Royal watchers were quick to notice that the official program for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding has one glaring error: It still names the bride’s father, Thomas Markle, as the one who will walk her down the aisle on Saturday, May 19, despite a last-minute change to Prince Charles.
The Order of Service, which was released to the public hours before the nuptials, states that Meghan, 36, will move in procession through the nave of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle before being “joined by her father, Mr. Thomas Markle, to the high altar,” where Harry, 33, and his brother and best man, Prince William, will await.
However, Charles, 69, is actually the one who will accompany the Suits alum down the second half of the aisle in the wake of the news that Thomas, 73, cannot attend due to a recent heart surgery.
“The Order of Service was produced before it became clear that Mr. Thomas Markle would be unable to attend the wedding on medical advice,” Kensington Palace clarified in a statement early Saturday. “As a result, some aspects will be different to what has been printed. As previously announced, Ms. Markle has asked The Prince of Wales to accompany her down the aisle of the quire.”
After the switch-up was formally announced by the palace on Friday, May 18, a source told Us Weekly exclusively, “Prince Charles was very touched to be asked by Meghan to walk her down the aisle and he is very much looking forward to welcoming her into the family.”
Thomas later gave the Prince of Wales his blessing, telling TMZ in an interview on Friday that he is “honored and grateful” that Meghan’s soon-to-be father-in-law stepped in. The former lighting director added that he is recuperating from his surgery and plans to “proudly” watch the wedding on TV “in a secluded place with friends.”
