People in the United Kingdom (and around the world) will likely be glued to their TV sets on May 19. On that Saturday, Prince Harry?the redheaded royal sixth in line to the British throne?will wed American actress Meghan Markle in what?s sure to be a true fairy tale wedding.
But of course, this isn?t the first time a royal romance has stirred up the public interest. In fact, royal weddings have shaped culture for centuries, from starting fashion trends to breaking royal protocol?and these royal couples prove it.

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert: February 10, 1840
When Queen Victoria was three years into her reign, she married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in St. James?s Place, London. While the young couple?s nuptials weren?t quite as public as Harry and Meghan?s will be (TV hadn?t been invented yet), the streets around Chapel Royal were filled with people cheering and wishing the couple well. Victoria would later describe her wedding as ?the happiest day of my life!? Though Victoria was only 20 when she said ?I do,? her wedding day was particularly influential. In fact, her bridal fashion started a trend that lasted for generations! The young queen wore a white satin gown?an unusual choice, as colored dresses were the fashion of the day. As a result, white dresses became very popular among upper class brides, eventually creating the ?white wedding? tradition we all know today.

Edward, Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson: June 3, 1937
The love story between the D...