Royal onlookers have kept their eyes on Frogmore Cottage at Windsor for months now, awaiting the arrival of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s first child. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed a son, Archie, last week, and even though it’s looking like they opted out of a home birth at their regal abode, things are about to get even more hectic elsewhere at the Berkshire estate, as another VIP is getting married there this Saturday.
Lady Gabriella Windsor is tying the knot in a very similar fashion to Prince Harry and Meghan. The extended member of the British royal family (her parents are Prince Michael of Kent and the often controversial Princess Michael of Kent) is marrying her fiancé, Thomas Kingston, at St. George’s Chapel on May 18. Not only is the ceremony taking place at the same church where Prince Harry and Megan said “I do,” but it’s also happening just a day before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s one-year anniversary.
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Prince Harry and Meghan’s post-wedding venue will also be filled up in the coming days, as Lady Gabriella will host her reception at Frogmore House, just like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did. Alas, her party will be in the afternoon, so it won’t be as formal an affair as Prince Harry and Meghan’s evening fete (not to mention, her wedding won’t have the same media grandeur as the Sussexes’ since it’s not a public occasion).
Aside from the fact that her name is Gabriella Windsor, the bride-to-be apparently chose the locale because, as Buckingham Palace stated, it was “personal resonance,” and is where she spent many Christmases. Her late grandparents, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, are also buried at Frogmore.
Even though the big event is taking place on the same grounds where Prince Harry and Meghan’s plushly renovated estate sits, it’s unlikely the duo will spend their first wedding anniversary at someone else’s nuptials, especially so soon after Archie’s birth. Prince William and Kate Middleton aren’t expected to attend either, but Queen Elizabeth could very well be the guest of honor—after all, the whole gala is being hosted at the monarch’s royal residence. Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice should be there too, plus Pippa Middleton and James Matthews, as Gabriella and her fiancé were guests at Pippa’s nuptials. Actually, the groom reportedly used to date the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister, but it seems there’s no awkwardness among the crew.
And don’t worry if your invite got lost in the mail—as we previously noted, you can visit Frogmore House for just $10 later this month.
