Prince Harry and Meghan Markle invite 2,640 members of the public to May wedding

The couple supposedly wanted the public to join in the celebrations.

ByABC News via logo
March 2, 2018, 7:43 AM

— -- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced more details today about their May 19 wedding at St. George’s Chapel.

“Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have said they want their wedding day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too. 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," Kensington Palace said in a statement on behalf of the couple.

PHOTO: Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for one of two official engagement photos, at Frogmore House, in Windsor, England, in this photo released by Kensington Palace, Dec. 21, 2017.
Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose for one of two official engagement photos, at Frogmore House, in Windsor, England, in this photo released by Kensington Palace, Dec. 21, 2017.

Harry and Markle will invite 2,640 people into the grounds of Windsor Castle to see the wedding carriage procession as it departs.

PHOTO: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Cardiff Castle, Jan. 18, 2017, in Cardiff, Wales.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Cardiff Castle, Jan. 18, 2017, in Cardiff, Wales. During their tour, Prince Harry and Ms. Markle will hear performances from musicians and poets, meet leading sportsmen and women, and see how organisations are working to promote Welsh language and cultural identity.

Members of the public will be selected from different regions of the U.K. with a special emphasis on those who have served their community. The couple will also invite 100 students from two local schools in Windsor that have a strong affiliation with Windsor Castle.

PHOTO: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during a reception for young people at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh, during their visit to Scotland, Feb. 13, 2018.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during a reception for young people at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh, during their visit to Scotland, Feb. 13, 2018.

Harry and Markle also plan to extend invitations to 200 individuals who take part in charities and organizations, where Harry serves as Royal Patron, and are close to the couple's hearts.

PHOTO: Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle attend a reception for young people at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh, Britain, Feb. 13, 2018.
Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle attend a reception for young people at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh, Britain, Feb. 13, 2018.

Earlier this week, Prince William, Princess Kate, Harry and Markle appeared publicly together for their first Royal Foundation event.

PHOTO: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend the first annual Royal Foundation Forum held at Aviva, Feb. 28, 2018 in London.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge attend the first annual Royal Foundation Forum held at Aviva, Feb. 28, 2018 in London.

The Royal Foundation is the main vehicle for William, Harry and Kate's charity work, overseeing initiatives including their mental health campaign, Heads Together, Harry's Paralympic-style sporting event for wounded service people, the Invictus Games, and their conservation efforts such as United for Wildlife. Markle will become a patron once she and Harry tie the knot.

"I certainly know how passionate I am and Harry and I see the world so similarly in our approach of being very hands on with things," Markle said at the event.

Harry told the crowd of Markle, "I am personally incredibly proud and excited that my soon-to-be wife, who is equally passionate about seeing positive change in the world, will soon be joining us with this work."

"Catherine, Harry and I are delighted to be here this morning and we’re particularly happy to be at our first Royal Foundation event with Meghan," William said in opening the forum. "When we first started, it started as a very small idea and started with Harry and I scratching our heads thinking how can we do something for the future."

The Royal Foundation was established in 2009.

After the forum, Markle, William, Kate and Harry met with people who have benefited from the work of the Royal Foundation.

Harry joked that he and Markle were still doing charity work, despite their pending nuptials.

"We’re pretty tied up with planning a wedding, but we want to make as much of a difference as we can," he said.

PHOTO: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and  Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the first annual Royal Foundation Forum held at Aviva, Feb. 28, 2018 in London.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend the first annual Royal Foundation Forum held at Aviva, Feb. 28, 2018 in London.

Markle will give up her previous charitable work when she joins The Royal Foundation.

She has spent time traveling with Harry to different parts of the U.K., learning about the causes closest to him and meeting stakeholders. She also spent time comforting victims of one of Britain’s biggest tragedies, the Grenfell Tower fire that killed 71 people last year.

PHOTO: Meghan Markle attends the first annual Royal Foundation Forum held at Aviva, Feb. 28, 2018, in London.
Meghan Markle attends the first annual Royal Foundation Forum held at Aviva, Feb. 28, 2018, in London.

“I’ve just been here for three months, but it’s very important to hit the ground running," Markle said at the forum. "Even if it’s quietly behind the scenes, which is what I’ve focused my energy on thus far, it’s meeting with the right people and the right organizations and learning as much as I can so I can maximize the opportunity we have here to really make an impact."

Markle has been busy planning her wedding and is understood to have had her first fitting with her dress designer. Speculation remains about who will design the dress for her big day.

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