- .Prince Harry served as an usher for his friend Tom 'Skippy' Inskip in Jamaica
- .Harry, 32, and actress Meghan Markle, 35, used trip as an excuse for a reunion
- .Miss Markle wed her first husband Trevor Engleson at a nearby resort in 2011
- .We reveal what the young couple got up to on their romantic West Indian break
She was demure and elegant in a flowing gown – he looked dapper and debonair in a tailored navy suit.
So pity the poor bride and groom whose lavish Caribbean nuptials were overshadowed by such glamorous guests.
Then again, if you will invite Prince Harry and his actress girlfriend Meghan Markle to your wedding, what do you expect?
All eyes were on the young lovers as the prince attended the wedding of friend Tom ‘Skippy’ Inskip at the weekend in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Not having seen each other for a fortnight, Harry, 32, and 35-year-old Meghan used the trip as an excuse for a romantic reunion – and their affectionate behaviour set tongues wagging that it might not be long before they, too, are walking up the aisle.
For Meghan, the surroundings are not entirely unfamiliar. In 2011, she married her first husband – film producer Trevor Engleson – at a resort just 60 miles along the coast. So is she feeling the love second time around?
We reveal exactly what the young couple got up to on their romantic West Indian weekend...
Cool, man: Dapper in his blue suit and shades, Harry hardly left his girlfriend's side throughout the day
He flies in economy, while she takes a private jet
Harry arrived in Jamaica on Wednesday to join the groom’s party ahead of the big day – he was one of 14 ushers. The royals don’t use private planes for personal engagements, so he took a Virgin Atlantic flight from Gatwick to Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. The prince did splash out on a premium economy seat, costing upwards of £2,000 return.
Meghan flew in the following day from Toronto, where she’s filming US legal drama Suits, in a private jet that belongs to a friend.
Ever the gentleman, Harry picked her up from the airport, greeting her with a kiss before they drove back to the hotel together.
The luxury resort where JFK stayed
With 110 acres of lush tropical gardens, suites designed by Ralph Lauren and its own private bay, the wedding reception venue is the perfect backdrop for royal romance.
The Round Hill Resort was built in the 1950s as a series of luxurious cottages for rich and famous visitors, and guests have included JFK and Jackie Kennedy, who spent their honeymoon here.
Grace Kelly, Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Sir Paul McCartney and Emma Watson have also stayed.
The palatial £5,000-a-night Montego Bay villa where Meghan and Harry stayed
A hotel worker revealed that Meghan and Harry stayed in a £5,000-a-night premium luxury villa, the resort’s most exclusive accommodation away from prying eyes, which comes with its own housekeeper, two pools and a games room with a bar and pool table. Ever watchful of their safety, security guards were stationed in rooms nearby.
Guests have breakfast served on their balcony, and options include Jamaican delicacies such as ackee (a fruit like a lychee), saltfish with fried dumplings and callaloo (a leafy green vegetable).
It’s quite a change from Meghan’s first trip to the island during her low-key wedding in 2011. She and her husband-to-be stayed at the four-star Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, where they indulged in drinking games and wheelbarrow races before saying their vows.
The (other) very happy couple
It takes a brave bride to invite glamorous, leggy Meghan to your wedding. But flame-haired Lara Hughes-Young didn’t seem bothered about being outshone.
Lara, 30, a software developer at global technology company ThoughtWorks, knows Harry through her new husband ‘Skippy’, who went to Eton with the prince.
She’s the granddaughter of late Conservative MP Michael Hughes-Young, and her father holds the title Lord St Helens – making her official title the Honourable Lara Inskip. She is said to have been ‘singing Meghan’s praises’ since meeting her last year.
Tom 'Skippy' Inskip with Pastor Conrad Thomas who officiated at the wedding, and his bridge Lara Hughes-Young
Skippy, 30, a management consultant and renowned party animal, has been inseparable from Harry since they met at school. He’s often described as the prince’s wingman – and something of a bad influence. When Harry was seen inhaling laughing gas at a party in 2010, Skippy was by his side; and he cropped up again on the royal’s notorious wild weekend in Las Vegas in 2012.
He and Lara have been dating for four years and made it on to Tatler’s recent list of the ‘100 most invited’ celebrities – above Harry’s ex Cressida Bonas.
Fergie and Usain Bolt on the guest list
Harry's aunt Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, posed for pictures with the pastor
They may have been the focus of attention on the day, but Megan and Harry were far from the only notable guests at the wedding.
Harry’s aunt Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was on the list, accompanied, insiders say, by her daughter Eugenie. After the ceremony, a smiling Fergie, wearing a black minidress with a jewelled neck, was seen posing for photographs with Pastor Conrad Thomas, who officiated the ceremony.
Archie Soames, one of the ushers, is the great-grandson of Winston Churchill. And maid of honour Alice St Clair Erskine is an actress who portrayed the Duchess of Cambridge in the 2011 American TV show William and Catherine: A Royal Romance. Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt is rumoured to have popped in for the party.
