Why Princess Eugenie Was Forced to Leave a Front Row Seat Empty During Her Royal Wedding?
When Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank exchanged vows on October 12, 2018, at Windsor Castle, a slew of celebrity guests gathered to celebrate the happy couple. While the ceremony showcased the royal family’s signature pomp and pageantry, photos from the event revealed another peculiar detail. As Eugenie and Brooksbank sat, a front row seat was noticeably left empty. The reason behind this oddity was a royal protocol influenced by the late Queen Elizabeth's seating preferences.
According to the Daily Mail, royal protocol dictates that the Queen and other senior royals must be seated in the right-hand choir pews at St. George's Chapel. It is also understood that no one is allowed to block the Queen's view by sitting in front of her, which explains the empty seat. As for the Queen’s seating preference, she was reportedly not 'comfortable’ sitting in the front row, making this arrangement an easy solution to the protocol. Therefore, she sat beside her husband, Prince Philip, for the ceremony. The Queen's decision also saved someone else from sitting in the uncomfortable seat, making it a win-win situation.
Surprisingly, for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 2011 wedding, the Queen had occupied the front row seat. According to Buckingham Palace insiders, the seat in front of the Queen is most of the time empty. Insiders pointed out that the Queen had notably sat in this same position during Prince Philip’s funeral. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, which required social distancing, she sat alone in the pew during the service. The tradition has continued under King Charles' reign. At Queen Elizabeth's committal service, the seat in front of Charles was left vacant. There have also been occasions when the royal family has chosen to leave a chair empty to respect the deceased.
Explaining the protocol, royal expert Rebecca English tweeted, "I’ve seen some reports about the spare seat by Prince William in the chapel as having been left in memory of Princess Diana. It wasn’t empty for that reason. The seat in front of the Queen is always left empty, I am told by Buckingham Palace." Meanwhile, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliam told The Independent, "During Harry and Meghan’s wedding, some erroneously thought the empty seat was intended as a tribute to Diana." He echoed, "The seat in front of the Queen is always left empty as she has a favorite seat in St. George’s Chapel."
As for Eugenie and Brooksbank's nuptials, on October 12, 2018, the Princess wore a custom gown by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, featuring a low back to showcase her scoliosis surgery scar. It was officiated by the Dean of Windsor and featured celebrity guests like David and Victoria Beckham, and Robbie Williams, to name a few. The ceremony was followed by a carriage procession through Windsor, where the couple waved to crowds.