The True Heroes of SNL’s Royal Wedding Sketch: The Costume Department

Perhaps you are someone who doesn’t give a flying [redacted] about the Royal Wedding that took place this past weekend, but take a moment to appreciate how many people *did* care.  Saturday Night Live for example.

On that very same day HRM Prince Henry Charles Albert David took Megan Markle to wife, mere hours after the ceremony, SNL taped their season 43 finale which included a Royal Wedding skit.  That on it’s own isn’t much of a shocker- you can’t have a big social event happen with those wonderfully creative and talented madpersons create a sketch about it. The real surprise was how well done the costumes were.

Specifically, the Royal Wedding coverage began at what, 7am for New York, and historically the show tapes the 8pm dress rehearsal and 11:30pm live performance.  Someone in the SNL costume department was able to recreate several of the iconic looks from the wedding in time for the performance.  Maybe that doesn’t seem really awesome to you but as someone who sews, boy-howdy they did pretty great.

HRM Queen Elizabeth II for instance, wore a brilliant electric kiwi silk ensemble designed by Stuart Parvin,with an Angela Kelly hat.

During the sketch, Kate McKinnon wore a pretty dead-on costume. (Kennan Thompson would later play the American Bishop Michael Curry during Weekend Update.)

The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton wore a sky-high buckram hat during the wedding of her brother-in-law.

During the sketch, Cecily Strong wore a pretty good recreation hat.

HRM Prince Charles wore a rather fetching grey suit with a pop of purple when he gave Megan away at the alter.

Beck Bennett played Charles in the sketch

It’s pretty damn impressive that the costume department was able to pull off these outfits on such short notice.  Kudos to everyone at SNL.

You can see the sketch here: