• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle begin married life
  • New Duke and Duchess of Sussex set to head home
  • First engagement as husband and wife on Tuesday
  • Duchess wants to 'hit the ground running' as a royal

Newlyweds Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are beginning their lives as a married couple as they prepare to head home after an emotional wedding ceremony that captivated the nation.

After a day that saw the couple seal their union with a kiss, process through Windsor in a carriage and experience a moving wedding reception speech in their honour from the Prince of Wales, the pair - who will now be called the Duke and Duchess of Sussex - spent Saturday night partying with close family and friends. 

The newlyweds spent the night at Windsor Castle and on Sunday are expected to bid farewell to the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh before travelling home to Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace. The Queen was pictured going to church on Sunday morning, but there was no sign of the newly-married couple.

Meanwhile, the Duchess's hair stylist has revealed she was a "calm and chatty" bride, with no signs of nerves on her wedding morning. Serge Normant said it was "dreamy" to work with the Duchess, creating a bun that was "messy in a controlled way".

The grand finale of the royal wedding saw 200 people join a black-tie dinner and evening celebrations at Frogmore House. The Duchess was expected to be among those to make a speech and the couple had their first dance.

The thud of loud music could be heard over the grounds of Windsor Castle and fireworks from the event hosted by Prince Charles lit up the night sky at around 11pm. 

The Duchess previously said she wants to "hit the ground running" on becoming a full-time member of the Royal family. The Duchess will attend her first royal garden party in the grounds of Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

In their first official engagement as husband and wife, the couple will attend a 70th birthday patronage celebration for the Prince of Wales.

The outdoor event marks the heir to the throne's milestone birthday - which falls in November - by recognising Charles' patronages and military affiliations as well as others involved in charities supported by the royal.

Fireworks from the Frogmore House party lit up the night sky over Windsor Credit: Steve Finn 

The couple will not immediately leave for their honeymoon, but remain in the UK for a period of time before taking the traditional break. Countries such as Botswana - which offers stunning wildlife, breathtaking scenery and, importantly, privacy from prying eyes - could be top of the list.

But the couple may first spend a few days in Ireland, according to reports, making their inaugural overseas trip as a married couple to the Republic, while their honeymoon is put on hold for a period.

Botswana is a place the Duke loves and knows well, and he reportedly whisked his fiancee to the southern African country in 2017 to mark her 36th birthday.

The Duke and Duchess had exchanged vows in front of 600 guests including the Queen and more than 30 members of the Royal family.

Famous faces such as US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey, tennis champion Serena Williams, actor George Clooney and his barrister wife Amal Clooney, Sir Elton John, David and Victoria Beckham and actor Idris Elba were also in St George's Chapel.

Sir Elton, who sang at the funeral service for the Duke's mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, performed at the lunchtime reception.

An estimated 100,000 people turned out to see the couple as they sat in an open-top Ascot Landau for a carriage procession through Windsor.

In a touching gesture, the Duke gave his wife a poignant wedding-day gift - an emerald-cut aquamarine ring which belonged to his late, beloved mother.

Stay with us for the latest updates throughout the day.

Auto update

Wedding dress designer's pride at involvement in 'historic moment'

The designer of the Duchess of Sussex's wedding dress has spoken of her pride in being involved in such a "historic moment".

Birmingham-born Clare Waight Keller was told by the Duchess in early January that she was the chosen designer.

She said: "It was an extraordinary moment when she told me. Of course it's an incredible thing to be part of such a historic moment."

Ms Waight Keller said the process was collaborative, adding: "I think she had very much seen my work and knew what I did.

"I think she loved the fact that I was a British designer, and working in a house such as Givenchy which has its roots in a very classical, beautiful style."

Ms Waight Keller said over time they quickly got to a point where the Duchess felt she knew exactly what she wanted after various meetings and trials.

This meant that the designer got to know her, and she said of the new Duchess of Sussex: "She's exactly what you see on TV. She's just so genuine and warm and radiant. She's just glowing.

"She's a strong woman. She knows what she wants, and it was really an absolute joy working with her."

Asked about the moment the Duchess was able to look at herself fully dressed and ready in the mirror on Saturday morning, Ms Waight Keller said: "She was just glowing.

"There's so much emotion on a day like that anyway. But I think particularly when it all comes together, I think, is tremendous. She was absolutely radiant."

Asked if there was any tears from the bride, she said: "No, she was incredibly composed. It was really quite extraordinary. She's just the most beautiful person."

Clare Waight Keller Credit: Peter White /Getty

Asked what the Duchess's mother, Doria Ragland, had thought of her daughter, Ms Waight Keller said: "As she went into her car, her mother was already sitting in the car and you just could see there was so much love between them."

Queen back at Windsor Castle... still no sign of newlyweds yet

The Queen was later seen being driven back to Windsor Castle soon after the service at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park.

