They are also joined by Prince William and wife Kate Middleton, Meghan's mom Doria Ragland and girl pals Jennifer Mulroney and Benita Litt.
- May 18, 2018
AceShowbiz - Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, May 17, to host an afternoon tea welcoming close friends and family members to Windsor Castle for the royal wedding. The couple will tie the knot at St. George's Chapel on the castle grounds on Saturday, May 19, and as part of the celebrations leading up to the big day, the groom's grandmother held a special event for immediate family members and select guests.
Prince Harry's brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, were pictured en route to the afternoon tea, where other guests included Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, and gal pals Jessica Mulroney and Benita Litt, whose daughters have been chosen to serve as royal bridesmaids.
Meanwhile, according to style experts at PEOPLE, the fashionable pussy-bow top Meghan chose to wear for the gathering was the same ivory silk crepe bodysuit from Tuxe Bodywear that she stepped out in back in February, when she and Harry attended the Endeavour Fund Awards Ceremony at Goldsmith's Hall in London.
The former "Suits" actress teamed the sleek look with a pair of Snowstorm Diamond Earrings in white gold from Birks, the same Canadian fine jewelry brand behind the yellow gold and opal earrings she selected for the pair's official engagement announcement photos last November.
The afternoon tea took place hours after Meghan issued a statement confirming that her father, Thomas Markle, will not be attending the high-profile nuptials after undergoing heart surgery on Wednesday, May 16. "Sadly, my father will not be attending our wedding," read the statement. "I have always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health."
She added, "I would like to thank everyone who has offered generous messages of support.
Thomas had been due to walk his daughter down the aisle at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
It is not known who will take his place, although her mom Doria is said to be a favorite to fill in for her ex-husband, as she will already be accompanying the bride in the car ride from Cliveden House Hotel, where mother and daughter will stay on the eve of the nuptials, to the ceremony.
