Prince William Didn't Watch Kate Middleton Walk Down the Aisle at Their Wedding—Here's Why He Missed This Moment

It's safe to say that a lot goes into planning a royal wedding. From asking permission from the reigning monarch to snapping an official portrait alongside other members of the family in Buckingham Palace, there are certain wedding traditions that the British royals have followed for generations—and that includes Prince William and Kate Middleton.

While the pair did put their own spin on certain nuptial details (the duke even helped his bride-to-be with her wedding look!), they stuck to one key tradition on the big day. According to Marie Claire, Prince William didn't watch Kate walk down the aisle during their Westminster Abbey ceremony. The reason? It's tradition for the groom to be the last person to see his bride.

Since the Duke of Cambridge kept his back turned away from Kate, he tapped his right-hand man, Prince Harry, for some intel as his bride got closer to the altar. "Right, she is here now," Prince Harry told the future king as Kate made her way down the aisle, which took four minutes total. "Well, she looks beautiful, I can tell you that," he added, alleged royal expert Marcia Moody.

After Kate reached him, Prince William tried to take pressure off the monumental moment: He made a light-hearted comment about their grand nuptials. According to Moody's biography, Kate: A Biography ($4.75, amazon.com), the Duke of Cambridge joked with his bride and her father, Michael Middleton, at the altar.

The author shared that Prince William greeted the father-daughter duo by saying, "Just a quiet family wedding, then," nodding cheekily at the massive crowd behind them. Even though his joke eased some anxiety, Kate's dad previously shared that the wedding ceremony processional wasn't very nerve-wracking, since he had his beloved daughter on his arm.