Lucky members of the public will be among the first to catch a glimpse of the newly-married Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after Kensington Palace revealed the couple are inviting 2,460 ‘ordinary people’ inside the walls of Windsor Castle for the big day.
The guests, who will come from “every corner of the United Kingdom”, will be able to see the royal bride and groom as they arrive and depart from their wedding ceremony in the lavish St George’s Chapel.
They will also have the perfect vantage point to watch the iconic carriage procession as it leaves the castle after the nuptials.
Harry, 33, and his 36-year-old bride want the public “to feel part of the celebrations”, a spokesperson for the palace said in a statement.
“This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters and values of the Bride and Groom.”
The engaged couple has asked nine Lord Lieutenants – the Queen’s personal representatives in each county of the UK – to nominate 1,200 people “from a broad range of backgrounds and ages” for the honour.
A spokesperson for Kensington Palace told HuffPost UK: “Their offices have been asked to nominate individuals from their region who they consider particularly merit an invitation, so those who have made notable contributions to the local community or region.
“They will also take into account a number of young people as well who have either acted as community leaders or have taken on inspiring work.”
The nomination process began today, they added.
However, the palace declined to comment on when guests would be sent invitations, or whether there would be another stage of vetting after they had been nominated.
The guest list will also be made up of 200 people from charities and organisations Harry and Meghan support, including those the prince is a patron of.
WellChild, a charity for sick children, was one of the first organisations to reveal that it will be represented at the royal wedding, with chief executive Colin Dyer saying he is “thrilled” by the news.
“Prince Harry has been a patron of WellChild since 2007 and for over 10 years has helped us promote the work of the charity,” he said.
“We are delighted, but not surprised, that they have decided that their wedding day is an occasion to be shared as widely as possible, supporting organisations and issues which matter to them.”
Meanwhile, 100 children from two local schools – the Royal School, Great Park and St George’s School, Windsor Castle – will also be lucky to catch a glimpse of the newly-married couple as they exit the church.
Roger Jones, headmaster of St George’s School, said the school has been “delighted and honoured” by the news.
“It will be an incredible experience; one that will create memories that will live with these boys and girls for the rest of their lives.”
Bev Coombridge, headteacher at the Royal School, added: “It is a great honour and privilege to be part of the celebration of the marriage of Prince Harry to Ms Markle, both of whom present inspiring role models for our children to look up to.”
The final tickets will be reserved for 530 people who work for the royals, otherwise known as members of the royal households and crown estate, and 610 Windsor Castle community members.