The most anticipated wedding of the year is set to take place today, Saturday, May 19, with Prince Harry of the British Royal Family and American actress Meghan Markle walking down the aisle. Whether you’re a loyal British traditionalist, or just someone who admires royalty, it should be an exciting event. The wedding will have everything one could want: Beautiful people, fancy clothes, even a cryptocurrency! If you’re not on the guest list, don’t worry. The event will be broadcast over the internet. Here’s what you need to know, and how to watch.
Who’s getting married?
The groom is Prince Harry of the House of Windsor, Britain’s Royal Family. The younger brother of Prince William, Harry is sixth in line for the throne, but he does at least have some impressive titles, including Prince of Wales and Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
He’ll be marrying Meghan Markle, an American and former actress perhaps best known for her work on Suits.
The wedding will take place at St. George’s Chapel, after which the newlyweds will embark on a carriage procession through Windsor.
What’s the point of all this?
Although some might find monarchy outdated or even distasteful, the Royal Family is actually quite popular in the U.K., with Princes William and Harry particularly so. Even Americans, centuries after the country cut itself off from the British Empire, still have a surprising amount of admiration for the royals.
Some research even suggests that constitutional monarchies tend to function better than democracies without royals.
How to Watch
YouTube
The most talked-about wedding of the year will be live streamed on The Royal Family’s official YouTube page starting at 3 a.m. PT/6 a.m. ET on May 19. If you’re busy doing less important things, like sleeping, and need to be reminded when the livestream begins, you can simply click on the Set Reminder button on the video between now and when the livestream begins.
The Royal Family’s YouTube channel will have the event totally covered, with the livestream following the wedding procession, marriage ceremony, and wedding day events that happen throughout the day. Even if you miss out on witnessing this momentous union in real time, the entire event will be shown again.
PBS News Room and the Washington Post will also be offering a livestream of the wedding on each of the news organization’s YouTube pages. PBS’ live coverage will start on 1:30 a.m. PT/4:30 a.m. ET and can be viewed here, and also in the video at the top of this story. The Washington Post’s livestream can be viewed here beginning at 1 a.m. PT/4 a.m. ET.
Twitter will be kicking off the festivities bright and early, with its livestream starting at 10 p.m. PT on May 18/1 A.M ET on May 19.
Other Streaming Options
CBS will have live coverage of the wedding streaming on the CBS News website starting at 1:30 a.m. PT/4:30pm ET.