As a few Windsor Farm shop regulars watched, her Range Rover swept into a side entrance onto the castle estate.

The Queen is driven into Windsor Castle after a Sunday trip to church Credit: Andrew Matthews /PA

There has still been no sight yet today of the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex who are expected to leave Windsor Castle, where they stayed overnight. They are due to travel home to Nottingham Cottage, in the grounds of Kensington Palace.

'Dreamy' Duchess: 'Calm and chatty' bride showed no nerves, says hair stylist

The Duchess of Sussex was a calm and chatty bride with no signs of nerves on her wedding morning, according to her hair stylist.

Serge Normant said it was "dreamy" to work with the Duchess, creating a bun that was "messy in a controlled way".

The Duchess of Sussex's hair was styled into a bun that was 'messy in a controlled way' Credit: Jonathan Brady /PA

Describing her demeanour on Saturday morning, he said: "She was calm, yeah. Chatty, absolutely. We were definitely having exchanges, yeah for sure.

"She was very happy. It was a beautiful morning, just the perfect morning to get married."

Asked if she had shown any signs of nerves the Paris-born hairdresser said: "No, I don't think so, she was just very happy, very happy, very excited."

Hair stylist Serge Normant  Credit: Jason Merritt /Getty

Mr Normant, who flew from his New York base especially to style the Duchess's hair, said he had spoken to the newly-married couple after the wedding, describing Meghan as "thrilled" and Harry as "fantastic".

He said: "She was thrilled, yeah she was very happy."

On Harry, he added: "He's Prince Harry, he's fantastic. A beautiful couple."

Queen pictured leaving Windsor Castle

As royal fans waited for any sign of the newlyweds on Sunday morning, they instead saw the Queen in a Range Rover being driven past the entrance of Windsor Farm shop.

The Queen regularly attends the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park.

The Queen leaves Windsor Castle on Sunday morning Credit: DYLAN MARTINEZ /Reuters

Clean-up begins as Windsor recovers from wedding fever 

As Windsor begins to recover from the wedding of the year, clean-up efforts were under way bright and early this morning.

Trucks and lorries lined the streets as caterers and international news networks started to leave the vicinity of Windsor Castle, while rubbish collectors moved in.

The royal wedding clean-up begins on the Long Walk in Windsor Credit: Jeff Gilbert for The Telegraph 

Police are still maintaining a heavy presence in the Berkshire town as the newly married Duke and Duchess of Sussex prepare to head back to London at some point this afternoon.

Police on the Long Walk in Windsor on Sunday morning Credit: Andrew Matthews /PA

Elsewhere in Windsor, relatively few signs remained of the festivities, pomp and pageantry that went into staging the royal wedding - apart from innumerable Union Flags still adorning the streets.

Namibia is bookmakers' favourite for honeymoon destination 

Ladbrokes has just been in touch with its latest betting for the couple's honeymoon destination - and Namibia is the frontrunner.

  • Namibia: 2/1
  • Botswana: 4/1
  • Tanzania: 5/1
  • Seychelles: 6/1
  • Maldives: 6/1
  • Any Carribean island 8/1

The honeymoon: Where the couple might go

As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex take a period of time at home in the UK before going on their honeymoon, speculation will grow about their choice of destination.

Countries such as Botswana - which offers stunning wildlife, breathtaking scenery and, importantly, privacy from prying eyes - could be top of the list.

But the couple might first spend a few days in Ireland, according to reports, making their inaugural overseas trip as a married couple to the Republic, while their honeymoon is put on hold for a period.

Botswana is a place the Duke loves and knows well, and he reportedly whisked his fiancee to the southern African country in 2017 to mark her 36th birthday.

Camping at its finest: Inside one of the tents at the £1,000 plus a night Meno A Kwen where the couple reportedly stayed Credit: Olwen Evans 

Others believe that Namibia is the most likely destination for the couple, who will no doubt be looking for an "off-grid" honeymoon after the intensity of the wedding. Namibia is renown for its private desert camps, spectacular sand dunes and animal safaris.

However, the Duke and Duchess could also consider a staycation - just as the Queen and Prince Phillip did in 1947. The couple spent their honeymoon at Broadlands House in Hampshire – although that would be no guarantee of favourable weather. 

Where the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex will live - and who their neighbours will be

Kensington Palace said the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue to live in Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of the palace, but they are also reported to be moving to a bigger apartment.

They have been been living in the cottage 

Reportedly referred to as "Notts Cotts", the property - only yards from the Duke's childhood home within Kensington Palace itself, has been a base for both the Duke and his brother, Prince William, over the past decade.  

As the previous occupants, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent two and a half years at the cottage after their royal wedding in 2011, before moving to a permanent apartment inside Kensington Palace to accommodate their growing family. Harry moved into Nottingham Cottage shortly after. 

