Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal engagement: What happens next?

Prince Harry is engaged to be married to Meghan Markle and a royal wedding is being planned. So what happens next?

  • Photos of the ring

The prince and his bride-to-be posed for photographs on Monday afternoon, just hours after announcing their impending nuptials.

Ms Markle's engagement ring is said to have been designed by Prince Harry and contains three stones: one from Botswana - where the couple holidayed recently - and two diamonds from Princess Diana’s personal collection

The engagement ring was designed by Prince Harry. Credit: PA

There will also be a pre-recorded television interview and at a later date a set of official engagement photographs.

  • The date of the wedding

A date will have already been fixed. Royal aides are said to have synced royal diaries a while ago to find a suitable day and make sure the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other royals could all attend.

Royal weddings usually take place only a few months after an engagement announcement.

March is the most likely month, leaving enough time to ensure pregnant Kate is not about to give birth to her third child.

The pair appeared in public in the gardens of Kensington Palace on Monday afternoon, just hours after the engagement was announced. Credit: PA

  • Venue

The venue will also have been decided and the Archbishop of Canterbury is expected to perform the ceremony.

St George's Chapel would allow for a smaller scale wedding Credit: PA

St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle is a good bet. The 15th century church is grand, but will allow for a smaller scale royal wedding compared with Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral.

  • Security

The Metropolitan Police will start planning immediately for the high-profile event. The current threat level for international terrorism in the UK is severe.

Credit: PA

Extra officers will be drafted in to patrol the streets on the day amid tight security surrounding the chosen venue.

Ms Markle will also have been assigned a royal bodyguard from the Metropolitan Police's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command.

  • Meghan Markle's dress

Bridal-wear designers around the world will be hoping to get the call for this royal wedding. Ms Markle will no doubt already have an idea of what she wants.

Royal watchers will be awaiting news of Meghan Markle's wedding attire Credit: PA

The actress appeared in an Anne Barge ballgown wedding dress for her role as Rachel Zane in Suits, and her own first wedding to TV producer Trevor Engleson saw her wear a sleek, strapless, floor-length white dress with diamante detail.

Her stylist and close friend Jessica Mulroney runs the bridal store Kleinfeld Hudson's Bay in Toronto, so it is likely Ms Mulroney will be Ms Markle's first port of call for help picking out a dress amid great secrecy.

  • The guestlist

Harry and his fiancee will have already drawn up a guest list, but there will also be a number of dignitaries they have to invite.

The prince's grandmother, the Queen will, however, be on hand to help.

The Queen will do her bit to help with the guest list Credit: PA

William revealed after his 2011 wedding: "I went to (the Queen) and said 'Listen, I've got this list, not one person I know. What do I do?'

"And she went 'Get rid of it. Start from your friends and then we'll add those we need to in due course. It's your day."'