Entertainment

The Official Royal Wedding Photos Are Here & They Are Unbelievably Cute

by Alexis Rhiannon
WPA Pool/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Much of the world is still floating on love clouds after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's May 19 ceremony, but don't expect to come down anytime soon. Three official royal wedding photos have been released by the Kensington Palace Twitter account, and they bring all those emotions from Saturday morning rushing right back. According to captions on the Twitter posts in which they were released, the photos were taken by Alexi Lubomirski at Windsor Castle, just after the carriage procession. Each portrays a different aspect of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's special day, and the couple looks so happy in each that they'll melt your heart clean away.

Anyone who tuned into the event itself — which according to the U.K. outlet Express was close to 2 billion of you worldwide — could already feel the waves of love radiating off the happy couple. Even during the formal church service, they found quiet little moments of eye contact, and to exchange wordless messages of support. "You look amazing," Prince Harry mouthed to his bride at the altar after a stunning walk down the aisle, adding a phrase that appeared to be, "I'm so lucky."

But no matter what he said, it's clear that the Prince was bowled over with happiness in the moment. And that same grateful and loving spirit suffused the formal portraits of the couple, as well. In the first of the images, released on Monday, the newly-minted Duke and Duchess are surrounded by the royal family.

Markle stands at the center, flanked by her new husband and her mother, Doria Ragland, the latter in a mint green outfit that ties perfectly into the bouquets clutched by her daughter and the flower-crowned children surrounding her. Joining the mother-of-the-bride on Markle's left side are Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and their two older children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. (Better luck making the next royal wedding photo, Prince Louis! Looks like one of the perks of being less than a month old is that you get to sleep through the long ceremonies that might bore your older siblings.)

On the happy couple's right is the rest of Prince Harry's family — his father, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales' wife, Duchess Camilla Parker Bowles, and of course, Queen Elizabeth II herself, seated next to her husband, Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh. Everyone looks truly delighted for the newly-married pair, which bodes well for Markle's welcome into the royal family.

Next, there's the royal portrait version of the kid's table at Thanksgiving. The black-clad page boys and white-gowned bridesmaids surround Prince Harry and the former Suits actor, who kneel on the ground. Some of the children look a little trepidatious, which makes sense on what's probably the fanciest day of any of their young lives so far. But 4-year-old Prince George and 3-year-old Princess Charlotte both beam happily from either side of their uncle and new aunt, sharing the same smile.

It's almost too much to take. The word "precious" has been used many times before now, but clearly it never fulfilled its true potential until this photo.

And finally, there's the final photo of the series, which is a more casual snap of the couple alone. Where the others were posed indoors and in full color, the third picture is shot outdoors, in black and white. Prince Harry is still in full military dress and smiling full into camera, but the new Duchess of Sussex has removed her veil and looks out of frame, making the shot feel all the more intimate. "The Duke and Duchess would like to thank everyone who took part in the celebrations of their Wedding," the caption for the photo reads, continuing:

They feel so lucky to have been able to share their day with all those gathered in Windsor and those who watched on television across the UK, Commonwealth, and around the world.

Well, that definitely goes both ways, because everyone who was able to watch the ceremony and enjoy these pictures no doubt feels lucky to have been included, as well. The photos are an adorable glimpse into the future that awaits this happy pair, and they promise a life that's as full of fun as it is breathtaking beauty.