Who had the best Royal Wedding affair outside of Windsor Castle? Villa Dalmacija in Split, of course!
On Saturday, May 19, 2018, the British Embassy Zagreb hosted an extravagant affair at the famous Villa Dalmacija in Split to celebrate the Royal wedding of Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle.
In a stunning setting on the sea with real summer weather in the air, the best-dressed people of Split came together to revel in wine, champagne, Hendrick's gin and tonic bar, and Dalmatian specialities provided by favorite Split restaurant Zrno Soli. The guest list included everyone from politicians and Croatia's elite, to many representatives of Split’s booming tourism industry.
British Ambassador to Croatia, Andrew Dalgleish, who Total Croatia News had the pleasure of interviewing just a few months ago, opened the celebration with a short and sweet welcome speech, thanking everyone for choosing to enjoy the historic day in his company.
“Today is a great excuse to have a party, and I’m fairly certain no one here wants to listen to a long speech by the Ambassador. The wedding between Harry and Meghan is historic and a bit different because firstly, it is held on a Saturday, and this is the first time a Royal family member will marry a US citizen. I am delighted in the opportunity to share this day with all of you at this beautiful location,” said British Ambassador Andrew Dalgleish, who thanked the Mayor of Split, Andro Krstulović Opara, for playing a big part in making the event come to fruition.
After the Ambassador took the time to honor the couples in attendance who were married this year or had plans to marry in 2018, the breathtaking voices of music academy students sang a 1964 favorite by The Dixie Cups, “Going to the Chapel of Love”, while a young cellist captivated everyone in the room.
At an indoor and outdoor screen projecting the Royal wedding events in real time, attendees mingled and sipped cocktails in the (almost) summer sun while they watched the progression of the wedding take place. Among other A-listers at the affair was the husband of President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Jakov Kitarović, who proved to be the most sought-after celebrity in attendance for selfies.
Just as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle demanded that money is donated for humanitarian purposes instead of wedding gifts, the event in Split was also of humanitarian character - and at the entrance to the venue, guests had the opportunity to donate to Split associations MoSt and Lastavice.
A splendid affair that had just the right amount of class and cheer, TCN salutes the British Embassy in Zagreb for a job well done.
See all the photos from the event below:
