Meghan Markle has stayed away from Pippa Middleton's wedding. Photo / AP
Meghan Markle has stayed away from Pippa Middleton's wedding. Photo / AP
Prince Harry's girlfriend Meghan Markle, who tactfully stayed away from Pippa Middleton's wedding service to avoid taking the spotlight off the bride, was one of the high profile attendees at the after-party, wearing a demure long black dress and a white jacket.
The stunning American actor flew into London on Tuesday to join her boyfriend of 10 months at the festivities at Berkshire, west of London, but there was no sign of her at St Marks Church when Pippa and James Matthews exchanged their vows.
Following the wedding, in the Bucklebury village, about 100 people showed up to watch the guests arrive at the Middleton family home for the reception.
The glass palace marquee which will host 300 of Pippa Middleton's friends and family had giant spotlights shining around it as guests began trickling in about 3.30pm (2.30am NZT).
James Middleton was spotted driving the same green Jeep used by James Matthews to get to the church through Bucklebury village with a load of male guests on board.
The plane banked across the sky several times and also carried out a victory roll over the village of Bucklebury.
Pippa Middleton and James Matthews kiss after their wedding at St Mark's Church in Englefield. Photo / AP
It's thought Markle, in consultation with the royal family, decided to stay away from the ceremony to ensure her presence did not distract from the bride and groom's big moment.
The gorgeous American attracts a media throng wherever she goes, but will be able to stay out of the spotlight at the private reception at the Middleton family home at the nearby village of Bucklebury.
Prince Harry, 32, arrived at the wedding ceremony with his brother Prince William, the husband of Pippa Middleton's sister Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge.
Markle, 35, spends most of her time in Toronto, Canada, filming the TV series Suits.
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge speaks to Princess Charlotte after the wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews. Photo / AP
She has spent the past few days at Prince Harry's apartment at Kensington Palace to avoid the media spotlight, although she was photographed coming out of a spa in London's Soho district on Friday afternoon after getting a manicure.
Photographers last week captured a quick kiss between the couple in a car park where Harry was playing polo at Ascot, and in March they were photographed in the Bahamas attending the wedding of Harry's close friend Tom Inskip.
Prince Harry leaves St Mark's Church after the wedding ceremony. Photo / AP
In November, Prince Harry went public with the relationship when he issued a highly-unusual statement through Kensington Palace, asking the press and trolls on social media to give her some space, saying she had been subject to abuse, harassment, sexism and racism.
