Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in May would not have been approved by the Prince's royal ancestor, Queen Victoria. His great-great-great-great grandmother considered it unlucky to marry in the spring month, as she believed in the superstitious rhyme 'Marry in May, and rue the day'. The monarch refused to allow her children to marry in that month, and put off many a Victorian bride, who would rush to marry on before the end of April to avoid it.
Harry and Meghan, who announced their engagement on Monday, have not let the superstition sway their choice of month. The couple will tie the knot in May at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, although an exact date has yet to be revealed. Successful royal weddings in May include the Queen's eldest grandson Peter Phillips and his Canadian bride Autumn Kelly, who wed in Harry and Meghan's chosen venue, St George's Chapel, on May 17 2008. The couple, who have two daughters, will celebrate their ten-year anniversary next May.
Harry and Meghan will marry in May
Everything we know about Harry and Meghan's wedding so far
Royal weddings traditionally take place on a weekday. But while the public were granted a day off to celebrate Prince William and Kate's wedding in 2011, Downing Street has said there are "no plans" to hold a bank holiday for Harry and Meghan's. It's likely that the nuptials will take place at the start or end of the month; May has two bank holidays – Monday 7 and Monday 28. The second is more likely, as Kate is due to give birth in April. This would give her more time to recover after the arrival of the new Prince or Princess. Plus, local government elections are taking place at the beginning of May, making the first bank holiday unlikely.
The couple will say "I do" at St George's Chapel
Will Meghan spend Christmas at Sandringham?
Harry's communication's secretary Jason Knauf revealed details of the royal wedding in a press briefing on Tuesday, describing Windsor Castle as a "very special place" for Harry, and adding that he and Meghan had spent time there together during their 16-month romance. Mr Knauf said the couple were delighted to be holding the wedding in the "beautiful grounds of Windsor", adding that they would be putting their stamp on their wedding day. "They will be making sure it reflects who they are as a couple," he said.