How to watch the Royal Wedding in the USA
Chris
Chris, a UK-born media connoisseur, is an expert in watching international TV. Known as "The Global Screen Wanderer", he has travelled extensively across the globe with long stints away from home. With over 10 years of experience he has become the go-to guru for streaming content from home and abroad.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are about to get married in what will be possibly the biggest wedding this year. If you’re eager to tune in and watch the ceremony unfold then I’ve got the details you’ll need.
Harry and Meghan are quite obviously getting married in England which means the best coverage of the event is likely to be on British networks. If you’re in the USA then you may have limited coverage of the wedding but you equally might not have any coverage at all.
If you’re a massive fan of the Royal Family then you’ll be eager to watch the wedding unfold and what better way to do that but to watch on the official British TV networks to take in all the pomp and grandeur.
The great news is, it’s possible to watch on the British TV networks right in the USA and below I’m going to show you how.
Watch the Royal Wedding in the USA
Both the UK’s BBC and ITV networks will be covering the entire Prince Harry and Meghan Royal Wedding live on TV. Both services also have online streaming websites known as BBC iPlayer and ITV Hub.
These are both restricted to viewing from within the United Kingdom and if you try to directly access them to watch the Royal Wedding from the United States or anywhere else in the world for that matter – you’ll be blocked.
By using a simple app called a ‘VPN‘ you can unblock both BBC and ITV and watch the entire Royal Wedding on the official UK networks right in the USA.
A VPN is an online security tool to protect your privacy. It lets you alter your location so you appear somewhere else. To watch the Royal Wedding it lets you pretend you’re in the United Kingdom.
Thankfully although the term ‘VPN’ sounds extremely complicated they are really easy to use and all it takes is just 1 or 2 clicks to get connected and be watching the Royal Wedding in the USA or anywhere else in the world for that matter.
All you need to do is follow the simple step-by-step instructions below.
Step-by-Step how to watch the Royal Wedding
The following steps should take you no more than a few minutes which will let you watch the Royal Wedding in the USA or anywhere else in the world.
A VPN will cost you a few dollars and you’ll need at least a 1-month subscription but there are plenty of other uses for it too.
How to watch the Royal Wedding in the USA:
- Visit the VPN provider NordVPN by clicking here and sign up for their service.
- Go the to VPN Apps section of the NordVPN website and download the correct app for your device.
- Install the app, open it and when required login with the account details you created.
- On the map locate and select the United Kingdom and click on it.
- It should automatically start to connect for you but if not click the Connect button.
- Once it’s connected you can head over to the BBC iPlayer or ITV Hub websites and watch the Royal Wedding live.
NordVPN Windows app
You can now watch the entire Royal Wedding live on both the BBC and ITV websites and watch all the events unfold in true British style. If you’re a lover of the Royal Family and the Brit’s tradition and ceremony then you’ll now be the envy of all your friends.
When the event is over and you’ve finished getting your fill of royalness, simply press the Disconnect button on the NordVPN app and everything returns to normal.
Things you should know
There are one or two other issues that you might need to be aware of depending on the device you’re using or the site you choose to watch on, below we’ll look at these in more detail.
- Using BBC iPlayer
If you opt to use BBC iPlayer you’ll need to create an account on their website.
- Using ITV Hub
If you use ITV Hub then you’ll also need to create an account and you’ll be required to enter a UK Post Code, similar to a Zip Code. You can use any, some to use are KY1 3NA, SO18 5BU, BH1 1PF or PE29 1NL. You can also use FakeAddressGenerator to find more.
- Watch on an Android device
The easiest way to watch is on a Windows or Mac computer/laptop because you don’t need any additional apps. If you want to watch the Royal Wedding on an Android tablet or phone you’ll also need to download the BBC iPlayer or ITV Hub apps.
You won’t be able to install the apps from the Google Play Store because they’re restricted to installing in the United Kingdom only.
On your Android device you can download the BBC iPlayer app here and you can download the ITV Hub app here.
You may also need to enable installing devices from unknown sources on your Android device which can be found in your Settings and Security area.
- Watch on an iOS device like an iPad or iPhone
Watching on an iOS device is probably the most difficult. If you’ve already got BBC iPlayer or ITV Hub installed then it’s no problem but if you haven’t you’ll need to follow this guide to install apps outside their intended country.
When is the Royal Wedding taking place
The 2018 Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will take place on May 19th, 2018. That’s a Saturday which is great news for you watching because traditionally Royal Weddings take place on weekdays.
The actual marriage ceremony will be taking place at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and is expected to happen at 12 pm BST which is 7 am in New York and 4 am in Los Angeles. Actual coverage of the event is expected from about 9 am BST which is 4 am in New York and 1 am in Los Angeles.
What’s happening after the ceremony?
Once the wedding ceremony has taken place there will be a beautiful carriage procession around the town of Windsor from St George’s Chapel back to Windsor Castle. It is this part of the event that will let the general public who made it to the English town chance to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds.
There’ll be around 600 guests attending which will be a mixed bag of royalty, famous actors and actresses and also a select few members of the public such as ex-veterans and school children.
Charity donations only, please
The couple has asked for no wedding gifts because let’s be honest, what can you or I send them that would be of any use. They have instead asked for donations to some of their favourite charities which include CHIVA, Crisis, Myna Mahila Foundation, Scotty’s Little Soldiers, StreetGames and a host more.
If you fancy marking the occasion and want to make a donation on the couple’s behalf you can find links to most of those charities by searching Google or your favourite search engine.
If all that information wasn’t enough then the British Vogue website has a good rundown of the day’s events.
Recap How to watch the Royal Wedding
The Royal Wedding is one of the biggest events of the year and I’m sure you don’t want to miss it. Thankfully you can watch the British coverage of the event in the USA or anywhere else in the world using this guide.
All you’ll need is a VPN app which you can get by clicking the link below and then follow the step-by-step instructions earlier in this guide.