Prince Charles Gives Heartfelt Speech at Royal Wedding Reception: 'My Darling Old Harry'
Prince Charles is one proud papa!
After walking Meghan Markle down the aisle as she wed his son Prince Harry, Charles shared some heartfelt words with the happy couple at their lunchtime gathering, which was hosted by Queen Elizabeth at St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle.
“Charles gave a brilliant speech,” one of the guests who attended the reception tells PEOPLE, adding, “Harry was very emotional.”
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Describing his father’s speech, the guest says “it was very sweet actually, very heartfelt” and that Charles commented on “how proud” he was of the man his son had “grown into.”
“He ended it calling him, ‘My darling old Harry, I’m so happy for you,’ which was very sweet,” the guest continues, adding that Charles also commented on “how he’s really happy for them both.”
“He said he was very pleased to be asked [to walk Meghan down the aisle] and happy to help out,” the insider adds.
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On Friday, Kensington Palace announced that Meghan, 36, had asked Charles, 69, to carry out the duty of escorting her down the aisle. Meghan had planned on having her father, Thomas Markle, by her side, but she “sadly” confirmed on Thursday that he would not be attending the royal wedding as originally planned.
The royal bride-to-be asked Charles to take over the duty less than 48 hours before the ceremony, since it was revealed that her father would not be able to attend.
“It was Meghan’s wish and she is grateful for the Prince of Wales to be doing it,” a royal source told PEOPLE.
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RELATED VIDEO: Meghan Markle Asks Prince Charles to Walk Her Down Aisle in Absence of Her Dad: ‘It Was Her Wish’
While the bride started out her walk down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel solo, she met Charles halfway to the altar. The two were all smiles as they walked down the rest of the aisle together.
As Charles greeted his son, Harry smiled and said, “Thank you, Pa.”
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And even though Charles doesn’t have any daughters of his own, it wasn’t the first time he has walked a bride down the aisle on her wedding day: He previously walked a close family friend, Alexandra Knatchbull, down the aisle at her wedding to Thomas Hooper in 2016.
