Royal wedding: Nine ways Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are breaking with tradition

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have already shown they won't be following royal protocol when it comes to their wedding

Since it was announced that American-born Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were engaged, the couple have expressed their love in ways authentic to them - which isn’t necessarily how it’s done in the royal family.

And now, with the royal wedding just days away, the bride and groom have proved multiple times they will be taking a non-traditional route with their relationship and their wedding - from the cake to the location.

These are all the ways Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have broken from royal tradition when it comes to their wedding taking place May 19 2018.

Showing knees during engagement interview

After the pair announced their engagement in November 2017, they sat down for a joint engagement interview.

Their playful and loving interactions caught the public’s attention when the interview aired and so did Meghan’s bare knees - clearly visible below her green dress - which strays from royal tradition.

Sheer dress in the engagement photos

Markle also made a statement about her personal style with her dress choice for the couple's official engagement photos.

In the photos, shared by Kensington Palace on Instagram, Markle posed alongside her betrothed in a sheer black gown by Ralph & Russo.

As royals are often expected to adhere to a mostly-unspoken dress code, Markle’s sheer dress ruffled some feathers - and it wasn’t because of the $75,000 price tag.

Meghan's fashion choices in general

The former Suits actress's public outing outfit choices have been scrutinised since the royal engagement was announced.

From messy buns, off-the-shoulder tops, and trousers, Markle has proven countless times that she is not going to let her new status as a royal keep her from expressing herself.

The wedding cake

Per royal tradition, royal wedding cakes are typically of the fruitcake variety. But Markle and Prince Harry chose a different route - opting for a lemon elderflower cake made by pastry chef Claire Ptak, the owner of the London bakery Violet Cakes.

According to Kensington Palace, the royal couple wanted to incorporate the bright flavours of spring - so they ditched the fruitcake.

As for their choice of pastry chef, the bride-to-be knew Ptak from previously interviewing her for "The Tig," Markle’s former lifestyle website.

The royal wedding location

Markle and her prince will say “I do” at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle - and not Westminster Abbey as some expected.

Although the couple isn't the first to do so from the royal family - Harry’s own father, Prince Charles, had a special wedding ceremony there with Camilla Parker Bowles - it means the upcoming royal wedding will be significantly smaller than Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 ceremony.

The royal wedding will take place at Windsor Castle in Windsor (Getty)

A representative for Kensington Palace told People: “Windsor is a very special place for Prince Harry, and he and Ms Markle have regularly spent time there during the last year.

“They are delighted that the beautiful grounds of Windsor Castle will be where they begin their lives as a married couple.”

The date of the wedding

Traditionally, royal weddings take place on weekdays - meaning British residents are typically granted a bank holiday.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s nuptials will take place on Saturday, May 19 2018 at 12pm, meaning no additional days off from work.

Meghan will give a speech at the wedding

According to the Sunday Times, Ms Markle will be adding a personal touch to her wedding by giving a speech at the reception.

With royal weddings and weddings in general, the father-of-the-bride is often the one to give the speech, but Markle has repeatedly proved she won't let things like protocol hold her back.

The guest list

In a surprising twist, the couple invited over 2,000 members of the public to help them celebrate their big day.

Although the additional guests won’t be allowed inside the chapel, they are invited to watch the proceedings from the grounds of Windsor Castle.

According to Kensington Palace, the guests include 1,200 members of the public “from every corner of the United Kingdom.”

The royal wedding invitations

The actual invitations also displayed a huge break from tradition - and a shift towards a more modern version of the royal family.

As Ms Markle was previously married, the invitations acknowledged this - referring to her as “Ms Meghan Markle” instead of the commonly-used “Miss.”

Of the subtle switch, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The Independent: “The wording referring to Meghan on the wedding invitations is a first but this is a unique wedding.”

As for the dress or dresses Ms Markle has chosen to wear on the day of her wedding, we imagine it will be as unique as the bride-to-be.