Meghan arrives just in time for Pippa’s high-flying reception after Harry’s 100-mile dash to pick her up: Actress ducks cameras to avoid stealing the limelight at Spitfire finale to £700,000 wedding
The Suits actress, 35, did not attend Pippa Middleton’s wedding but made camera-shy arrival at the reception
Harry slipped away after wedding to pick Meghan up from Kensington Palace and returned a few hours later
She watched the World War Two-era Spitfire Mk V’s display from Middletons’ £5million mansion in Berkshire
Meghan flew into the UK on Tuesday and had been staying at the Palace in London to avoid upstaging bride
A £100,000 glass marquee has been hired for the evening event, as have vintage cars and posh portaloos
Meghan Markle arrived at Pippa Middleton and James Matthews’ reception just in time to watch a majestic flypast by a Word War Two-era Spitfire plane in a lavish finale to the £700,000 wedding.
Prince Harry beamed as he drove his actress girlfriend, 35, to the Middletons’ estate in Berkshire, after making a 100-mile dash to pick her up from Kensington Palace on Saturday evening.
The smiling Suits star ducked the cameras to avoid stealing the limelight at the extravagant reception, where she witnessed a spectacular aerial display from a £100,000 glass marquee.
Just hours earlier, a joyful Pippa, 33, married millionaire hedge-fund manager James, 41, in an intimate ceremony at a 12th-century church in Englefield surrounded by their family and friends.
Harry, 32, watched the wedding ceremony at St Mark’s Church and stayed for the champagne reception at Englefield House.
He then slipped away in his dark grey Audi accompanied by a security guard to pick Meghan up from the Palace in West London, where she has reportedly been staying since flying into the UK on Tuesday.
‘Harry knew this was all about Pippa’s big day and he and Meghan jointly decided they didn’t want to upstage her. Harry went all the way back to London to get Meghan and bring her to the party,’ a source told the Sun on Sunday.
‘He left as discreetly as possible and travelled with her all the way back up, showing just how serious he is about her. He didn’t want Meghan having to arrive alone, without him alongside her, at the reception.’
The happy couple joined guests to watch the historic Spitfire Mk V plane soar through the skies against a stunning sunset for ten minutes from the ‘porta palace’ erected in the Middleton’s back garden.
A live band belted out music from the marquee as guests parties the night away, including jazz renditions of Call on Me by Eric Prydz and The White Stripes Seven Nation Army, the Sun reported.
Rumours have been circulating for some weeks that Meghan had been invited to the nuptials despite Pippa’s ‘no ring, no bring’ policy.
However, some believe Meghan may have chosen to stay away from the church ceremony to avoid upstaging Pippa and bringing more attention to her relationship with Harry.
To have her on his arm earlier today at such a high-profile event would once again have re-fuelled suggestions the pair could be set to marry.
It seems that Meghan has been eagerly anticipating the occasion as she has been seen indulging in several beauty treatments in the run up to the big day.
On Friday the actress, who landed in London on Tuesday, was spotted leaving a swanky spa in Soho, London, after a £250 facial ahead of the society event of year.
Prince Harry’s girlfriend looked casual in black leggings, a black hoodie and a grey baseball cap teamed with trainers. She offset her look with a £550 ($795) Clifton Rosewater Small Classic Grain bag by British brand Mulberry, and carried her iPhone in her hand as she left the spa.
It appeared that the actress had treated herself to a manicure as she displayed freshly painted nails.
Meghan arrived in the UK on Tuesday ahead of joining boyfriend Prince Harry at Pippa Middleton’s wedding this weekend.
According to E! News, Ms Markle arrived at Heathrow Airport on Tuesday and was immediately taken to Kensington Palace. The publication reported that she then made a lowkey appearance at the reception.
The evening reception was reported to be a lavish affair, with a nod to the groom’s Scottish connections in the entertainment and food – the dinner is said to feature haggis on the menu along with Scottish lamb and whisky.
Best man Spencer Matthews, the younger brother of the groom, reportedly gave a speech at 10pm to thunderous rounds of applause and laughter.
It comes hours after Pippa beamed with pride as she left the church as a married woman on the arm of her new husband James.
It was the moment the world had been waiting for and Pippa didn’t disappoint as she dressed to impress in a stunning white Giles Deacon gown for her nuptials to the 41-year-old financier she began dating last year.
The 33-year-old beamed with happiness as she displayed her famous figure in the fitted guipure lace gown by the British couturier, whose fans include Abbey Clancy and Kendall Jenner.
After saying their vows surrounded by their friends and family, the happy couple waved to the crowds as they drove in a Jaguar E-Type from the Englefield estate to the Middleton mansion for the evening reception in the ‘portapalace’ they’ve constructed in their garden.
Pippa, in a beautiful classic wedding dress with lace detail, was sporting a shiny new ring on her left hand as her husband manoeuvred the car through the crowded town centre. The long, glamorous veil had been discarded, and the happy couple were squinting into the sharp spring sun.
One notable absentee was Prince Harry’s girlfriend, Meghan Markle, who is thought to be joining the contingent for the reception back at the Middleton mansion this evening.
Rumours have been circulating for some weeks the Suits actress had been invited to the nuptials despite Pippa’s ‘no ring, no bring’ policy. However, some believe Meghan may have chosen to stay away from the church ceremony to avoid upstaging Pippa and bringing more attention to her relationship with Harry.
To have her on his arm earlier today at such a high-profile event would once again have re-fuelled suggestions the pair could be set to marry.
Shortly after Pippa and James left, Kate came by in a grey Range Rover, this time with a personal driver behind the wheel.
Villagers soon began to speculate whether her husband William and little George and Charlotte were hiding behind the car’s tinted back windows.
The wedding guests were all leaving the reception at Englefield Town Hall to commence the party at Carol and Michael’s home on Pease Hill.
The party is expected to carry on all evening with an estimated 350 high-profile guests.
This morning, flanked by her father, Michael Middleton, Pippa beamed with joy as she arrived at the church in a Jaguar Mark V ahead of her vows. Her attentive big sister Kate, who was resplendent in a peach Alexander McQueen dress, Jane Taylor hat and £7,500 Kiki McDonough earrings, was on hand to help arrange her dress as she walked into the church to say her vows.
It may have been their aunt’s big day but Prince George and Princess Charlotte, dressed in Spanish retailer Pepa and Co, managed to steal the limelight from Pippa as they served as page boy and bridesmaid at the society wedding of the year.
Dressed in adorable ensembles, three-year-old George and two-year-old Charlotte stole the hearts of the nation as they put on a charming display at St Mark’s Church in Berkshire.
Source: DAILYMAIL MAILONLINE
Tags: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Meghan, Harry Meghan
