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TODAY is going royal!
NBC News plans to broadcast special live editions of TODAY from Windsor, England, the site of the most highly-anticipated wedding of the year: the marriage of Prince Harry to American Meghan Markle.
"We won’t just be watching it. No, we will be across the pond — we will be there!" said Savannah Guthrie.
TODAY will be at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
April 11, 201801:49She and Hoda Kotb will kick off a live show from an exclusive location overlooking Windsor Castle on Friday, May 18, the day before the wedding.
Megyn Kelly and Kathie Lee Gifford will then anchor their respective hours. Al Roker and Sheinelle Jones will also help with anchoring duties from the United Kingdom.
"We are all heading to England to bring you the excitement of the royal wedding," Hoda said.
Harry, 33, announced his engagement to Markle, a 36-year-old American actress, last November. The couple then received permission from the prince's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, to hold their nuptials on the royal grounds of Windsor Castle.
The couple’s service will take place on Saturday, May 19, at St. George's chapel beginning at noon local time — or 7 a.m. EST (4 a.m. PST). But Savannah and Hoda will begin their live coverage on the wedding beginning at 4:30 a.m. EST from a special vantage point overseeing the castle.
The anchors will be joined by Kelly, Gifford, Roker and Jones from various locations nearby. Other NBC News correspondents also will help capture the festivities around the town of Windsor, as well as nearby London.
TODAY will live stream the wedding coverage on TODAY.com.
Here’s what to expect that morning:
- 4:00 a.m. EST: About 1,200 members charity workers, school children and other members of the public invited to stand inside the grounds of Windsor Castle arrive and take their places.
- 4:30 a.m. EST: Buses carrying the 600 guests invited to the attend the ceremony inside St. George's Chapel begin to arrive.
- 6:20 a.m. EST: Members of the royal family begin to arrive by car or on foot.
- At the same time, Harry and Prince William, his brother and best man, will walk to the chapel, greeting about 200 guests from Harry’s charities who will have gathered at the bottom of the chapel’s West Steps.
- Meanwhile, Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland, will depart from their overnight accommodation and drive to Windsor Castle.
- 7 a.m. EST: The Dean of Windsor begins the wedding service, with the Archbishop of Canterbury officiating the vows.
- 8 a.m. EST: The service concludes. Harry and Markle will exit the church and greet the guests from the prince’s charities. The newlyweds with then step inside an open-top carriage for a 25-minute procession through Windsor. The couple will then join guests at a private reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth inside St. George’s Hall.
- The final celebration will come later that night at a reception hosted by Harry’s father, Prince Charles. The gathering will be held at Windsor Castle's Frogmore House, the site where Harry and Markle posed for their engagement photos.
Check back repeatedly on TODAY.com for frequent updates to coverage!
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: Don't send us wedding gifts
April 9, 201800:31Leading up to the wedding, Savannah and Hoda will host an NBC primetime special, “Inside the Royal Wedding: Harry and Meghan” on May 16. The behind-the-scenes prelude will provide an unprecedented glimpse into the fairy-tale romance, featuring interviews with close friends of the couple, as well as prominent figures from the fashion, sports and entertainment industry.