In May 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will wed at Windsor Castle in what is sure to be a fantastic, star-studded affair. As royals fans eagerly await the big day, the one question on everyone's mind is what role Harry's famous family, specifically his sister-in-law, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, will play in the highly-anticipated nuptials.
The short answer? Probably not a big one.
According to royals expert and author, Marlene Koenig, we shouldn't even expect to see Kate in the bridal party. Mostly because, as Koenig puts it, "the Duchess of Cambridge barely knows Meghan."
"For another, she is the future queen consort when William becomes king after his father, and would unlikely be an attending person to another royal bride," says Koenig.
Since the roles of maid of honor and bridesmaid are generally reserved for single ladies, the only title Kate could hold, if she were to participate in the wedding party, is matron of honor. It's essentially the same as a maid of honor, except "matron" refers to a married woman. "But it's unlikely for Catherine to do this," says Koenig. "She was not a matron of honor, even at her sister's wedding."
Indeed, Kate chose to forgo the honor, so as not to overshadow Pippa on her big day in May 2017. "Kate would upstage her sister," veteran royals author Judy Wade told People magazine prior to the wedding in 2016. "It's a tricky situation for Pippa. She would want her sister by her side, as who else would she trust to make things go well? But if your sister is a future Queen, she is going to upstage the bride and draw attention. Kate would want to be in the background as much as possible."
Kate will also likely wish to stay out of the spotlight during Harry and Meghan's wedding.
However, there is a good chance that Kate and William's adorable children, Charlotte and George, will make an appearance. Kate is due with the couple's third child in April—just weeks before the nuptials.
"It is very likely that Prince George and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge will be a page boy and a bridesmaid," says Koenig. "Anyone else is a guess."
In Britain, the bride goes down the aisle first, followed by her attendants or bridesmaids and page boys holding the train.
At Kate's wedding in 2011, her train was carried by Pippa, who served as her bridesmaid and wore a neckline-plunging, form-fitting ivory Alexander McQueen gown that nearly broke the Internet.
Rose is a Senior Editor at ELLE overseeing features and projects about women's issues. She is an accomplished and compassionate storyteller and editor who excels in obtaining exclusive interviews and unearthing compelling features.
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