Royal Wedding Countdown: Here Comes the Bride

Meghan Markle is just days away from walking down the aisle at the royal wedding, and the world is eager to see the beaming bride.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to say “I do” at St. George’s Chapel on May 19, and while more and more details about the royal nuptials have been revealed, many are still eagerly awaiting more news about the soon-to-be royal.

From a wedding gown fit for a princess to her hair and accessories, and possibly any tributes to the late Princess Diana, keep scrolling to see everything that you need to know about Meghan Markle before she officially becomes royalty.

How did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Meet?

This modern-day fairytale royal romance all began with a blind date set up by a mutual friend, Violet von Westenholz, in 2016.

“Harry was having a really hard time finding anyone,” a source told E! News. “It’s hard enough finding someone new to date. He can hardly go on Tinder or a dating app like normal people, but to meet someone that you actually connect with, that was proving to be almost impossible. It was something he had confided in his closest friends about; he was ready to meet someone but it was so hard to actually find the right person.”

According to Markle, they hit it off right away.

“I didn’t know much about him, and so the only thing I had asked [my friend] when she said she wanted to set us up was, ‘Is he nice?’ Because if he wasn’t kind, it just didn’t seem like it would make sense,” Markle admitted. “And so we went and met for a drink, and then I think very quickly into [our first date] we said, ‘What are we doing tomorrow? We should meet again.’”

The prince, 33, and Suits actress, 36, announced their engagement on Nov. 27 after roughly a year and a half of dating.

Have they met each other’s families?

Both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have met their future parent-in-laws ahead of the big day, though Harry has reportedly only met Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, through phone conversations.

According to an official press release by Kensington Palace, the two families will spend time together before the wedding once Markle’s family arrives in London.

“Mr. Thomas Markle and Ms. Doria Ragland will be arriving in the UK in the week of the wedding, allowing time for Prince Harry’s family, including The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to spend time with them before the big day,” the statement reads.

And while Markle never had the opportunity to meet the late Princess Diana, Prince Harry previously revealed that he believed they would get along just fine.

“Oh they’d be thick as thieves, without question,” he said during an interview. “I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, you know so excited for me, but then, as I said, would have probably been best friends – best friends with Meghan.”

What is she doing ahead of the big day?

While the royal wedding is not until May 19, the events kick off on May 18 for Markle, who will be arriving at her accommodations ahead of the big day in the early evening.

It has also been reported that Markle had a “hen do,” which is a British bachelorette party. According to a source who spoke with PEOPLE, Markle and a few of her closest friends escaped to the Soho Farmhouse, a luxury retreat located in the Cotswolds, for a weekend of pampering, arriving on Sunday, Mar. 4, and leaving on Tuesday, Mar. 6.

Who is in Meghan Markle’s bridal party?

Meghan Markle has opted against having friends as bridesmaids and has instead chosen children to play the role.

“The bridesmaids and page boys are all children. Ms Markle will not have a maid of honour. She has a very close group of friends and didn’t want to choose one over the other,” a spokesman for Markle and Harry told The Daily Mail.

Both of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge’s eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, are expected to be part of the wedding ceremony. This will be the second time that Princess Charlotte has taken on the role of royal bridesmaid, having previously held the duty at her aunt Pippa Middleton’s wedding in 2017.

What can we expect from her makeup?

While some may be expecting a jaw-dropping flashy look, Markle will likely choose to go for something more classic and timeless when it comes to her makeup.

“I think Meghan will go with a classic, timeless look similar to what we have seen her wear lately,” her former makeup artist Lydia Sellers told PEOPLE. “Natural, dewy-looking skin, with her freckles peeking through, a sheer pink lip and a daytime smoky eye with beautiful volume in her lashes.”

Ahead of the big day, the soon-to-be princess has reportedly been sticking to a strict beauty regimen, with an entire glam squad helping to make sure she looks as relaxed as possible. Given that Markle has been a loyal client of celebrity facialist Nichola Joss for the past five years, that regimen likely includes prepping her skin with Joss’ “inner facial,” which “helps to release stress and tension from the face.”

Markle’s eyebrow guru, Sherrille Riley, also recommended weekly manicures that leading up to the May 19 nuptials, and her celebrity hairdresser Nicky Clarke, revealed that Markle will be getting her tresses cut before the wedding, though she will be keeping her signature brown locks.

What will her hair look like?

As previously stated, those planning to watch the royal wedding should not be expecting to see any major changes in Markle’s hair, as she will be keeping it the same color. However, as for how her hair will be styled for the big day, much is still being kept secret.

“A lot will depend on her dress,” her celebrity hairdresser, Nicky Clarke, told PEOPLE. “I’m not sure if we are going to get the sophisticated Meghan or the slightly edgier Meghan and that will probably dictate what she does with her hair.”

The style of her hair also heavily depends on whether or not she follows tradition and wears a tiara, which seems likely. Should Markle done a glittering crown upon her head, such as Kate Middleton did during her marriage to Prince William, she would probably wear her hair up.

Will she wear any jewelry?

Meghan Markle won’t be going bare when it comes to jewelry on her big day. Along with the likelihood that she will be wearing a tiara, it is also likely that she will be wearing other jewelry to accessorize her wedding look.

“I’m sure she will go for something that is true to her style and I’m sure it is going to be refined and elegant,” said Eva Hartling, vice president of Meghan’s go-to Toronto-based jewelry brand Maison Birks, told PEOPLE. “It will probably involve a simple pair of earrings that will bring out her natural beauty, she won’t overdo it.”

She will also be donning her engagement ring, which features a center stone from Botswana flanked by two smaller stones from Princess Diana’s collection.

“The little diamonds on either side are from my mother’s jewelry collection to make sure she’s with us on this crazy journey together,” Prince Harry explained during his first joint interview with Markle following the announcement of their engagement.

What about her dress?

While more and more details emerge regarding the royal wedding, details regarding the soon-to-be royal’s wedding gown have remained elusive.

It has been reported that Markle will be walking down the aisle in a custom by British designer Ralph & Russo with a hefty price tag of $135,000, though those reports have not yet been confirmed. It is possible that she may opt to go with the same designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, Alexander McQueen.

It is also possible that both of those designers could feature on the big day, as according to Vanity Fair, Markle will have not one, but two custom-made wedding dress. The first gown, the wedding gown, is expected to be “an elaborate yet traditional bridal gown,” and the second gown, an evening gown for the reception, will likely be a glamorous, more sophisticated” gown she’ll change into for the evening to ‘party the night away.’”

Kate Middleton also wore two gowns on her wedding day.

Meghan Markle and the royal wedding reception

As eager as people are for the wedding, they are also eager for the reception.

Breaking from tradition, Markle will reportedly be giving a toast at the reception, which is said to be an “affectionate” tribute to her new husband. It is said that the toast will also be a way for her to thank Queen Elizabeth and the rest of their family and friends.

And for those hoping to catch the royal bouquet, they will be left disappointed, as royal tradition is to send the flowers back to Westminster Abbey to rest on the Grave of the Unknown Soldier. Both Kate and Princess Diana upheld this tradition, and it is expected that Markle will, too.

After the wedding

Following the wedding, it is likely that Queen Elizabeth with hand Prince Harry a new title, much like she did after Prince William wed Kate Middleton. Prince Harry is expected to be made the Duke of Sussex, making Markle the Duchess of Sussex.

As for Markle’s citizenship, Kensington Palace announced that Meghan intends to become a citizen of the United Kingdom. She has even traveled to Chicago to finalize her U.K. visa application for citizenship.