Who will walk Meghan Markle down the aisle?
Meghan Markle is reportedly “distraught” following her father Thomas’s decision to pull out of her wedding to Prince Harry this weekend.
The reclusive former TV lighting director initially decided not to attend the royal wedding following the fallout from setting up a series of paparazzi photos. But a day later, Markle said he wanted to walk his daughter down the aisle but can no longer do so as he will be facing “major surgery”, after suffering a recent heart attack.
Following the sudden news Markle would no longer be attending, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: “This is a deeply personal moment for Ms Markle in the days before her wedding. She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr Markle in this difficult situation.”
With the wedding only a few days away, Meghan has been left without anyone to walk her down the aisle in St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on Saturday.
So who is the most likely candidate to take over the important job?
1. Doria Ragland
Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland, 61, is the most obvious choice now to walk Meghan down the aisle.
The former actress is incredibly close to her mother and has often spoke about their relationship.
Doria has also met her future son-in-law, who she met at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Toronto last year.
During Meghan and Harry’s engagement interview, Prince Harry said Doria as “awesome”.
2. Prince Charles
With Meghan’s father and grandfather absent on the day, will her future father-in-law walk her down the aisle?
Prince Charles has no other official duty during the wedding, and has spoken about how excited he and the Duchess of Cornwall are to welcome Meghan into their family.
3. Prince William
While Prince William already has an important job on the day as Harry’s best man, it is possible that he will do the honours of walking Meghan down the aisle if she is unable to find anyone else.
William and Kate have spent a lot of time with Meghan since the start of her relationship with Harry.
Although the idea seems a little strange, there is a royal precedent.
Princess Margaret’s brother-in-law Prince Philip walked her down the aisle at her wedding to Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, as her father had passed away eight years earlier.