Princes Harry And William Greet Fans On Eve Of Wedding
(CNN) -- Prince Harry and his brother, Prince William, pleased throngs of royal fans in Britain as the pair went on the traditional "walkabout" Friday evening, the eve of Harry's wedding to American Meghan Markle.
The two brothers made their way down Castle Hill in Windsor, on the western outskirts of London where the wedding will take place, and spent 10 minutes with the crowd, longer than many fans there had expected.
Prince Harry appeared relaxed, in a light gray blazer and shirt unbuttoned at the collar. At one point he stopped for a long chat with a young child, and he accepted a soft toy from a well-wisher.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will get married Saturday at St. George's Chapel in Windsor, in a ceremony that will be watched by millions around the world.
The couple are spending the night apart, each staying in a luxury hotel close to the castle where they will take their vows.
After a turbulent week that culminated in confirmation that her father, Thomas Markle Sr., would not be able to attend the wedding, Markle will be staying at Cliveden House Hotel with her mother, Doria Ragland.
The pair will travel together by car to Windsor on Saturday morning, their route to the chapel taking them along the picturesque Long Walk past crowds of well-wishers.
When the US actress next passes along the leafy avenue, it will be as a royal bride in a horse-drawn carriage, with her husband Prince Harry beside her.
The groom-to-be, meanwhile, will spend Friday night at Coworth Park Hotel in Ascot with Prince William, who is acting as his best man.
The couple's 600 or so wedding guests will also be preparing for the big day. Among them will be the Queen, Prince Philip and a bridal party made up of six young bridesmaids and four page boys -- Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 3, among them.
Meghan has chosen not be chaperoned as she walks down the aisle of the chapel nave, a move that is unprecedented for a royal bride in Britain and can be seen as a bold feminist statement.
Palace officials confirmed Friday that Prince Charles, Harry's father, would accompany her for the final part of the procession, down the aisle of the Quire to the altar, in place of Thomas Markle, ending speculation that her mother might step in.
Ragland, described by Meghan as a free-spirited, caregiving yoga instructor, has had a busy few days since arriving in England. She was to have tea with the Queen, Harry's grandmother, at Windsor Castle on Friday, a day after meeting William, Catherine, Prince George and Princess Charlotte during wedding rehearsals there.
She also had tea with Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, in London on Wednesday, a source familiar with the event said Thursday.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.