An aerial view of Kensington Palace Credit: PA/Andrew Parsons

It is the smallest of Kensington Palace's multiple residences, residing in a part of the grounds that once housed important members of staff. There are two rooms and a private garden. 

In the long term, the Duke and Duchess are expected to vacate Nottingham Cottage for a 21-room Kensington Palace apartment, adjacent to that of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The apartment's roof and windows have recently been refurbished, while the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester moved out of it last November - giving legs to rumours the newlyweds will move there.

As neighbours, the royal brothers could inhabit what was once a single suite of apartments at Kensington Palace, before it was split in two in the 1950s. The apartments are even suspected to share a secret door.

The royal brothers will remain as neighbours at Kensington Palace Credit: EN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

Initially however, the new Duke will have a cousin for a neighbour: Princess Eugenie and her fiancé Jack Brooksbank recently took-up residence at Ivy Cottage after announcing their engagement in January this year.

That wedding will also take place at St George's Chapel, in Windsor, on October 12.

Royals and Duchess's mother pictured arriving at Frogmore House party

Among the 200 guests invited to the evening reception at Frogmore House were senior members of the Royal family. The Duke of York was pictured driving his daughters to the event, as was Prince Edward. The Duchess of Sussex's mother, Doria Ragland, was driven to the event in a royal vehicle.

The Duke of York drives his daughters Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Eugenie's fiancee Jack Brooksbank to the venue in a Bentley Credit: Steve Finn for The Telegraph
Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex Credit: Steve Finn for The Telegraph
Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, is driven to the evening reception Credit: Steve Finn for The Telegraph 

13 million viewers tune into BBC One as unlikely pairing of Kirsty Young and Dermot O’Leary tag-teamed with Huw Edwards

More than 13 million viewers tuned in for BBC One's coverage of the royal wedding, the Corporation has announced.

Led by Kirsty Young, Huw Edwards and Dermot O'Leary, it attracted a peak of 13.1 million viewers just after 1pm.

It was seen by an average of 8.7 million viewers and a 63.9 per cent share, the BBC said.

BBC presenters Dermot O'Leary and Kirsty Young

The Telegraph's Michael Hogan described BBC One as "traditionally the natural choice for such occasions: informed but not too intrusive, unshowy yet compelling". He writes: 

"The Corporation’s anchors were Kirsty Young (a reassuring voice as ever) and Dermot O’Leary (was he on the wrong channel?). This unlikely pair tag-teamed with Huw Edwards (solid, dependable, a bit boring), who appeared to have been on a pre-wedding diet. Sitting side-on to the camera for some strange reason, the newly svelte Welshman couldn’t quite get his autocue-reading right and kept glancing off-screen as if distracted by something more interesting."

ITV's audience peaked with 3.6 million viewers, at a different time to BBC One - just after 2pm.

On ITV, coverage - which was fronted by Phillip Schofield and Julie Etchingham - averaged 2.5 million viewers and a 18.6 per cent share between 9.25am and 3pm.

The five-minute audience peak on BBC One is the biggest across all channels this year, the broadcaster said. On BBC One, the FA Cup final averaged 6.7 million viewers and peaked at 8.7 million.

Click here to read what Michael Hogan thought about the rest of the TV coverage.

Drinks, flags and boats: How Windsor celebrated after the wedding

Away from the star-studded evening reception, thousands of people who travelled to Windsor yesterday stayed in the town to continue celebrating in the evening. And judging by these pictures, the fun didn't stop.

Michelle Wagoner, 33, Molly Larsen, 41, Chloe Hodges, 24, Heather Poynter, 34, and Tammi McBride, 38, from the US
Young royal fans pose for a picture with police officers in Windsor Credit: John Nguyen for The Telegraph
Stephanie Abdullah, 48, from Washington DC Credit: John Nguyen for The Telegraph
Floriana Uatanau and Eda Smith, from Reading Credit: John Nguyen for The Telegraph
Pauline Gardiner and Janice Smith from Newcastle Credit: John Nguyen for The Telegraph
Tom Nicholson, from Surrey, enjoys the post-wedding celebrations in Windsor on his boat 'Jarni' Credit: John Nguyen for The Telegraph

First official engagement as a married couple

The champagne has barely stopped flowing, but the newlyweds are already preparing for their first engagement as husband and wife.

Just three days after the ceremony, on Tuesday, they will attend Buckingham Palace for the Prince of Wales’ 70th birthday patronage celebration in the palace's gardens, joined by Prince Charles, who turns 70 in November, and the Duchess of Cornwall.

Doria Ragland, mother of the bride, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall walk down the steps of St George's Chapel Credit: Jane Barlow/Reuters

The garden party involves 6,000 guests from almost 400 of the Prince of Wales' patronages and 20 military affiliations.

