Five reasons the Royal Wedding is the most 2018 thing ever

Think hipster cake and charitable donations..

Royal Weddings are always the same: over-the-top affairs laden with tradition, pomp and circumstance.

Or at least they were – until Prince Harry and Meghan Markle came along.

The younger prince has never been one for conventional royal behaviour (strip billiards anyone?), and his wedding to the American actor looks set to be another break with the old way of doing things.

This millennial couple have thrown out the unspoken Royal Wedding rules, choosing to do things in the most 2018 way ever.

Result? Probably the wokest wedding in the history of the House of Windsor.

Meghan and Harry surrounded by wedding invitationsGetty Images / BBC Three
No presents plz
What with their crown jewels and palaces, the Royals might not seem like the most obvious people to lead the fight against extravagance. Some have speculated that the nuptials could cost in the region of £32 million, but Harry and Meghan are still trying to do things differently.

Instead of accepting gifts, Harry and Meghan have asked all wedding guests to donate to their chosen charities instead. William and Kate did the same on their special day, but they still received (among other things) diamonds, a Land Rover, and a cocker spaniel.

The list of Harry and Meghan’s charities includes: CHIVA (Children’s HIV Association), Crisis (a UK-based homelessness charity), the Myna Mahila Foundation (a charity that supports women in Mumbai’s urban slums), Scotty’s Little Soldiers (which helps bereaved Armed Forces children), StreetGames (a foundation using sport to change lives), Surfers Against Sewage, and the Wilderness Foundation UK (which promotes the enjoyment of wild nature).

Meghan holding a megaphoneGetty Images / BBC Three
The bride’s speech
Traditional weddings involve a speech from the groom, the best man, the father of the bride… are you noticing a theme here? Yeah, they’re all men. In true feminist style, Meghan is going to break with tradition (and outmoded sexism) by giving a speech on her big day.

Judging by her past speeches – last year, she told a Royal Foundation panel that “women don’t need to find their voice; they need to feel empowered to use it” – it’s going to be a corker.

Harry and Meghan with wedding cakesGetty Images / BBC Three
Hipster cake only
Most Royals opt for a classic tiered, extravagantly iced fruitcake, and save the top layer for future anniversaries. But not Harry and Meghan. No, they’ve gone for Hackney’s finest: a lemon and elderflower cake created by bespoke baker Claire Ptak.

It will be feature buttercream and fresh flower decorations, and, (we imagine), the spirit of springtime.

Harry and Meghan surrounded by flowersGetty Images / BBC Three
Weekends only
A considerate weekend date
Keeping your guests’ expenses to a minimum is something many couples seem to forget about. But Meghan’s hen do was only a few hours from London, which her ordinary wage-earning friends will have appreciated.

Meanwhile, Meghan and Harry’s wedding is also in the UK, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. Most importantly of all, they’re doing it on 19 May, which is a Saturday, so none of the guests need to take a day of annual leave to be there.

Will and Kate had theirs on a Friday, the Queen chose a Thursday, and Charles and Diana did a Wednesday, so a weekend date is genuinely quite subversive for the Royals.

Union jack flags waving outside St George’s Chapel, WindsorGetty Images / BBC Three
Diversity champions
Weddings aren’t meant to be meet-and-greet networking events – even if you are a Royal. But Harry and Meghan have refused to have any political leaders at their wedding.

Instead, they’re inviting more than 1,000 members of the public into the grounds of Windsor Castle to watch their arrival. Why? “The couple has asked that the people chosen are from a broad range of backgrounds and ages, including young people who have shown strong leadership, and those who have served their communities,” explains Kensington Palace. In other words, a celebration of diversity in the UK.

Get your hashtags ready, because it’s official: Meghan and Harry’s wedding might be the most revolutionary royal affair we’ve ever seen.