Weddings in the British aristocratic family is steeped in traditions that are centuries old. Although departure from some of the established practices are seen once in a while, many traditions at the royal weddings have remained the same. Today, on May 19th 2018, Prince Harry, the second son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana of Wales will marry American actress Meghan Markle. The two are also expected to follow some of the wedding traditions of the Royal Family. Here’s what the Royal Wedding may entail.

1 Welsh Gold Wedding Rings

Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, The Queen, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne and Diana, the Princess of Wales have all had wedding rings made from Welsh gold, which is extracted from a Welsh Mine, Clogau St David's at Bontddu.

Welsh gold is a naturally occurring gold that is worth more than regular gold on account of its rarity and origin. A small quantity of this expensive gold is in the custody of the Privy Purse Office. In November 1981, The Royal British Legion presented The Queen with a 36-gramme piece of 21 carat Welsh gold. Following the tradition, Megan Markle’s ring has also been made from Welsh gold gifted by the Queen, while Harry will be wearing a platinum band with textured finish.

2 Myrtle Sprig in the Bridal Bouquet

Royal brides across history from Her Majesty The Queen to The Duchess of Cambridge, have carried a spring of myrtle in their bouquets. Myrtle is a flowering plant with a lot of cultural significance. It represents innocence, fertility and love. The tradition was started during Queen Victoria’s wedding by Prince Albert’s grandmother in 1845 and to this day, the same myrtle plant grows at the Osborne House, which is Queen Victoria’s holiday home on the Isle of Wight for 170 years. Meghan’s bridal bouquet will also have a sprig of myrtle.

3 Flowers at The Tomb of The Unknown Warrior

Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, also known as the Queen Mother started a wedding tradition of laying flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. The gesture was done in respect for her own brother, Fergus, who died in 1915. By laying flowers at the warrior’s tomb, the new bride will pay respect to the millions who died protecting the country in World War I.

The tomb is a grave belonging to an unknown British soldier who was killed during the World War I at a European battlefield. As part of the tradition, Meghan too will leave her bridal bouquet at the tomb of the warrior.

4Official Photograph

The iconic image of Princess Diana and Prince Charles shortly after their wedding was clicked in keeping with the Royal Family tradition. Like every Royal couple, Meghan and Prince Harry will pose for their wedding portrait and will be snapped by a renowned portrait photographer Alexi Lubomirski, who also happens to be the official photographer at their wedding. Lubomirski also handled the couple’s official engagement portrait.

5 Orange Blossom Motif

Orange blossoms hold a lot of significance for the British Royal Family. Queen Victoria wore a wreath made of orange blossoms instead of her tiara on her wedding to Prince Albert. The flower emblem has featured extensively in wedding dresses worn by the royal brides for generations. Princess Victoria, Princess Alice, Princess Helena, Princess Louise, Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia, Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Princess Beatrice and Princess Alexandra have all had orange flower emblems adorning their wedding dresses.

As thousands in Britain may throng the streets today to catch a glimpse of the royal couple, millions will be glued to their TV and computer screens to watch the much-awaited Royal Wedding.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 19, 2018 04:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).