What Prince Harry Said to Meghan Markle at the Altar

The royal wedding was full of touching moments, and Prince Harry made no secret of his strong feelings during the ceremony.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stood at the altar on Saturday morning and made their lifelong vows. Markle was all smiles, grinning through her veil during the service. The Prince appeared to be extremely emotional, and viewers noticed one moment where he whispered a compliment to her under his breath.

“You look amazing,” Prince Harry said during the ceremony. “I’m so lucky.”

The whole event had Harry looking vulnerable on screen. He was unabashedly wiping tears from his eyes during the ceremony. He looked impressive in his British Army Blue and Royals frock coat, reminding the assembled crowd of his extensive military record. He showed that even the toughest soldier can put his emotions on display as the moment overcame him.

Markle herself didn’t appear to shed a tear throughout the whole proceeding. She was all smiles as she listened raptly to the speakers, said her vows and slipped a ring onto her groom’s finger. She wore a long-sleeve boat neck Givenchy gown with a long train and a cathedral-length veil, as well as Queen Mary’s Diamond Bandeau tiara.

The royal wedding began at 7 a.m. ET, meaning admirers in the U.S. were up early on Saturday morning. In Windsor Town it was 11 a.m. BST (British Summer Time), as the crowd assembled in and outside of St. George’s Chapel.

The ceremony was led by The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. He has reportedly developed a close relationship with Markle over the last several months as she was baptized and confirmed in the Church of England.

As a child, Markle was raised in the Episcopalian faith. She then went to a Catholic high school in Los Angeles. Technically she was not required to be baptized before Saturday’s wedding, but she announced her plans to do so shortly after the engagement was made official.

The wedding was somewhat intimate by royal standards. Only about 600 guests were in attendance, compared to the 2,000 who filed into Westminster Abbey in London for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding in 2011. Prince Harry and Markle also had a guest list comprised mostly of friends or people with personal connections to them, rather than a long list of foreign dignitaries and politicians.

No U.S. Presidents were invited to the event, as Kensington Palace said that politicians were not required.

Before the wedding on Saturday morning, the Queen Mother conferred a new title onto Prince Harry, making him the Duke of Sussex. Upon saying her vows, Markle officially became the Duchess of Sussex.

Many casual admirers, especially in the U.S., assume that Markle will become a princess. While she may be referred to that way out of convenience, She won’t officially hold that title as she was not born into the monarchy.