There's a Major Difference Between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton’s Wedding Invites

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Royal Wedding Day (May 19) is less than two months away, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had their invites sent out this week in preparation. Kensington Palace revealed the invitation on Twitter, and it turns out that there are some pretty noticeable differences between this one and the invitation sent out for Prince William and Kate Middleton back in 2011.

The biggest difference is actually in who sent the invitations, because (twist) the royal couples themselves did not. Sticking to protocol, invitations are instead sent on behalf of a member of the royal family. William and Kate’s invite, for example, was sent as a command on behalf of The Queen. The invite reads, “The Lord Chamberlain was commanded by The Queen to invite ______.”

Harry and Meghan’s is less formal and sent as a request on behalf of Harry’s father, Prince Charles. The invitation says, “His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, K.G., K.T., requests the pleasure of the company of ______.”

The reason for Will and Kate’s extra dash of formality could be because Prince William is currently second in line for the throne, after his father. He’s much closer to be becoming king than his brother Harry, who will be sixth in line after William and Kate have their third child in April.

See for yourself:

EMBARGOED ON FEBRUARY 20, 2011 00:01 GMT — PHOTO: JOHN STILLWELL

https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/976828794249076737

The invites also differ in design: William and Kate’s had the reigning monarch’s crest at the top, while Harry and Meghan’s has the feathered badge of the Prince of Wales (due to the different family members who sent the invitations).

It’s also interesting to see that Kate was referred to as “Miss Catherine Middleton,” while Meghan was referred to as “Ms. Meghan Markle.” The reason for this is unclear, but it could be due to Meghan having been divorced. There isn’t an established formal etiquette for what name she should go by, so “Ms.” may be her preference.

Otherwise, the dress code seems to be the same for both weddings: “uniform, morning coat or lounge suit.” (We can’t wait to check out all the hats.)

Despite the still-formal royal invitation etiquette, Harry and Meghan have a few untraditional plans in store for their wedding. There are reports that Meghan might have her mother walk her down the aisle and that she’d like to give a speech at the reception, which is unusual at a royal wedding.

Six hundred people were reportedly invited to the ceremony, which will take place at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. That will be followed by a lunchtime reception at St. George’s Hall hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.

But don’t expect festivities to stop there: Two hundred guests were invited to a reception at Frogmore House later in the evening, hosted by Prince Charles.

Needless to say, we’re beyond ready to see it all unfold. In the meantime, we’ll just keep checking our mailbox for that invitation…