tonight, american princess. meghan markle on the verge of her fairy tale wedding. but is she ready for what comes with it? >> suddenly you're in this world where there is very little privacy. they probably feel quite cabled. >> it's a big deal. it's not easy for anybody. >> her father already swept up in controversy. should the palace have done more to protect her family? plus she's not just the prince's bride, she's a global fashion influencer. how meghan is adding the markle sparkle to the traditional palace posh. and what to expect from her super-secret wedding dress. "nightline," "american princess," will be right back.

"nightline," "american princess" continues. here now dan harris. >> good evening. we are on the vernal of the historic royal wedding. and at the center of the action is a soon to be american princess. it might seem like a fairy tale for meghan markle, but insiders say royal life can be something of a gilded cage. something prince harry says he's been trying to prepare his bride

to be for. abc's james longman is in london tonight. >> reporter: this is likely the last glimpse of the royal couple together before they walk down the aisle at st. george's chapel in windsor, driving into the 1,000-year-old castle for rehearsal, outside, a preview of the royal celebration complete with a practice run, the couple's horse-drawn carriage. it's not just trying to get it right, it's trying to get it right in front of the world's cameras. this is live. this is for real. and you're stepping into a drama that is part of the history of the world. so the pressure's on. >> reporter: the couple poised under pressure despite meghan markle's family drama that threatens to overshadow the festivities. >> dramatic twist in the royal wedding saga. >> he's in, he's out, rumors he might be in again. >> her father reportedly cannot travel for the next week or two. >> reporter: after days of conflicting reports, kensington

palace finally confirming today meghan's father, thomas markle, is no longer attending the wedding, reportedly recovering from heart surgery, and perhaps embarrassment after allegingly staging these infamous photos. meghan in a rare move for a soon to be royal offering her own statement writing in part, i've always cared for my father and hope he can be given the space he needs to focus on his health. >> every family has circumstances that are unknown to the world. i just feel bad for her that she won't have her dad. >> reporter: the only member of meghan's family scheduled to attend the wedding is her mother, doria ragland, today meeting prince harry's family for the first time. she could be the one to walk meghan down the aisle. >> she must be heartbroken, really. i think a mother will do a fantastic job and it's something different for the royals. >> is there a sense maybe that the palace hasn't really done enough to protect meghan and her extended family, to try to

prepare all these people for this huge amount of tabloid speculation? >> the mother lives in l.a., the father lives in mexico. i'm not sure where the half brothers and sisters are. they're clearly making noise. >> it's obvious the markles did need more support. how would they know? >> reporter: i sat down for tea with imogen lloyd webber, an authority on royal life, and da montague, who married into aristocracy. how ready do you think meghan is for this level of paparazzi, was she ready going into this? >> she's had paparazzi around her because of "suits." i think this level that's happening this week, it was distressing. as a bride, it's already stressful getting married. and the last thing you want to happen is to have your family make things bubble up. >> i think the royal family would hate to watch all this happening now. >> they will learn some lessons. one does wonder why the palace didn't make her family perhaps

sign ndas, for instance, make sure me were okay financially, so forth. no one can prepare you for royal life. >> reporter: the spectacle of this past week is just a taste of the scrutiny the 36-year-old will experience once she joins the royal family on saturday. >> it's a goldfish bowl, at the end of the day. the queen mother described monarchy as an intolerable privilege. and it is that. >> reporter: becoming part of the british royal family was a jarring transformation for princess diana, too. the shy 19-year-old nursery schoolteacher became the most-photographed woman in the world. she spoke about it during her famous bbc news panorama interview. >> i couldn't understand the level of interest. the media were everywhere. here was a fairy story that everybody wanted to work. and so it was isolating. but it was also a situation where you couldn't indulge in feeling sorry for yourself, you had to either sink or swim.

