Quiz of the Day
Royals & Weddings
Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Harry & Meghan anniversary — royal weddings through history, royal traditions
1. In what year did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marry at Windsor Castle?
- 2018
- 2019
- 2016
- 2017
The wedding on 19 May 2018 was watched by an estimated 1.9 billion people worldwide. Bishop Michael Curry's passionate sermon and a gospel choir performing 'Stand by Me' made it one of the most talked-about royal ceremonies ever.
2. Which British monarch married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1840?
- Queen Elizabeth I
- Queen Anne
- Queen Mary
- Queen Victoria
Victoria popularised the white wedding dress — before her, brides simply wore their best dress in any colour. Her choice of white was actually considered unusual at the time but started a tradition that persists today.
3. Where did Prince William and Catherine Middleton get married in 2011?
- Westminster Abbey
- Buckingham Palace
- Windsor Castle
- St Paul's Cathedral
Westminster Abbey has hosted 16 royal weddings since 1100. Catherine's dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, was kept so secret that the designer's own staff didn't know what they were making.
4. What is the traditional material for a royal bride's bouquet in the British monarchy?
- Roses only
- Wildflowers from Balmoral
- Myrtle from Queen Victoria's garden
- Orchids from Kew Gardens
Every British royal bride since Victoria's eldest daughter in 1858 has carried a sprig of myrtle from the bush at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. The original plant grew from a cutting in Queen Victoria's wedding bouquet.
5. Which king famously created the Church of England partly so he could annul his first marriage?
- Edward VI
- Henry VIII
- Charles I
- Henry VII
Henry VIII had six wives in total. The famous rhyme to remember their fates goes: 'Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.' His break from Rome in 1534 permanently changed the religious landscape of England.
6. How many tiers did Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding cake have in 1981?
- 5 tiers
- 3 tiers
- 9 tiers
- 7 tiers
The main cake stood 5 feet tall and took 14 weeks to make. There were actually 27 wedding cakes in total. A slice from the wedding was auctioned in 2021 — 40 years later — and sold for over £1,800.
7. What title did Queen Elizabeth II hold before her marriage to Prince Philip?
- Duchess of York
- Lady Elizabeth
- Princess Elizabeth
- Princess Royal
Elizabeth and Philip first met when she was just 13 years old at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. They began exchanging letters, and Philip proposed in 1946 using diamonds from his mother's tiara to create the engagement ring.
8. In which country is it tradition for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold?
- Ancient Rome
- India
- China
- Japan
Romans believed evil spirits lurked at the threshold of a new home. By carrying the bride, the groom protected her from stumbling — which would have been a terrible omen. The tradition has survived over 2,000 years across Western cultures.
9. Which gemstone is at the centre of the engagement ring worn by both Princess Diana and later Kate Middleton?
- Ruby
- Emerald
- Diamond
- Sapphire
The 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds was chosen by Diana from a Garrard catalogue in 1981. It was controversial because it wasn't custom-made — anyone could have bought it. Prince William gave it to Kate in 2010.
10. What does the phrase 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue' relate to?
- Coronation ceremony items
- Funeral customs
- Christening gifts
- Wedding day traditions for the bride
This rhyme dates from an 1876 Lancashire poem. The full version includes a lesser-known fifth line: 'and a sixpence in her shoe.' Many modern brides still tuck a coin in their shoe for good luck on the big day.
11. Which European royal house is known as 'the grandmother of Europe' because of Victoria's descendants?
- House of Hanover
- House of Windsor
- House of Habsburg
- House of Bourbon
Victoria, from the House of Hanover, married her nine children into royal families across Europe. By 1914, her grandchildren sat on the thrones of Britain, Germany, Russia, Spain, and several other nations — yet they still went to war with each other.
12. What is the traditional wedding anniversary gift for the 25th anniversary?
- Silver
- Pearl
- Gold
- Diamond
The tradition of anniversary gifts dates back to the Holy Roman Empire, where husbands would crown their wives with a silver wreath at 25 years and a gold wreath at 50. The modern extended list — paper for year one, tin for year ten — was popularised in the 1930s.
13. Which royal wedding in 1863 caused the first known case of a 'media frenzy' in Britain?
- George V and Mary
- Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson
- Victoria and Albert
- Edward VII and Alexandra
When the Danish Princess Alexandra arrived in Britain, crowds lined the entire route from the coast to London. Newspapers devoted more pages to the wedding than to any previous event. 'Alexandra mania' led to women copying her hairstyle, clothes, and even her slight limp.
14. In a traditional British royal wedding, who typically gives the bride away?
- The Queen or King
- The Archbishop of Canterbury
- The best man
- The bride's father
When Meghan Markle's father could not attend in 2018, Prince Charles stepped in to walk her down part of the aisle. Diana's father, Earl Spencer, walked her down the aisle of St Paul's Cathedral — a journey of over 100 metres that took three and a half minutes.
15. Which king abdicated the British throne in 1936 to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson?
- Edward VIII
- Edward VII
- George V
- George VI
Edward's abdication speech included the famous line: 'I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King without the help of the woman I love.' He reigned for only 326 days.