The guest list includes some of the emergency services personnel who were the first to respond to the bombing at the Manchester Arena last May; the anniversary of the attack falls on the same day as the party.

A previous garden party at Buckingham Palace Credit: Paul Grover for The Telegraph

This engagement sets the tone for the couple's conduct as enthusiastic supporters of charities, having asked their wedding guests to donate money to seven chosen charities as a wedding gift. 

'She'll be pregnant by Christmas!' Fans reflect on royal wedding

The morning after hosting a world event, normality is returning to Windsor on Sunday morning.

Relatively few signs remained of the festivities, pomp and pageantry that went into staging the royal wedding - apart from innumerable Union Jacks still adorning Berkshire town.

But it was a different story on Saturday, when more than 100,000 spectators lined the streets.

This video shows fans reflecting on the wedding of the year - and predicting a happy future for the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Royal family thank thousands of spectators who travelled to Windsor

The Royal family has expressed gratitude to all those around the world who enjoyed the wedding - and the estimated more than 100,000 spectators who travelled to the town.

Morning after the night before: Couple prepare to leave Windsor Castle

Good morning and welcome to our continuing live coverage of the royal wedding as the newlyweds prepare to head from Windsor Castle where they have spent the night.

As festivities on the streets of Windsor wound down, the guests of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's evening wedding reception showed no sign of pause last night. 

Around 11pm fireworks lit up the night sky over Frogmore House where the couple were celebrating with 200 of their closest friends and family. 

Video: Fireworks mark end of royal wedding celebrations

The grand finale of the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was billed as a private affair - a chance for the selected guests to relax and celebrate with the happy couple.

The thud of loud music could be heard over the grounds of Windsor Castle as the newlywed’s guest danced the night away. Speeches, including from Meghan herself, were also expected at the evening reception where the couple were to take their first dance.

Leaving for the evening reception earlier in the evening Prince Harry proved he was the perfect gentleman as he opened the door of a vintage car to let his bride step in.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in a classic E-Type Jaguar heading off to their wedding reception

Ms Markle wore a sleek Stella McCartney dress with a halter neck, showing off her shoulders and back with her hair up in a chic bun.

The dress was described as a “bespoke lily white high neck gown made of silk crepe”, with satin shoes from Aquazurra with soles painted in baby blue: her “something blue”.

Her hair had been styled by George Northwood especially for the more relaxed evening. 

The couple travelled from Windsor Castle to Frogmore House in a silver blue Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero. The number plate was E19 05 18, marking their wedding date. 

This vehicle was originally manufactured in 1968, and has since been converted to electric power, suiting the couple’s eco-credentials.

Prince Harry opens the door to the Jaguar allowing his wife to get into the passenger seat Credit: Steve Parsons/PA

Prince Harry appears to have given his bride a poignant wedding day gift - an impressive, emerald cut aquamarine ring which belonged to his late, beloved mother.

Ms Markle wore the large gem on her right hand as the couple made their way to their evening reception.

As Prince Harry and Ms Markle left Windsor Castle, following their afternoon reception, official photographs and time for an outfit change, they posed for a picture before climbing into the vintage car.

Prince Harry gallantly opened the door, waiting for Ms Markle to gather her long dress into the footwell before closing it gently, as they smiled broadly.

With the Prince in the driving seat, on the left hand side of the car, they made their way through the Windsor estate to Frogmore in the soft evening light.

The 200 evening guests included George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, and Ben and Jessica Mulroney.

George and Amal Clooney speak to a police officer as they arrive at Frogmore House Credit: w8media 

Guests including Argentinian polo player Nacho Figueras shared their excitement at being invited to the exclusive evening do, placing a picture of the invitation on social media along with a new suit and aftershave.

Nacho Figueras shared a picture on social media of his invite

Serena Williams, the tennis player, uploaded a photograph of herself in a glamorous evening gown, saying, “Thank you Pierpaolo for making me look special on this special evening.”

Jessica Mulroney posted a photograph of herself in a figure-hugging, sequinned, floor length dress.

Pictures were also posted on social media of Priyanka Chopra, a friend of Ms Markle, attending the evening reception. 

Ms Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, accessorized her second outfit with a large aquamarine ring once owned by Diana, Princess of Wales. 

Princess Diana wearing the aquamarine ring during a visit to Sydney in 1996 Credit: Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images

Frogmore House, a 17th century English country house, stands in the home park of Windsor Castle and is part of the Crown Estate and is only open to individuals on three days of the year.

From 7pm, a select 200 close friends arrived at the after party hosted by the Prince of Wales half a mile away from Windsor Castle.

The 17th century Grade I country house is owned by the Crown Estate and is part of the Frogmore Estate on the ground of the Home Park.

Click here to read about how all the events unfolded on Saturday.