Prince Harry Once Claimed William and Kate’s Wedding Day was Bittersweet: “My Stomach Lurched...”

Prince William and Kate Middleton got married in 2011, but the joyous occasion was bittersweet for Prince Harry. While the world watched and celebrated the grand spectacle, Harry was battling a flood of emotions, deeply tied to memories of his late mother, Princess Diana, and the realization that his relationship with his brother was changing forever.

In his memoir, Spare, Harry opens up about how the monumental day was both joyous and tragic for him. As Harry escorted William into Westminster Abbey, the weight of the day felt heavier than he anticipated. He wrote, "The ceremony is mostly a blank in my mind. I recall Kate walking down the aisle, looking incredible, and I recall Willy walking her back up the aisle, and as they disappeared through the door, into the carriage that would convey them to Buckingham Palace, into the eternal partnership they'd pledged, I recall thinking, 'Goodbye.'"

As per The List, he felt the brother he had known his whole life had slipped away into his new role as a husband and the future king. This marked a shift in their relationship, that he feared would never be reversed. Harry’s close bond with William and Middleton had once earned them the nickname ‘the royal trio.’ He wrote,  "But in my gut, I couldn't help feeling that this was yet another farewell under this horrid roof. Another sundering. The brother I'd escorted into Westminster Abbey that morning was gone — forever." Harry recollected how William’s wedding day brought back painful memories of their mother’s funeral, which was also held at Westminster Abbey.

He wrote, "People wished Willy well, told him they loved him, loved Kate. They gave us both the same teary smiles, the same looks of fondness and pity we'd seen that day in August 1997. I couldn't help but shake my head. Here it was, the eve of Willy's Big Day, one of the happiest of his life, and there was simply no avoiding the echoes of his Worst Day. Our Worst Day." He further shared, "Westminster Abbey. As always, my stomach lurched. I thought, 'Nothing like getting married in the same place where you did your mum's funeral.'"

Harry’s duties on the wedding day extended beyond just emotional support; he was tasked with guarding Middleton’s wedding ring, a band made from Welsh gold, a family tradition dating back generations. He noted, "I couldn't have lost that ring if I'd wanted to. A special kangaroo pouch had been sewn inside my tunic. My idea, actually, that was how seriously I took the solemn duty and honor of bearing it…" as reported by Newsweek.

After the ceremony, Harry played a prominent role during the reception, where he acted as the master of ceremonies. He brought some humor to the occasion with a risqué joke, but his speech ended on a somber note. He remarked, "I closed on a serious note. Mummy, How she'd have loved to have been here. How she'd have loved Kate, and how she'd have loved seeing this love you've found together."