Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have married at a ceremony in the historic surroundings of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, watched around the world by millions.

Loud cheers could be heard from outside as the Archbishop of Canterbury proclaimed them husband and wife.

Having exchanged rings at the altar, the couple kissed on the steps outside the chapel and then embarked on a carriage procession in an open top Ascot landau, passing more than 100,000 people lining the route through Windsor town. 

As the carriage pulled away from the crowds into the gated grounds of Windsor Castle, Meghan seemed to be in awe of the scenes, lifting her hand to her chest and saying “wow”.

According to lip reader Tina Lannin, Harry was seen telling his bride: “I’m ready for a drink now.” They headed to St George’s Hall for a lunchtime reception hosted by the Queen, where Sir Elton John performed for the newlyweds and their guests. 

The couple will also celebrate in the evening, when they have invited around 200 guests to a private reception at Frogmore House given by the Prince of Wales.

The bride – now to be known as the Duchess of Sussex – was escorted down the aisle by the heir to the throne Prince Charles, who stepped in after her own father underwent heart surgery just two days before the wedding.

Her bouquet contained several flowers handpicked by the groom from their private garden, including Forget-Me-Nots, which were favourites of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana. 

The Queen, 92, and Prince Phillip, 96, were present as their grandson – now the Duke of Sussex – was wed to the American former actress and UN women’s rights advocate. 

Harry’s brother Prince William was best man and two of his children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were among the couple’s page boys and bridesmaids.

The Duchess of Cambridge was at the ceremony, making her first public appearance since the birth of her third child, Prince Louis, less than four weeks ago.

Further royals in attendance included Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips, the Princess Royal, the Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Cornwall, and princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. 

Sarah Ferguson, Sir John Major and his wife Dame Norma Major were also spotted among the guests. 

The Most Rev Bishop Michael Curry, the first African-American presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, gave an address titled the Power of Love at the service in St George’s Chapel.

Bishop Curry told the service: “There’s power in love. Love can help and heal when nothing else can. There’s power in love to lift up and liberate when nothing else will.”

Such power could be seen in the service, he continued, saying: “Two young people fell in love and we all showed up.”

After officiating during the service, the Archbishop of Canterbury tweeted: “Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex! May God pour out his blessings upon you in your new life together.”

Guests including Oprah Winfrey, actor Idris Elba and Earl Spencer, the brother of the groom’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales, also attended, as did singer James Blunt and Harry’s former girlfriend Chelsey Davy. Other invitees included actor George Clooney and his barrister wife Amal, David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John and tennis champion Serena Williams. 

The wedding comes after a whirlwind romance lasting just under two years. Set up by a mutual female friend, Markle and the prince met on a blind date in London in the summer of 2016.

During their engagement interview in November 2017, Markle, who at the time was appearing in the American legal drama Suits, admitted: “I didn’t know much about him.”

Harry, 33, said he also knew little about his prospective date, but claimed he was “beautifully surprised” when she walked into the room.

After another date, Harry, who is sixth in line to the throne, revealed: “I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana and we – we camped out with each other under the stars. She came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic.

“So, then we were really by ourselves which was crucial to me to make sure we had a chance to get to know each other.”

The early months of their relationship were spent flying between the star’s former home in Toronto, Canada, where Markle, 36, filmed Suits, and the prince’s cottage at Kensington Palace, London.

But Markle, who has also appeared in CSI: Miami, sci-fi show Fringe and movies such as Get Him To The Greek and Horrible Bosses, explained: “We never went longer than two weeks without seeing each other, even though we were obviously doing a long-distance relationship. So … we made it work.”

Harry proposed during a cosy night in over a roast chicken. The prince revealed: “She didn’t even let me finish, she said ‘Can I say yes, can I say yes?’ and then there were hugs.”

Markle recalled: “Just a cosy night, it was – what we were doing just roasting chicken and having …trying to roast a chicken and … just an amazing surprise.

“It was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee.”

“The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was sort of confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned, that everything was perfect,” the prince said.