WINDSOR -- The world watched as the British family walked down the aisle into a new era on Saturday, with Meghan Markle becoming the first-ever mixed-race member of the senior royal family.
The 36-year-old California-native also became the first-ever Duchess of Sussex.
Never has there been a royal wedding like this one, with a ceremony clearly inspired by the trans-Atlantic nature of the union, suggesting the Royal Family is taking steps toward a more modern Monarchy.
And perhaps the most-modern move of them all, was for Prince Harry to marry an American bride three years his senior, biracial, and divorced, showing how far the Royal Family has come since King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry a divorced American, Wallis Simpson.
And in a symbolic shift in the Monarchy, Markle’s mother Doria Ragland, at times mistaken for her daughter's nanny, and the descendant of slaves in the American Deep South, sat just feet away from the longest-serving British Monarch, the Queen.
Prince Charles and Doria Ragland, mother of the bride, depart after the wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, near London, England, Saturday, May 19, 2018. (Owen Humphreys/pool photo via AP)
And when Markle entered St. George’s Chapel, she also became the first royal bride to walk down part of the aisle by herself.
Ragland accompanied her daughter to St. George’s Chapel, but Markle broke tradition by walking down the Nave of the chapel unescorted. She was joined by Harry’s father Prince Charles for the rest of her walk, through the Quire aisle, to her groom Prince Harry.
Harry, for his part, also broke tradition by keeping his facial hair, amid speculation he would shave it off, as the British military tradition does not permit beards.
And there were also other history-making moments that unfolded in the 15th century St. George’s Chapel in Windsor on Saturday; like the gospel choir’s moving performance of the Ben E. King song “Stand By Me” and the performance by teenage cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, the first black winner of the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year contest in 2016.
But one of the most-talked about moments came from the Chicago-born African-American Bishop Michael Bruce Curry’s fiery sermon, which made some royal wedding guests sit up and take notice.
Curry, the first black leader of the Episcopal Church in the United States, appeared to startle some of the royal wedding guests - who perhaps are used to the more-solemn, less fiery, Anglican service.
In this frame from video, the Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry speaks during the wedding ceremony of Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, near London, England, Saturday, May 19, 2018. (UK Pool/Sky News via AP)
“I’m talking about some power, real power,” he thundered in his rousing sermon on the theme of love. “Power to change the world. If you don’t believe me, well, there were some old slaves in America’s Antebellum South who explained the dynamic power of love and why it has the power to transform.”
One of the royals who appeared visibly startled was Zara Tindall, the Queen’s granddaughter, whose open-mouthed response captured attention on social media.
Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall arrive for the wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, near London, England, Saturday, May 19, 2018. (Gareth Fuller/pool photo via AP)
Curry quoted slain civil rights leader King on the “redemptive power of love,” telling the bride and groom that “it’s not just for, and about, a young couple who we rejoice with, it’s more than that.”
“A black reverend preaching to British royalty about the resilience of faith during slavery is 10000000% not what I thought I was waking up for, the royal wedding is good,” Buzzfeed social media editor Elamin Abdelmahmoud tweeted.
“When love is the way, we actually treat each other, well, like we are actual family,” Curry said.
“When love is the way, we know that God is the source of us all and we are brothers and sisters, children of God and brothers and sisters,” he said. “That’s a new heaven, a new earth a new world, a new human family.”
Supermodel Naomi Campbell tweeted in all caps: “BISHOP MICHAEL CURRY GIVING ME LIFE.”
The Associated Press reported that Prince Harry and Markle traded quick glances at one point of the sermon.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cambridge appeared to almost imperceptibly purse her lips and exchange sidelong glances with Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.
The Queen, however, sat stoically as she had through the entire ceremony. Prince Philip, who also was in attendance despite having recently recovered from hip surgery, appeared to listen attentively.
Zara Phillips is like “omg” - the Queen doesn’t understand what’s going on. Kate and Camilla are trying to hide giggles under their hats. Charles too. This is EXACTLY what the royal family needs ���� Everyone is stunned. This man is amaze.
— Bel Trew (@Beltrew) May 19, 2018
Zara Phillips face is everything ������ pic.twitter.com/shiWxIfRFu
— Britty (@brittybubs) May 19, 2018
Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband, an atheist, tweeted: “Rev Michael Curry could almost make me a believer.”
Meanwhile in Windsor, one of the royal-watchers enjoying the festivities told CTV News’ Todd Battis, “I did see that there were a few people that had uncomfortable moments.
“The ceremony was a little bit long but overall I thought it was beautiful,” Veronica told Battis from her spot in Alexandra Gardens.
Soccer star David Beckham seemed to enjoy the sermon, as cameras captured him smiling.
Beckham was just one of the celebrities in attendance. Rarely has a royal wedding seen a guest list as studded with celebrities, such as George and Amal Clooney, who some argued stole the show with her mustard yellow Stella McCartney ensemble, David and Victoria Beckham, tennis great Serena Williams, actor Idris Elba, and Oprah.
Despite the modern moments in the ceremony, tradition ultimately reigned.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle exchanged the Church of England’s wedding vows, promising to have and to hold, “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.”
They did, however, omit the word “obey.”
And then they were pronounced husband and wife.
“Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder,” he said.
With files from The Associated Press
CTV News’ Senior Web Producer Mary Nersessian is among the news crew on the ground in Windsor and London, reporting on the royal wedding with behind-the-scenes updates on CTVNews.ca, and social media channels including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat. Follow the wall-to-wall digital coverage on CTVNews.ca/royals.
