Princess Charlotte has been named with nine other children as bridesmaids and page boys for her uncle Harry's wedding. Photo / Getty
With the royal wedding now just days away, speculation over who will and won't be in attendance has reached fever-pitch. In recent days, much attention has been cast toward Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle, with questions regarding his health and his relationship with the paparazzi splashed across the front pages of numerous British tabloids.
"I'm just too ill to walk Meghan down the aisle" read the Daily Mirror's front page Wednesday. "Meghan's dad 'wants to come but heart op might stop him'" said the Daily Mail.
Whether Thomas Markle will be there to walk his daughter down the aisle on Saturday still remains unclear.
One thing is certain, though: Prince George and Princess Charlotte will be there, and they'll be taking centre stage. Traditionally, children play an important role in royal weddings, and this one is no exception.
Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 3, are among 10 children selected by Prince Harry and Markle to feature as part of their big day. In total the couple will have six bridesmaids and four page boys, Kensington Palace said yesterday. The other children include Harry's godchildren and Markle's goddaughters. The ages of the children involved range from 2 to 7.
Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have chosen the Bridesmaids and Page Boys for their Wedding on Saturday 19th May #RoyalWedding: https://t.co/fRX7IA5Cn9
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 16, 2018
This is not the first time the children of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have had starring roles in a family wedding. In May last year, Charlotte was a bridesmaid and George was a page boy for their mother's younger sister, Pippa Matthews.
Kensington Palace shared the full list of the young children but did not provide any further details about what they would be wearing on the special day.
Who are the bridesmaids?
• Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, aged three, is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's niece.
• Florence van Cutsem, aged three, is goddaughter of Prince Harry and daughter of Alice van Cutsem and Major Nicholas van Cutsem.
• Remi Litt, aged six, is goddaughter of Ms Markle and daughter of Benita Litt and Darren Litt.
• Rylan Litt, aged seven, is goddaughter of Ms Markle, daughter of Benita Litt and Darren Litt.
• Ivy Mulroney, aged four, is Jessica Mulroney and Benedict Mulroney's daughter.
• Zalie Warren, aged two, is Prince Harry's goddaughter and the daughter of Zoe Warren and Jake Warren.
Who are the pageboys?
• Prince George of Cambridge, aged four, is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's nephew.
• Jasper Dyer, aged six, is godson of Prince Harry and the son of Amanda Dyer and Mark Dyer.
• Brian Mulroney, aged seven, is the son of Jessica Mulroney and Benedict Mulroney.
• John Mulroney, aged seven, is the son of Jessica Mulroney and Benedict Mulroney.
When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got married, one overwhelmed little bridesmaid stole the show as she was photographed crossly covering her ears from the noise of the crowd.
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot this weekend they will have no such fears, after choosing a brood of children already well used to the limelight.
Ms Markle's friends, Jessica Mulroney and Benita Litt, will watch on proudly as five of their children are given roles in the bridal party, joining Prince Harry's godchildren for the big day.
While the Prince, who is four, and three-year-old Princess are by now old hands at an English wedding, having been page boy and bridesmaid for their aunt Pippa Middleton, the American children will bring their own special touch to the wedding, having starred in their mother's social media posts for years.
The full bridal party will include Ms Markle's "fairy goddaughters" Remi and Rylan Litt, sisters aged six and seven respectively, and four-year-old Ivy Mulroney.
Ivy's twin brothers, seven-year-old Brian and John Mulroney, will be page boys, with Ms Markle's friends making up half of the attendant children.
Prince Harry's godchildren will also take centre stage, including Zalie Warren, two, three-year-old Florence van Cutsem and Jasper Dyer, six.
Florence is a cousin of Grace Van Cutsem, the young child best remembered for her balcony appearance with her hands over her ears at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
The party of ten, who may prove rather a handful without the supervision of an adult maid of honour, are likely to prove lively entertainment for the watching world.
While Prince Harry's godchildren have never been in the public eye and may prove shy in front of the world's cameras, his niece Princess Charlotte's recent appearance at the Lindo Wing suggests she will enjoy her moment in the limelight.
Then, while her older brother held his father's hand and walked quietly, she waved cheerfully, turning to face the media before going inside to offer one last pose.
The Prince and Princess, though, are photographed only a couple of times a year, with their image carefully protected by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Kensington Palace.
Ms Markle's friends, on the other hand, are rather more practicised.
Ivy Mulroney, four, and her seven-year-old twin brothers are a daily staple of Mrs Mulroney's Instagram page, posing willingly for home photoshoots with their mother.
Ivy often appears helping her mother get ready, putting on makeup and picking outfits, while Brian and John lark about together.
@jessicamulroney & her daughter Ivy are picture perfect in @MaisonBirks' #BeeFriends campaign. #BloorAndBetter #BehindTheScenes #MommyAndMe pic.twitter.com/ONyzlHOGIx
— ManulifeCentre (@ManulifeCentre) August 21, 2017
The grandchildren of former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, both Mrs Mulroney, a well-connected stylist, and her husband Ben are regulars on the social scene in Canada.
The family of five have already arrived in the UK, to begin preparations for the wedding.
The Litt sisters, who have appeared in Instagram pictures with Ms Markle, are the children of Darren and Benita, a handbag designer and close friend of the bride.
The inclusion of the children suggests Mrs Mulroney and Mrs Litt will take the roles of de facto adult bridesmaids behind the scenes on the day, marshalling the children who range from aged two to seven.
Also attending will be Zalie Warren, the daughter of Jake Warren, son of the Queen's bloodstock and racing adviser John Warren, and his wife Zoe. Mr Warren is an old school friend of Prince Harry's from Eton who asked him to be godfather to Zalie, one of his twin daughters.
Those who have been following Prince Harry through his life will be particularly touched to see Jasper Dyer, his godchild and son of Mark and Amanda Dyer.
Mr Dyer, who was photographed accompanying Ms Markle to the polo when she was dating Prince Harry, has been a long-term mentor of the Prince, taking him under his wing during the 1990s and early 2000s when the teenager was coming to terms with the death of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
Florence Van Cutsem is daughter of Alice van Cutsem and Nicholas van Cutsem, from a family who have been close to the Royals for generations.
The Duchess of Cambridge, who does not have an official role in the wedding, is now expected to take an active role on the day, supervising Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
While the Duke of Cambridge will be Harry's best man, missing the FA Cup final to be at his brother's side. The Duke, who has always been the front-runner for the supporting role at the wedding, is "honoured" to have been asked, Kensington Palace said.
Following the announcement, it didn't take long for Princess Charlotte's name to trend on Twitter. Many declared the news as cuteness overload.
"Okay but princess Charlotte is so cute I might actually combust into glitter," read one tweet.
"Princess Charlotte is a bridesmaid, I'm crying," read another.
Charlotte is already winning hearts at home and abroad. She was recently seen waving charmingly to photographers and bystanders outside St Mary's hospital in London as she visited her mother, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge when she gave birth to her third child, Louis, in April. As he is so young, the newborn prince will not be at the wedding.
Yes, the world can't wait to see what Markle will be wearing on Saturday, but Charlotte might just steal the show.
- The Washington Post, The Daily Telegraph UK
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