When a member of the British Royal Family gets married, people not only in the United Kingdom (UK), but all over the world pay a lot of attention to it. It is well reflected in the fact that royal weddings are broadcast live in many countries and thousands of media report about them.
Importantly, the wedding traditions followed by the British Royal Family are those that flourished in the Windsor dynasty, which included Queen Elizabeth II for decades. Such traditions are one of the main reasons due to which royal weddings are getting much public attention. This article is about some of these wonderful wedding traditions that are not missed at a British royal wedding.
Permission
British Royal Family members cannot marry of their own free will. They need the permission of the king or queen. According to a law passed in 2013 stating how the succession to the British throne should take place, the first six successors to the throne must obtain the permission of the king or queen holding the throne for their marriage.
Accordingly, Queen Elizabeth II has signed a declaration of intent authorising the marriages of many royal family members.
Welsh gold, first used in the ancient times, is considered a very rare species of gold. According to British royal traditions, on the day of the wedding, the bride is to be presented with a ring made of Welsh gold.
According to this tradition, which came into practice in 1923, the first wedding ring made in Welsh gold was worn by Queen Elizabeth II’s mother, who was also known as Queen Elizabeth. She was followed by Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana (Princess of Wales), Camilla Parker (Duchess of Cornwall), and Kate Middleton (Duchess of Cambridge).
Following the royal wedding, the bride’s bouquet is to be placed on the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’ at Westminster Cathedral in London. This century-old tradition was also started by the mother of Queen Elizabeth II. Arriving at Westminster Cathedral after her wedding, she laid her wreath at her brother’s and other soldiers who died in the Battle of Loos in 1915.
Every male member of the British Royal Family is required to serve in the British Army. Accordingly, when they reach the appropriate age, they will be assigned to Army Regiments and will be promoted. It is customary for royals serving in the British Army to wear military uniforms and medals on their wedding day.
Deeper meaning
The tradition of weddings by Western brides goes back centuries. But unlike the usual bridal veil, the veil worn by royal brides must convey a deeper meaning.
For example, the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II in 1947 was decorated with flowers, symbolising the peace that followed World War II. Meghan Markle, the bride of Prince Harry, had the national flowers of 53 Commonwealth countries on her veil.
According to Western wedding traditions, every bride should add something old, new, blue and something requested to her wedding dress.
British royal brides usually ask for the tiara they wear on their wedding day from the king or queen holding the throne. Following tradition, the Duchess of Sussex also wore on her wedding day a tiara belonging to her great grandmother, Queen Mary, which was in the possession of Queen Elizabeth II.
An unmistakable element of any wedding is the beautifully crafted wedding cake. Even at a royal wedding, making a wedding cake is not forgotten.
The royal tradition is to create a large fruit cake that is usually large enough for each of the invited guests. At the end of the wedding, the guests are presented with a piece of fruit cake cut in a beautiful metal box and a piece of cake taken from the top of the wedding cake is said to be kept safe for presentation at their future children’s baptism.