Prince Harry’s soft spot for children, particularly his niece and nephew, make it all but a given that Prince George and Princess Charlotte will play some sort of role in the upcoming royal wedding.
Harry, whose engagement to American actress Meghan Markle was announced this week, plans to get married in May. The couple received permission from Queen Elizabeth to hold the wedding at St. George’s Chapel inside Windsor Castle.
Kensington Palace has promised other details about the ceremony will emerge “in due course,” leaving lots up to speculation — including who will fill supporting roles in the wedding party.
That’s where Harry’s niece and nephew come in. The duo are practically wedding professionals at this point: Prince George and Princess Charlotte nearly stole the spotlight this past spring from their aunt, Pippa Middleton, during her May wedding.
George, 4, served as a page boy and 2-year-old Charlotte was a bridesmaid for Middleton, the younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge.
Their role may spark some good memories for Prince Harry. Old photos show the royal appearing to relish his role as a page boy at the 1989 wedding of his uncle, Viscount Althorp, to Victoria Lockwood.
Harry seemed to be having a better time than the one experienced by his brother, Prince William, just a few years earlier when he served the same role at the 1986 wedding between his uncle, Prince Andrew and Princess Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson.
Markle has already met both George and Charlotte, the two children of her betrothed's brother and his wife, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, whom she has called "wonderful."
During an interview earlier this week, Harry noted that Markle has already met his brother and Duchess Kate "quite a few times" and that the couple have welcomed her quite warmly into the family.
Kate, for her part, has said she is “absolutely thrilled” by Harry’s engagement.
Whether Kate will play a role is uncertain, particularly since she is expecting her third child in April, just weeks ahead of the wedding.