Singing at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Wedding Was Like Being 'in a Fairytale,' Says Choir

BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day

The 2018 royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a magical event — especially for those in attendance.

An estimated 1.9 billion people tuned in to watch the pair exchange vows at the ceremony, which also included a performance from the Lay Clerks of St. George's Chapel choir, who live at Windsor Castle and lend their voices to royal family functions.

"All of these events are kind of like a whirlwind," choir member Simon Whiteley — who is also the founder of the small subset vocal sextet The Queen's Six — tells PEOPLE. "Harry and Meghan's wedding was like being an extra in a fairytale. It was like a total dream and just amazing to have been a part of such a really very happy occasion."

For the Duke of Sussex's big day, Whiteley explains that music director James Vivian was contacted by the royal family to have the choir perform at the event.

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"We then spend the intervening time preparing and practicing and rehearsing and panicking and, you know, all the rest of it," Whiteley explains. "And then just hope everything goes without a hitch on the day — which it seemed to, from our perspective."

Members of the choir have also performed at historic royal services, including the funerals of both Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and Queen Elizabeth II.

Prince Philip's funeral, which had to be pared down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Whiteley recalls, "was something that was a truly historic occasion, especially given the circumstances."

Then, singing at the funeral services for Her Majesty was another moment members of the choir will remember for years to come.

"The weight of the history of the occasion was amazing," says Whiteley. "It was just an incredible thing to be a part of and something I don't think any of us will ever forget."

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Though Whiteley and members of his group The Queen's Six (Lissie Paul, Tom Lilburn, Nick Madden, Dominic Bland and Andrew Thompson) have performed for the royals during both private and public functions, they cannot share details "about any private interactions."

However, Whiteley adds that it "was just such a huge pleasure to" sing for the Queen, expressing: "She was an absolutely incredible woman."

Since the group lives and works at Windsor Castle, they explain that things can get quite busy at home during a royal event.

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"It's hard to describe until you kind of see it, but it's amazing, especially when you have the weeks leading up to those major events," says Madden. "Basically, the castle gets surrounded by the world's media, and getting in and out…becomes really difficult."

"It is your everyday life," says Madden. "You do become part of the place. That's sort of one of the beauties of this job — you slot yourself into a tradition, which has been going for such a long time, and you play your part."

Though Madden says living at Windsor Castle and performing for the royals — as well as the billions who watch during their televised events — can be "a bit overwhelming," he adds: "I wouldn't change it. … It's an amazing life opportunity."