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Meghan Markle didn’t have a maid of honor because she found it impossible to choose just one friend to stand next to her when she marries Prince Harry. The bride wanted all of her closest girlfriends to be a part of her special day, and so she chose to have bridesmaids to help and support her, and chose not to give only one the extra title.
“She has a very close-knit circle of friends and she didn’t want to choose one over another,” a palace spokesperson told People Magazine. “All have been actively involved in helping her prepare for the day and will be there in the days beforehand. She’s very happy to have their support.”
For months, rumors about who Markle would choose as her maid of honor circulated online. Some of the choices included her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Kate Middleton. Interestingly, there seemed to be some confusion on whether or not Middleton could actually serve as maid (or matron) of honor.
Because Kate “is the future queen consort when William becomes king after his father, [she] would unlikely be an attending person to another royal bride,” royal expert Marlene Koenig told Harper’s Bazaar back in December.
Next up was Markle’s best friend, Jessica Mulroney. The two gals met back in 2011 in Toronto, Canada, and became fast friends. Over the years, the besties have spent plenty of time bonding over yoga, and they even went on vacation together, according to The Sun. There are rumors that Mulroney — a stylist, bridal expert, and PR manager — has been helping Markle with wedding planning.
Fellow actress Priyanka Chopra was another rumored maid of honor pick. The two became friends after meeting at the ELLE Women in Television dinner back in 2016. Chopra was previously asked if she would be part of Markle’s wedding party.
“If you see me there, you’ll know,” she told Harper’s Bazaar Arabia back in January.
All three of the aforementioned women are expected to have special roles in the royal wedding, but further details about what those roles might be hadn’t been released prior to today’s big event.
In a People Magazine report from earlier this year, names like Lindsay Roth and Mischa Nonoo popped up as potential maids of honor. However, it’s unclear if either woman will have a role in today’s wedding.
Markle and Roth became friends in college.
“We’re the kind of friends who can be 3,000 miles away and still be talking about or thinking the same thing, and even texting each other the same thing at the same time miles away,” Roth told People Magazine back in March 2017.
Markle and Nonoo also go way back. In fact, rumor has it that it was Nonoo who set Markle up with Prince Harry to begin with.
Markle’s other close girl friends include tennis star Serena Williams, and her Suits co-stars-turned-friends, Sarah Rafferty and Gina Torres. While it’s unclear if any of these women will be taking part in Markle’s upcoming nuptials, it’s safe to assume that they will all be in attendance when Markle walks down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel.
When Kate Middleton married Prince William, her sister, Pippa, served as her maid of honor.
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Why Didn’t Meghan Markle Have a Maid of Honor?