Prince Harry, Meghan invite public to celebrate wedding
In this Thursday Jan. 18, 2018 file photo, Britain's Prince Harry talks to Meghan Markle as they watch a dance performance by Jukebox Collective in the banqueting hall during a visit to Cardiff Castle, Wales. (AP Photo)


Britain's Prince Harry and his wife-to-be Meghan Markle will invite more than 2,500 members of the public to take part in their wedding day celebrations in May, his office said on Friday.

Harry and U.S. actress Markle are tying the knot at his grandmother Queen Elizabeth's Windsor Castle home on May 19 in a ceremony expected to attract attention from around the world.

"Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle will invite 2,640 members of the public to Windsor Castle on their wedding day to watch the arrivals of the bride and groom and their guests and the carriage procession as it departs from the castle," Kensington Palace said in a statement.

The group will be invited to watch the arrivals of the bride, groom and their guests at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

They will also be able to watch the royal couple depart in a horse-drawn carriage.

Those invited include 1,200 members of the public from across Britain, chosen to represent a broad range of backgrounds and ages, including young people who have "shown strong leadership" and served their communities.

There will also be 200 people from charities and organizations associated with the couple, 100 pupils from local schools, 610 members of the castle community and 530 royal and crown staff.

"Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have said they want their wedding day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations too," the statement said.

"This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters and values of the bride and groom."