel holds regular church services that are open to the general public. It also hosts high-profile royal christenings (Prince George and Prince Louis were both baptized here). The Chapel Royal has hosted several notable royal weddings: It’s where Beatrice’s great-great-great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg in 1840, and where Beatrice’s great-great-grandfather King George V (who was then, like her father, the Duke of York) wed the future Queen Mary in 1893.
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The Chapel Royal is located inside London’s St. James’s Palace (seen here from the street), which was built by the Tudors in 1531 on the order of King Henry VIII. It’s the most senior royal palace in Britain and pre-dates the queen’s official London residence, Buckingham Palace. Many royals — including Princess Beatrice as well as Princess Anne — have lived in its apartments. King Charles III also used to live there with Prince William and Prince Harry when they were boys.
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If you don’t recognize the names Marion Stein or George Lascelles, don’t worry. Although a lesser-known royal, George was the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and the 7th Earl of Harewood. As such, he was afforded all the vestiges of a royal wedding ceremony when he took Marion’s hand. Marion was a commoner, although someone of notoriety due to her career as a concert pianist. The two wed on Sept. 29, 1949, at St. James’s Palace in London, which was built by King Henry VIII in 1536. In this photo commemorating the marriage, we can see Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) and King George VI (right) both in attendance. In 1964, after the earl fathered a child out of wedlock, Marion divorced him (although she required permission from Queen Elizabeth II to do so), allowing him to marry the baby’s mother.
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On July 30, 2011 — just a few months after Prince William married Duchess Kate in a televised ceremony at Westminster Abbey — the queen’s eldest granddaughter, Zara Phillips, walked down the aisle in a much more low-key wedding. Zara, the daughter of Princess Anne, exchanged vows with English pro rugby player Mike Tindall at the 17th century Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland, then celebrated with their guests — including Granny and the rest of the royal family — at a reception at the nearby Palace of Holyroodhouse.
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Scotland’s Canongate Kirk — where Zara Phillips married Mike Tindall in 2011 — sits on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile near the Scottish Parliament and Holyrood Palace. Construction on the stone church was completed in 1691.
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On July 14, 1994, the Queen’s niece, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones (daughter of Princess Margaret) married Daniel Chatto in a ceremony at London’s St. Stephen Walbrook church, which was built in 1672 following the Great Fire of London. The small ceremony didn’t include any of the usual trappings of a royal wedding (no horse-drawn carriage, no red carpet, no ringing bells) but was attended by Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who had recently been in the papers for Charles’ alleged extra-marital affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Lady Sarah and Daniel (who wasn’t bestowed a royal title) are still married today.
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St. Stephen Walbrook church in London, where Princes Margaret’s daughter married in 1994, was restored after suffering bombing damage in a 1941 air raid during World War II.
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Queen Elizabeth’s first cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, married Katherine Worsley in the Gothic-style Norman cathedral known as York Minster on June 8, 1961. Their wedding was the first royal union to be held there since 1328, when King Edward III married Queen Philippa of Hainault under its arched dome. The blushing bride was attended by eight bridesmaids, including an 11-year-old Princess Anne — Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter.
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Queen Elizabeth’s first cousin, the Duke of Kent, wed at the stunning Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, England — more commonly known as York Minster — which is the seat of the second highest office of the Church of England.
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On July 3, 1978, Prince Michael of Kent (Queen Elizabeth’s first cousin and the brother of Princess Alexandra and Prince Edward) married Baroness Christine von Reibnitz in a ceremony at the town hall in Vienna, Austria. The royal wedding was performed just one month after Christine’s first marriage, to a banker, was annulled by none other than the Pope himself. Today we know the baroness as Princess Michael of Kent.
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Yet another royal couple that tied the knot in Westminster Abbey was Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York. The duo exchanged vows on July 23, 1986, five years after Andrew’s older brother, Prince Charles, wed Princess Diana at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Following tradition, the couple’s wedding was broadcast on live television and after the ceremony, Andrew and Sarah were escorted back to Buckingham Palace where they stood on the balcony to wave to crowds that had gathered to celebrate their union. The couple separated in 1992 and later divorced in 1996. Although they never remarried, the two have remained the closest of friends and reportedly still live together.
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On April 26, 1923, another famous Elizabeth married in the historic Gothic cathedral known as Westminster Abbey: Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon wed her beau, Prince Albert, Duke of York (yes, the current queen’s parents). The prince was, at the time, second in line to the throne held by his parents, King George V and Queen Mary. In 1936, Albert’s eldest brother, Prince Edward, ascended the throne to become King Edward VIII, but his rule only lasted a few short months. That same year, the king abdicated the throne for love (he wanted to marry an American divorcée, which wasn’t allowed at the time). The shakeup led Albert to take the title King George VI and made his wife, formerly Lady Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth (later known as the Queen Mother). The couple is seen here at Buckingham Palace for the traditional public viewing and balcony kiss on their wedding day.
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The royal wedding of Princess Margaret (Queen Elizabeth II’s little sister) on May 6, 1960, was another major event in England and around the world. Margaret (seen here with her brother-in-law, Prince Philip) wed photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones. Their marriage ceremony at Westminster Abbey was the first royal wedding in history to be televised. Nearly 16 years after they exchanged vows, Margaret and Antony, Earl of Snowdon, separated, officially divorcing in 1978.
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The Nov. 14, 1973, wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s only daughter, Princess Anne, was the first royal wedding featuring one of the monarch’s children, making it an extra-special event. The princess and Captain Mark Phillips exchanged vows at Westminster Abbey on brother Prince Charles’ 25th birthday. It was witnessed by more than 500 million viewers at home. Upon their union, the queen offered Mark an earldom, but he declined. The couple, who share two children, divorced in 1992 after both were embroiled in cheating scandals.
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Princess Alexandra is the sister of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. On April 24, 1963, the princess married the Honorable Angus Ogilvy in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London. Alexandra was one of Elizabeth’s bridesmaids at her 1947 wedding. Although the queen was in attendance at Alexandra’s wedding (as was the Queen Mother), she did not serve as one of her bridesmaids.
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A distant royal relative, Lady Helen Windsor (the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II’s first cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent) married her beau, Tim Taylor, in a July 18, 1992, ceremony at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The stylish bride was considered a vision in her custom-made gown and was compared to Grace Kelly for her elegance and refined nature. Helen and Tim are still married today.
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Courtesy : https://www.wonderwall.com/celebrity/royal-wedding-venues-revealed-3012069.gallery