Meghan Markle’s dad WILL walk her down the aisle in Royal Wedding to Prince Harry this month
MEGHAN Markle's dad WILL walk her down the aisle when she weds Prince Harry, it has been revealed today.
The US actress will have her reclusive father Thomas Markle Snr by her side on the big day, while her mother Doria Ragland is also expected to be at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The US actress' parents will meet their in-laws, including the Queen, ahead of the royal wedding, Kensington Palace said.
Details of the royal wedding, to be held on May 19, were today revealed, with the palace confirming the nuptials would be "guided by tradition" but would include touches that "reflects the personalities" of Prince Harry and his bride-to-be.
Among the details, it was revealed that Meghan would spend the night before the wedding with her yoga instructor mum - with Prince Harry to first glimpse his bride-to-be in her wedding dress after she arrives at the chapel.
With just two weeks to go before the wedding, it was revealed that Meghan won't have a maid of honour, with her bridesmaids and page boys instead all to be children.
What we learned about Harry and Meghan's Royal Wedding
- Both of Meghan Markle's parents are attending the Royal Wedding
- Thomas Markle will walk his daughter down the aisle
- The couple are to spend the night before the wedding apart
- Meghan won't have a maid of honour
- Dad Thomas and mum Doria Ragland will meet the Queen ahead of May 19
- Prince Philip is likely to attend as he continues to recover from a hip op
- All the bridesmaids and pageboys will be children
- The newlyweds will not be going on a honeymoon straight away
- They'll carry out their first engagement as a married couple a week after their wedding
- Princess Diana's three siblings have been invited to remember Harry's late mum
- Newborn Prince Louis is to stay at home for the big day
- The married couple will continue to live at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace
Jason Knauf, Kensington Palace's communications secretary, said: "Ms Markle will not be having a maid of honour.
"She has a very close-knit group of friends and she did not want to choose one over the other.
";They have all been actively involved in helping her prepare for the day.
"They're all going to be there in Windsor with her, in the days before in London."
It is unclear which pals the actress will have by her side, but she has previously counted stylist Jessica Mulroney, Indian actress Priyanka Chopra and tennis champion Serena Williams among her close friends.
Prince Harry - who still hasn't met his fiancée's father, and won't until the American flies over for the wedding - has asked his big brother Prince William to be his best man.
In a statement released by the palace today, more details of the guests were revealed - with newborn Prince Louis not among them, but with his siblings Prince George, four, and Princess Charlotte, two, expected to be there.
The palace said that Prince Philip was hoped to be among the guests as he continues to recover from his a hip operation.
The newlyweds will not be going on honeymoon straight away but will carry out their first engagement as a married couple the week after their wedding.
Ms Markle has already spoken of her desire to "hit the ground running" as she becomes a full-time royal.
It has not been revealed where Ms Markle will stay the night before her wedding, but the palace said she would travel with her mother by one of the Queen's cars to Windsor Castle.
Alexi Lubomirski will be the official photographer for the royal wedding, having already photographed the loved up couple for their official engagement photos.
As part of the couple hoping to make the day their own, Prince Harry has ensured that his late mother will be remembered.
All three siblings of Prince Harry's mother Diana will be at the wedding, with Lady Jane Fellowes to give the reading.
The statement released today said: "Prince Harry and Ms. Markle both feel honoured that Lady Jane will be representing her family and helping to celebrate the memory of the late Princess on the wedding day."
THE BIG DAY: Timeline of Meghan and Harry's big day
9am: Members of the public who have been invited to watch the wedding day from the grounds of Windsor Castle begin to arrive.
9.30-11.00: Wedding guests arrive at the Castle's famous Round Tower by coach and enter the chapel through the South Door and take their seats.
11.20: Members of the royal family begin to arrive and enter via the Galilee Porch, some on foot others by car.
11.45: Possibly around this time Harry and his brother the Duke of Cambridge arrive at the Chapel's West Steps, probably on foot walking past the thousands of spectators invited into the grounds of the castle. The moment will give Harry the chance to acknowledge the 200 representatives from charities he is associated with gathered in the Horseshoe Cloister at the bottom of the steps.
11.55-11.59: Following protocol, the Queen will be the last member of the royal family to arrive for the wedding service.
11.59: Ms Markle arrives at the Chapel's West Steps by car, from her overnight accommodation, with some of her bridesmaids and pageboys.
She will start her journey, which will take her past some of the crowds in the Long Walk, with her mother Doria Ragland - but when the car stops at the castle her mother will exchange places with he bridesmaids and pageboys.
Ms Ragland will enter the chapel by the Galilee Porch and at some point Meghan's father Thomas Markle will have arrived at the same entrance and make his way to the West Door where he will meet his daughter before the ceremony begins.
12.00: Service starts.
1.00pm: Service ends and the newlyweds emerge at the West Steps of the Chapel. They will be waved off on their carriage procession through Windsor by members of both families. The congregation will file out of the chapel to see the newlyweds leave before heading to St George's Hall for the lunchtime reception hosted by the Queen.
1.05pm: Around this time the carriage procession through the streets of Windsor will begin, taking 25 minutes.
7.00pm: Bride and groom departing Windsor castle for the evening reception Frogmore House hosted by the Prince of Wales.
The service was expected to take about an hour, with the newly married couple to then leave the church and meet the 200 representatives of Prince Harry's charities.
Kensington Palace today said: "The couple are delighted that these people who will be such an important part of their official work in the years to come will be the first people they see after their wedding."
The couple will then be whisked off on a carriage procession, with the palace saying: "It will be their chance to express their gratitude for the goodwill and warm wishes they have received from all quarters in the months since their engagement."
Armed officers will be on patrol as part of the increased security presence on the day of the wedding.
British Transport Police (BTP) chief superintendent John Conaghan said that a "comprehensive security operation" would be in place, but added that members of the public should report anything suspicious.
He said: "The public are the eyes and ears and there are hundreds of thousands of pairs of eyes and ears for this event, so there are far more of those out there than there are police officers so it's absolutely essential that they do remain alert and that they do report anything suspicious to us."