Here's Why There Was an Empty Seat Next to Prince William at the Royal Wedding

Char Adams
Updated

An empty seat was noticeable next to Prince William inside St. George’s Chapel as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot on Saturday — but it wasn’t for the reason many people believe.

Viewers who tuned into the royal wedding questioned whether the seat was reserved to honor the late Princess Diana. In reality, though, the seat was simply kept empty so Queen Elizabeth had a perfectly clear view of the proceedings from the second row, PEOPLE has learned.

The Queen didn’t need the accommodation at Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s 2011 ceremony, however, as she was seated in the front row then.

Although the reserved seat wasn’t to honor Harry and William’s mother, the bride and groom carried on her memory at the ceremony in another way: using their lavish floral arrangement as a tribute to Diana.

The couple enlisted the help of floral designer Philippa Craddock to create the unique display.

The arrangement was filled with branches of beech, birch and hornbeam, as well as peonies, foxgloves, and one of Diana’s favorite flowers — white garden roses.

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The flowers positioned at the entrance of the chapel proved to be the perfect backdrop for Meghan’s entrance.

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Craddock specializes in utilizing seasonal flowers in her work, making the in-season white garden roses a perfect choice for the lavish arrangement. Diana was known for her love of white flowers, and there are still many planted at her home, Kensington Palace, in her honor.

Now that Harry and Meghan have tied the knot, the arrangements with be distributed to various charitable organizations.

RELATED: The Sweet Way Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Honored Princess Diana During Their Royal Wedding

Additionally, Meghan’s bouquet featured flowers handpicked by her husband in the couple’s private garden at their home at Kensington Palace. He gave his selections — including Forget-Me-Nots, another one of Diana’s favorites — to be added to her bespoke bridal bouquet. According to the palace, the use of the Forget-Me-Nots was intentional to honor Diana’s memory on the couple’s wedding day.

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In one more move to remember the beloved royal, Diana’s sister, Lady Jane Fellowes, gave an emotional reading from the biblical Song of Solomon. In a statement from Kensington Palace earlier this month, officials said both Harry and Meghan “feel honored that Lady Jane will be representing her family and helping to celebrate the memory of the late Princess on the wedding day.”