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Prince Harry, Prince William and more royal grooms' unfiltered reactions to seeing their brides

What did Jack Brooksbank and Prince Albert think of their wives on their wedding day?

Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
On 20 April 2024
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Traditionally, wedding guests stand and turn to watch a royal bride's grand entrance to her ceremony, but who's watching the groom?

With Princess Kate and Sarah Ferguson's wedding dresses, bridal tiaras and bouquets all highly-guarded secrets in the lead-up to their royal weddings, their walk down the aisle marked the first time the likes of Prince William and Prince Andrew caught sight of their soon-to-be wives.

We've dug through the archives to see exactly when Prince Harry, Prince Albert and more couldn't hide their emotions when they saw their brides…

Prince William speaks to his bride Princess Kate and father-in-law Michael Middleton at Westminster Abbey© WPA Pool

Prince William

After being accompanied down the aisle by her father Michael Middleton, Princess Kate arrived at the altar to a smiling Prince William. Before the groom spotted his bride in her resplendent lace Alexander McQueen dress, Harry shared his verdict with his brother.

"Harry looked back as Kate started walking down the aisle and reported back to his brother, 'Right, she is here now. Well, she looks beautiful, I can tell you that,'" reported Marcia Moody in Kate: A Biography.

Despite the eyes of the world watching, the Prince of Wales took a moment to share a private joke with his bride and soon-to-be father-in-law. According to lip-readers, he sweetly said to Kate: "You look lovely. You look beautiful," before turning to Michael to quip: "We're supposed to have just a small family affair."

Jack Brooksbank with brother and Best Man Thomas Brookshank© Shutterstock

Jack Brooksbank

Jack Brooksbank immediately turned to his best man to share his thoughts when Princess Eugenie arrived at their wedding ceremony in St George's Chapel, Windsor in 2018. 

He watched every moment as Eugenie, dressed in a low-back gown by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, made her journey from the doors to the altar. Some lip-readers suggested he said: "Oh break my heart" to himself before he privately told her: "You look perfect." Removing his glasses just before the ceremony began, Jack appeared to be overcome with emotion and holding back tears.

WATCH: Princess Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank tears up on royal wedding day
Prince Albert II of Monaco smiling in a white suit at the altar© AFP

Prince Albert

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene had already officially tied the knot in their civil ceremony the day before their religious wedding, but the groom was still all smiles as he waited at the altar at the Prince's Palace of Monaco in 2011.

Dressed in a white suit, Grace Kelly's son couldn't tear his eyes away from the former Olympic swimmer, who wore a Versace gown as she made her way through the crowds along the red carpet.

Prince Harry looks at his bride Meghan Markle as she walks down the aisle on their wedding day© WPA Pool

Prince Harry

After Meghan Markle's father couldn't travel from America to the UK for her wedding, she decided to walk halfway down the aisle alone before meeting her father-in-law King Charles for the final part. 

It is customary in British church weddings for the groom and his best man to face the altar while the bride makes her journey. However, Prince Harry couldn't help but look delighted when he saw the sweet moment between his father and wife, whom he described as "amazing."

"You look amazing," a lip reader deduced before he relatably added: "I'm [expletive] it," which caused the Duchess of Sussex to giggle.

Sarah Ferguson at the alter with Prince Andrew© Ron Bell - PA Images

Prince Andrew

Very few photos have captured Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson's royal wedding ceremony in 1986, but one unearthed video shows the exact moment Andrew saw his bride.

After adjusting the train of her Lindka Cierach puff-sleeve wedding dress inside Westminster Abbey, Sarah headed towards her groom, who looked in awe with a small smile playing on his lips.

READ: Queen Letizia just wore a waist-cinching wedding dress – but nobody noticed

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