Trying not to upstage the bride
For the ceremony, Meghan chose a £1,200 floral print maxi dress by Canadian designer Erdem.
Harry opted for a bespoke navy suit, believed to be from his favourite Savile Row tailor Gieves & Hawkes, and teamed with a yellow rose.
Meghan accessorised her elegant attire with a nude clutch bag and a pair of £249 gold-rimmed sunglasses by Dior to shield her eyes from the hot Jamaican sun.
The bride did her best to stay in the spotlight in a breathtakingly simple white satin gown with a plunging neckline and full, flowing skirt – a direct contrast to Meghan’s high-necked style.
Elegant: The 35-year-old actress looked stunning in her £1,200 Erdem maxi dress and gold bracelet
The £5,000 bracelet - from hubby no 1
Glinting conspicuously on Meghan’s wrist was a stunning gold bracelet, believed to be a £5,000 Cartier Love Bracelet. But contrary to reports, it’s not a gift from Harry.
The Cartier Love bracelet and screwdriver in yellow gold
Meghan can be seen wearing the trinket in photographs from her first wedding in 2011, suggesting it may have been a token from her first husband.
The oval band, studded with diamonds and made from 18-carat yellow gold, has two C-shaped halves that can only be removed with a screwdriver.
The feature is said to be inspired by medieval chastity belts. Cartier describes the piece as one that ‘seals love that transgresses convention’ – less-than-apt considering Meghan and husband Trevor divorced after less than two years together.
It’s popular among celebrities – and Harry’s sister-in-law, Pippa Middleton, has one.
Bob Marley and vows of ‘yeah man’
Lara and Skippy married in the Hopewell Baptist Church, a 1980s-built wood-panelled structure overlooking the ocean. Despite having no connections to the country, they decided to theme their wedding around the colourful culture of Jamaica.
Pastor Thomas, 43, who presided over the ceremony, invited the couple to respond to their vows with the words ‘Yeah man’ instead of ‘I do’ accompanied by the 220-strong congregation.
Take a pew: Harry was pictured at the wedding service
Harry and Meghan, sitting in the third pew, joined in enthusiastic renditions of reggae classics One Love by Bob Marley and Israelites by Desmond Dekker.
The readings were an extract from The Twits by Roald Dahl and a love poem written by usher Jake Warren. The pastor said the couple looked ‘so very much in love’. ‘They sat next to each other and held hands as they walked out,’ he added.
‘I will never forget their radiant smiles and they looked so happy together.’ His final, prescient words to Harry were: ‘It’s your turn next, Sir.’
Meghan's tender touch for her prince
Meghan placed a protective arm on Harry’s back as she steered him out of the church and guests say the pair were very tactile throughout the reception as she was introduced to his old friends.
At one point they were seen deep in conversation, as a jacketless Harry drank a beer and Meghan an Aperol spritz cocktail as she continued to rub his back.
Minutes later, she moved even closer, gazing into his eyes and putting her arms around his neck. ‘They are both head over heels and don’t care who sees it,’ said an onlooker.
Tender touch: Meghan was see putting an arm tenderly around her prince
Dreadlocks and rum at ‘mother of parties’
Lara and Skippy made their way to the reception in a car chauffeured by a Rastafarian named Perry, with dreadlocks down to his feet. The party then enjoyed a Jamaican wedding breakfast, drinking rum cocktails and eating jerk chicken, rice and peas, along with seafood specialities including torched black tiger prawns and lobster.
Guests say what started off as a sedate afternoon turned into ‘the mother of all parties’. After the speeches, the bride changed into a multicoloured outfit resembling the Jamaican flag and posed with bikini-clad carnival dancers in feathered headdresses.
Moonwalking Harry’s dancefloor disaster
Guests say the prince took to the dancefloor to impress his new lady. But as he was moonwalking to the Michael Jackson hit Billy Jean Harry smashed into a waitress carrying a tray of drinks and sent them both flying.
A source said the prince was mortified. ‘He gasped, looked shocked and put his hands on the waitress’s shoulders and apologised.’
After spending the evening kissing and dancing, Harry and Meghan made a swift exit at around 1am while guests continued well into the night.
It was reported that some were smoking marijuana.
Pair make the most of every minute
The morning after the night before, the prince headed to the beach in a pair of blue board shorts and a black baseball cap, while Meghan stayed at the villa.
He was seen flexing his muscles and giving the thumbs up to friends as he waded waist-deep in the water before joining them for a drink at the beachside bar.
It’s believed the couple had planned to go on a boat trip, but – perhaps feeling a little worse for wear – decided to give it a miss.
Sources say they plan to make the most of this precious time together, with Harry due to stay on the island until Wednesday when Meghan has to fly back to her North American home.
With 3,500 miles between them after that, every minute counts.
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