Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s Wedding Reception Won’t Be A Seated Affair

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding guests won’t be offered seats at St. George’s Hall, the couple’s chosen reception venue.

Rebecca English, a royal correspondent for the Daily Mail, said that all of the 600 guests who have been invited to the gathering will be standing inside the hall. They will be served mini main courses or bowl food that will be prepared by Queen Elizabeth II’s kitchen staff.

English said that bowl food has become a popular trend, especially among huge functions because it makes it easier for attendees to mingle with each other. But the royal correspondent noted that it is still a surprising choice for the royal wedding.

“Guests will also feast on canapés during the lunchtime reception, which will last around two and a half hours and includes speeches and cutting of the cake. Each morsel has been crafted to be consumed in just two delicate bites. The Queen is officially hosting the event and Buckingham Palace staff revealed that the menu would compromise ‘classic dishes’ made from seasonal British produce, much from the monarch’s own estates,” she said.

Prior to their wedding day, Prince Harry and Markle have already tasted all of the food that will be served at their reception. They also visited Windsor Castle to sample menu suggestions that were created in the Great Kitchen.

Mark Flanagan, the royal chef that will be leading the catering team, told the Daily Mail, “The day of the wedding has fallen very kindly for us. All the British vegetables are just coming into season… and that’s been a point of focus for us. We know the couple wanted us to make sure we used all of the local seasonal produce as much as possible throughout their menu, and this recent good weather is really helping us to achieve that.”

When asked to share more details about the royal couple’s actual menu, Flanagan said that he has been sworn to secrecy by the royal family. But he did say that there will be no experimenting on any of the dishes. Everything that will be served has been tried and tested in the past and are considered “predominantly classic.”