Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding is set to be the highlight of 2018, and while everyone is desperate to know the details - one thing's for certain, the Duchess of Cambridge will not play bridesmaid or act as maid of honour on the couple's big day. According to HELLO!'s royal expert Emily Nash, the Duchess will not have a prominent role even though her daughter Princess Charlotte will no doubt be a bridesmaid. "Kate was never going to be a bridesmaid - she hasn't known Meghan for very long and will have just given birth when the wedding takes place," she explained. "Just like at Pippa's wedding, I'd expect her to have her hands full managing Princess Charlotte and Prince George, who are far more likely to play the roles of flower girl and page boy at the nuptials, as well as her newborn son or daughter."
The Duchess of Cambridge won't be part of Meghan Markle's bridal party
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Earlier on this year, Kate chose to forgo the honour in order to not overshadow her sister Pippa Middleton on her big day. "Kate would upstage her sister," royal author Judy Wade told People magazine in 2016. "It's a tricky situation for Pippa. She would want her sister by her side, as who else would she trust to make things go well? But if your sister is a future Queen, she is going to upstage the bride and draw attention. Kate would want to be in the background as much as possible." At Kate's wedding in 2011, Pippa served as her bridesmaid and stunned the world in her form-fitting ivory Alexander McQueen gown.
Prince Harry and Meghan will tie the knot in May 2018
Who will be Meghan Markle’s bridesmaids at the royal wedding?
Meanwhile, Meghan has an extensive social circle of close and trusted friends, so she will have a tough decision on her hands when it comes to picking her bridesmaids. The couple, who announced their engagement last week, will exchange vows at Windsor Castle in May 2018. The Suits actress, 36, is widely rumoured to select her long-time friend Jessica Mulroney or Lindsay Jill Roth, who picked Meghan to be her bridesmaid at her own wedding in August 2016.
