Princess Eugenie's wedding: Guests arrive for Windsor's second royal wedding of the year

Written by Judith Vonberg, CNNLondon

Guests have begun arriving at Britain's historic Windsor Castle for the venue's second royal wedding of the year.

Princess Eugenie, Prince Harry's cousin, will wed Jack Brooksbank in St. George's Chapel, which also hosted the wedding of Harry and Meghan Markle in May, now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Pixie Geldof, British model, singer and third daughter of Bob Geldof and Paula Yates, was among the early arrivals at the chapel on a windy but sunny fall morning.

George Barnett and Pixie Geldof Credit: Gareth Fuller/AP

A wide variety of colors were on display, from autumnal maroons to pastel shades. Several women struggled to hold onto their hats as a strong wind whipped across the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Eugenie's husband-to-be works as a brand ambassador for Casamigos tequila, which was co-founded by actor George Clooney, property developer Mike Meldman and Rande Gerber, the entrepreneur husband of supermodel Cindy Crawford.

George Clooney and wife Amal, international human rights lawyer, are both expected to attend the ceremony Friday.

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British singer-songwriter Elton John, right, and husband David Furnish leave after attending the wedding ceremony of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Saturday, May 19. Credit: IAN WEST/AFP/Getty Images

Other famous faces are likely to include British pop singer Robbie Williams and his wife and fellow X-Factor judge Ayda Field. Both have been friends of Eugenie and her older sister Beatrice for years.

Eugenie, 28, is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew (Queen Elizabeth II's third child) and Sarah, Duchess of York. She is ninth in line to the throne and works as the director of the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in London.

While she will not attract anything like the global attention bestowed upon her cousin Harry and his American bride, Eugenie's wedding is not a small, or cheap, affair.

More than 800 guests are gathering in the Gothic chapel for the ceremony at 11 a.m. (6 a.m. ET), 200 more than were invited to watch the Duke and Duchess marry.

Royal supporters take position outside Windsor Castle ahead of the royal wedding. Credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The Queen and most of the royals, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are expected to attend, with Eugenie's sister Beatrice taking on the role of maid of honor. Thomas Brooksbank, the groom's younger brother, is the best man.

The one notable absence will be the Duchess of Cornwall, the wife of Prince Charles, who is attending a longstanding engagement at a Scottish school.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte -- the two oldest children of William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge -- both have official roles at the wedding. George, 5, who is third in line to the throne, is a page boy and his 3-year-old sister is one of six bridesmaids.

Royal fans are turning out for Windsor's second royal wedding of the year. Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images

The Princess first met her fiancé on a ski trip near Verbier in the Swiss Alps. Brooksbank proposed during a vacation in Nicaragua last winter.

The wedding service will feature a personal prayer by Archbishop of York John Sentamu, while David Conner, the Dean of Windsor, will give the address and officiate.

Opera singer Andrea Bocelli and members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at the wedding, according to Buckingham Palace. Trumpeters from the band of the Household Cavalry will play a fanfare during the service, the palace announced.

As the couple depart the chapel, the steps will be lined with members of the Grenadier Guards. Eugenie's father, Prince Andrew, is a colonel with the guards.

The newlyweds will leave in a carriage procession through Windsor, though the route will be far shorter than the one taken by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The cost of security will be borne by the taxpayer, which has raised concerns among republicans who note that the Princess does not carry out official royal duties on behalf of the Queen.

The Queen will host an afternoon reception in St. George's Hall, with more celebrations planned for the evening at Royal Lodge, the York family home in Windsor Great Park.

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