Backstory: A very modern royal wedding
 

[May 24, 2018]  LONDON - At Reuters, planning for the marriage of Britain’s Prince Harry to American actress Meghan Markle last Saturday in Windsor, England, began back in November when the royal engagement was announced.

More than 50 Reuters editors, producers and reporters from Botswana to Brixton coordinated text, photographs, video and interactive graphics to deliver comprehensive coverage of the latest union in the British royal family.

Gone are the days of the telegram report, but new technologies bring their own challenge to delivering fast and accurate news. For example, getting a cell signal amid the throngs of well-wishers on the wedding day meant that the Reuters broadcast operations team needed a creative connectivity solution to cover the festivities. They used a combination of local WiFi, satellite uplink and a 4G broadband cellular network to ensure images were filed quickly.

In this podcast, Jamillah Knowles, a Reuters social media editor, looks at how the world’s largest news organization curated real-time updates from Windsor as well as highlight moments on all media platforms, ensuring that iconic images of the royal couple were seen around the globe. She interviewed U.K. bureau chief Guy Faulconbridge, who talks about coverage of previous royal weddings and what we learned from the experience.

Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan ride a horse-drawn carriage after their wedding ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, Britain, May 19, 2018. REUTERS/Toby Melville//File Photo

Reuters United Kingdom and Ireland pictures editor Dylan Martinez explains the way Reuters photographers stake out the best places to shoot a royal wedding while grappling with the logistical challenge of not being able to take a bathroom break for hours. Europe graphics editor Ciaran Hughes talks about storytelling with data and images.

(Reporting by Lauren Young in New York; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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