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Ways Prince William and Kate's Wedding Was Untraditional

5 Ways the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Wedding Was Anything but Traditional

Apr 18 2018

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's upcoming wedding will break royal tradition in a number of ways, but they certainly aren't the first royal couple to march to the beat of their own drum. Despite how traditional Prince William and Kate Middleton's 2011 nuptials were, the couple actually chose to do a handful of things their way. From Kate's arrival to the pair's vows and the wedding gifts, read on to see all the ways William and Kate's wedding broke royal tradition.

Image Source: Getty / James Devaney

1. Kate's Arrival

It is royal tradition for the bride to arrive at her wedding in the Glass Coach carriage — Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Margaret all used it for their weddings — but Kate opted for a 1997 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI because she wanted her arrival to be "low-key."

Image Source: Getty / WPA Pool

2. The Exchanging of the Rings

There was no big exchanging of rings during the ceremony because William actually never got one. Before their nuptials, Kensington Palace released a statement about William's decision to go ringless, saying that he "isn't one for jewellery" and that it was "simply down to personal preference."

Image Source: Getty / WPA Pool

3. The Clergymen

While weddings generally only have one officiant, Kate and William broke tradition by having not two, but three clergymen conduct their nuptials. The Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev Dr. John Hall, conducted the service, but the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, solemnised their marriage, and the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, delivered the address. Chartres also spoke at Princess Diana's memorial service in 2007.

Image Source: Getty / WPA Pool

4. The Vows

William and Kate recited traditional wedding vows from the Book of Common Prayer, but they made one small tweak: they removed the word "obey." Fun fact: Princess Diana was the first royal bride to drop the word when she tied the knot with Prince Charles in 1981.

Image Source: Getty / WPA Pool

5. The Wedding Gifts

Unlike most engaged couples, Kate and William did not set up a wedding registry. Instead, they set up The Prince William and Kate Middleton Charitable Gift Fund, where guests could donate to 26 different charities.

"Having been touched by the goodwill shown them since the announcement of their engagement, Prince William and Miss Middleton have asked that anyone who might wish to give them a wedding gift consider giving instead to a charitable fund," Clarence House said in a statement. "Many of the charities are little known, without existing royal patronage, and undertake excellent work within specific communities. They are charities that have a particular resonance with Prince William and Miss Middleton and reflect issues in which the couple have been particularly interested in their lives to date."

Meghan and Harry have also done the same for their upcoming wedding.

Image Source: Getty / James Devaney

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