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Devoted followers of the royal family have had no trouble finding details about the upcoming royal wedding to obsess over, from the obvious stuff like the particulars of Meghan Markle's dress to questions for die-hard fans only, such as whether she'll carry a sprig of myrtle in her bouquet (according to royal bride tradition). One aspect of Prince Harry and Meghan's nuptials that the internet has been examining in-depth is the invitation — specifically, the small but perhaps significant ways it differs from the last royal marriage's invite. So how do Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton's wedding invitations compare?
Obviously, all royal events and practices rely heavily on tradition. In fact, tradition is kind of the royal family's "brand," so to speak. It goes without saying that countless fans the world over would be incredibly disappointed if Harry and Meghan decided to be the first royal couple ever to reach out to their guests via Evite or Paperless Post. Indeed, one would imagine that the couple were expected to adhere to some fairly formal ground rules: A dark, scripted font, gilded edges, very official-sounding language. Still, Harry and his betrothed's invite isn't a carbon copy of the one sent out for his older brother's ceremony. And while the differences aren't huge, they could be more meaningful than you might think.
1
William & Kate's Invite Was More 'Commanding'
As People reported, on William and Kate's invitation, the Queen "commanded" the Lord Chamberlin to invite the guests. Harry and Meghan's invitation, on the other hand, uses much less, well, commanding language: Prince Charles "requests" the presence of guests. This could have something to do with the fact that "William is significantly higher in the line of succession than his younger brother," and Harry is sixth in line, after William and Kate’s newborn son Louis.
2
Only One Invite Had The Royal Crest
Another difference reported by People: Because William and Kate’s invites were sent on behalf of the Queen, they featured the reigning monarch's crest. Harry and Meghan's invites, on the other hand, actually came from Prince Charles, which means they were printed with the feathered badge of the Prince of Wales.
3
Meghan and Harry's Invite Reflects The Bride's Previous Marriage
The fact that Meghan was married previously is the reason for another difference, as Town & Country explained. Will and Kate's invite was printed, "the Marriage of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, K.G. with Miss Catherine Middleton;" Markle and Harry's reads "with Ms. Meghan Markle."
Ruth Baxter, bespoke stationary manager for heritage British brand Smythson, told Town & Country that for a first marriage, the bride would be addressed "Miss," but "in the case of a second marriage, this would be replaced by 'Mrs.' or 'Ms.'"
4
Meghan & Harry's Invite Includes A Tech-Savvy Update
As Town & Country also pointed, Meghan and Harry's invites include an option to RSVP via email (or regular mail addressed to the Lord Chamberlain's office). Welcome to the Interwebs, Buckingham Palace! On the one hand, it makes perfect sense (really, who uses the regular mail anymore?). On the other, what if your invite got buried in your inbox somewhere? (BRB, checking spam folder.)
5
Meghan & Harry's Invite Calls For A Different Dress Code
Naturally, any of the 600 guests headed to the royal wedding are going to be dressed impeccably (to say the least). Still, there is a dress code invitees are expected to adhere to at Meghan and Harry's wedding, as Hello! magazine reported, and the invite proves that it's not exactly the same as the dress code for William and Kate's wedding. While Prince William and Kate's guests were asked to wear a "Uniform, Morning Coat or Lounge Suit", Prince Harry and Meghan's invite implements a women's dress code, too, which suggests that ladies wear a "Day Dress with Hat."
It's not clear exactly what qualifies as a "day dress," but I'm guessing it's a lot different from the average person's definition of a day dress, which sounds an awful lot like something you'd wear for running errands. Either way, it's clear that the whole hat thing is pretty much mandatory (thank goodness for the rest of the world watching from home!).
For the most part, the visible differences between both royal wedding invitations seem to reflect the passage of time and the fact that Harry is a younger sibling more than anything else: Slightly more modern, a little bit more casual (except the dress code thing). Either way, it definitely fits with Meghan and Harry's vibe!
