After hearing the happy couple say their vows on Saturday, guests at the royal wedding went on to hear the less formal speeches which were said to be full of jokes as well as sentiment.
Traditionally at a wedding, it’s the groom, father of the bride and best man who speak. But in the very modern marriage of Meghan Markle to Prince Harry, the bride also said a few words.
As her father, Thomas, was unable to attend, Prince Charles stepped in once again – just like he had to walk his now daughter-in-law down the aisle at St George’s Chapel on Saturday.
Here’s everything that’s rumoured to be have been said in the speeches, based on reports from The Mirror, The Sun, Mail on Sunday and E! Online…
THE GROOM: PRINCE HARRY
Prince Harry, now the Duke of Sussex, is said to have hit all the right notes with his speech, making guests both laugh and cry.
According to reports, his speech was described as “off-the-cuff” as he jokingly warned their American guests not to “pinch any of the swords” hanging up in Windsor Castle.
He thanked everyone for their efforts in attending, saying he and Meghan had wanted “a low-key wedding”.
Speaking of his bride, he paused with emotion as he called her his wife for the first time. He praised her beauty and intelligence and added that she’d handled the difficult build-up to the wedding following her father’s heart surgery “with such grace”.
Echoing words he said when the pair announced their engagement, he said they “make such a great team”, telling her: “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
A source told the Mirror the prince looked like “the cat that got the cream” as he spoke of his new wife.
The 33-year-old also addressed his friends, telling them: “You are the people that make me ‘me’ in my Harry life, which as you know is the backbone to Prince Harry.”
He finished by saying: “Now I’m going to hand over to my far better half…” as Meghan then addressed the guests.
Read more: Royal Wedding: Secrets of evening party
THE BRIDE: MEGHAN MARKLE
She’s declared she’s proud to be a feminist in her new biography on the royal website so it’s no surprise that the new Duchess of Sussex wanted to have her say on her wedding day.
Traditionally, the groom and father of the bride speak on her behalf to thank the guests, families and bridesmaids.
But the former Suits actress, 36, wanted to give her own personal thanks, particularly when it came to her new in-laws.
According to The Sun, she thanked them for welcoming her in to the royal family and being so warm and hospitable.
She singled out her new father-in-law, Prince Charles, thanking him for stepping in to walk her down the aisle after her own father was unable to attend the big day.
She is said to referred to a “special bond” with Harry’s father and said she was grateful for how kind and welcoming he’d been to her mother, Doria Ragland.
Turning to her new husband, she gushed that she couldn’t be happier to have “found my prince.”
THE FATHER OF THE GROOM: PRINCE CHARLES
In the absence of Meghan’s father, Prince Charles stepped in to say a few words about the happy couple.
A guest at the wedding told the Mail on Sunday his words were moving and heartfelt, with jokes about his “darling old Harry” as a baby “about as embarrassing as it got”.
“Charles spoke about feeding Harry a bottle and changing his nappy, and then said ‘look how well he turned out’,” they said.
He said how happy he was for the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex as he welcomed Meghan into the family.
One of the 600 guests who heard the speech during the afternoon reception, Suhani Jalota, founder of the Myna Mahila Foundation told E! online.: “Some people were even crying. I think it was just a very, really nice atmosphere to be in where everybody felt really loved.”
She said Charles spoke of how “beautiful” the newlyweds “are together”.
THE BEST MAN: PRINCE WILLIAM
Nobody knows Harry better than his big brother so he might have been a little worried about what the Duke Of Cambridge had to say!
According to reports, the father-of-three’s speech was the “naughtiest” of the day but also packed an emotional punch.
One guest told The Express: “William managed to strike the right balance between hilarious and solemn.
“He did mention their late mother, Princess Diana, and said she would have been proud of her younger son.
“He said he was proud of Harry too and welcomed Meghan as the sister he never had.”
He said Meghan was “the best thing that had ever happened to Haz”.
The Duke was then joined by Harry’s best friend, Charlie van Straubenzee to become a “hilarious” double act.
“They teased Harry about his growing bald patch, and Wills said it would become as bad as his.”
According to the Mirror, Prince William also joked about how Harry had managed to fall off a ladder while changing a light bulb at home. He later pranked the pair by attaching a ladder to Harry’s car.
Don’t miss out: Three steps to ensure you see all ED!’s latest news on Facebook
Following the speeches, Prince Harry is then said to have quipped: “Can anyone here play the piano?”
This was Elton John’s cue to step up and he played a number of his hits to the delight of the guests.
Did you watch the royal wedding? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!