Sabrina Elba has opened up about how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle changed her life. Or, to be specific, changed the course of her career.
On May 19 2018, more than 1.9 billion people around the world tuned in to watch the former Suits actress marry the sixth-in-line to the throne at their spring nuptials, attended by the likes of Kate Middleton, Prince William, fashion designer Misha Nonoo, the Beckhams and Oprah Winfrey.
Among the guests were actor Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina, who were photographed walking into the venue.
Read Next
In a new interview with Sunday Times Style Magazine, the model recalled how she felt knowing so many people would be watching her at the event.
‘Every single person I know just saw me walk into this wedding on TV – and I don't even know how to explain that feeling,’ she told the publication.
‘It definitely went from being “Sabrina from Vancouver” to – I don't even know what to call it now!’
The 32-year-old married the actor - who she met a jazz bar in Vancouver in 2017 - last year at a wedding in Marrakesh, at which she wore three wedding dresses. She has previously walked the runway for luxury fashion brands such as Roland Mouret.
Following her walk into the wedding venue, Sabrina said that her phone wouldn’t stop vibrating with messages.
‘It has never been so busy,’ she said. ‘I didn't look at it, out of respect, but I could feel it dinging.’
For the wedding, the model wore an all-Gucci ensemble consisting of a long navy cardian with the luxury brand’s signature green and red trim and gold buttons. The look divided opinion on social media at the time, with some claiming the look was too casual for such a high profile event.
The model and her husband were invited to the wedding as a result of the actor’s work with Prince Charles’ Prince’s Trust organisation.
‘I left school at 16 with dreams of attending the National Youth Music Theatre but was disheartened when I realised how much it would cost,’ he told the Mirror in 2013.
‘It was The Prince's Trust who made it possible. They gave me a £1500 grant and set me on the path that would eventually change my life.’ The actor is now a Prince’s Trust ambassador.
During an appearance on The Ellen Show last year, the Luther star opened up about his shock when Prince Harry asked him to DJ at their wedding.
'Harry came to a couple of parties that I DJed and he was like, 'What are you doing on [May 19]?’ Elba recalled, adding, ‘I told him nothing and then he asked if I would DJ at his wedding... I was like is this a joke?’
He also told Radio 1 Xtra that he 'respectfully' hasn't said too much about his role at the ceremony but admitted that there was one tune that really got the party going.
‘”I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by Whitney Houston and it went off,' Elba commented.
'A lot of tunes went off, you know Meghan sent me a playlist with some bare tunes with it. I don't want to go into the tunes but there was some West Coast on it, that's all I'm saying.'
In March, Sabrina starred in ELLE UK’s Waking Up With and spoke about her morning rituals with her actor husband.
‘Usually my husband's here but I'm travelling and he's working,’ she told us, weeks before before social distancing guidelines came into force.
‘The first thing I do in the morning with him is have our "us" time', just check in, make sure we're good.'
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
In need of more inspiration, thoughtful journalism and at-home beauty tips? Subscribe to ELLE's print magazine now and pay just £6 for 6 issues. SUBSCRIBE HERE
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