and you had to learn that very fast. >> there are very few people who ever become members of the royal family. so there's no defined path. but it's very, very hard to maneuver in there. it's a minefield. >> reporter: india hicks was one of princess diian yeah's bridesmaids. >> you're a princess, you're riding in carriages, the world's watching, you're a fashion sensation as well. then those years pass. and suddenly you're in this world where there is very little privacy. and at times they probably feel quite caged. >> reporter: while meghan will likely live in kensington palace, and likely gain the royal title duchess over the weekend, her life won't necessarily be charmed. >> there's a world expectation upon your shoulders. i think most of us can't comprehend what that's like. i don't know how anybody prepares for that. >> reporter: alex debruss was officer of arms to the queen and consultant on films like "the king's speech." >> i will do anything in my

power to keep my brother on the throne. >> there is the difficulty that if you decide you're going to go out, well, a number of people need to be told. your personal protection officer. your car needs to be available at the front door. it's probably been taken away by somebody to keep the front door looking tidy in case somebody comes to visit. >> reporter: prince harry has been his fiancee's constant advocate, warning her of the pressures that come with this life. >> i've had some pretty frank conversations with her, what you're letting yourself in for, it's a big deal. and it's not -- it's not easy for anybody. but i know that at the end of the day, she chooses me. i choose her. and therefore, you know, whatever we have to tackle together or individually will always be us together as a team. so i think she's capable -- >> so nicely said, isn't it? >> she's capable of anything. >> reporter: she may be capable of adapting, but sister-in-law

catherine middleton was seemingly crafted for it. >> kate went out and met members of the family over a long period, she understood what royal life was. >> i'm sure there's also a lot that meghan will be able to learn from kate. clearly kate has done an awful lot of these functions where you have to sit on nearly a throne, or you have to be on a royal tour, you're getting in and out of a car, getting on and off an airplane, your skirt flies up -- >> reporter: meghan and kate are the next generation of royal sisters-in-law following in the footsteps of diana and sarah ferguson. >> diana was this sensation. that everybody was obsessed with. sarah ferguson, it's always harder to be slightly in the shadows, to be marrying the second in line to the throne. because there's no defined role for her. and one hopes in the way that diana did so well in finding causes that meant something to her. if meghan is able to do that, i

think she'll have a much easier ride tnha ferguson did. >> reporter: many see meghan as a much-needed dose of modernity. >> i think most people look at the royal family and think, most people don't like like that i don't have a butler. >> there's a story going around she's been hugging security guards. they're like, why are you hugging me? she's going, i'm american, i hug. >> i'm a hugger. >> there's something wonderfully endearing about that. >> meghan has joined a family where it seems terribly excited to see a new arrival, particularly with the freshness an american brings to the somewhat stiff approach that the british are accused of having. and i think, you know, she'll refresh that. ♪ >> reporter: as the preparations continue at windsor castle, harry and meghan hoping the tabloids are behind them, embracing the mantra "love conquers all." for "nightline," james longman at windsor castle. next here, meghan markle putting a new twist on old fashion. how her style stacks up to that

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"nightline," "american princess" continues. meghan markle has risen to the pressures of royalty, becoming a fashion icon across the planet, while turning palace traditions on their crowns, so to speak. so it is no wonder that everybody is dying to get that first glimpse of her super-secret wedding gown. here's abc's paula faris covering the fashion angle to the royal wedding. >> you're beautiful! >> reporter: from the kate middleton effect, to the markle

sparkle, the royal influence on fashion is felt around the world. >> kate is worth $1.4 billion a year to the british fashion industry. meghan is now being called the biggest fashion influencer in the world. she's probably going to be worth even more to the british fashion industry. >> what can you say about the markle effect on fashion? >> meghan markle already is the most wonderful ambassador for fashion. >> reporter: two women, two very different styles, both with unmatched global reach. any style they wear selling out in minutes. >> they both are very contemporary. one much more traditional. and one a little bit edgier. kate middleton's style is more conservative. i think it's more british. meghan's style -- it has a greater sense of informality, a little bit funkier. >> i have what i call wakely wardrobe -- >> reporter: amanda wakely the face behind some of the royals'

most fashionable moments. who do you think would look beautiful in this? >> i think -- you're trying to trick me. >> reporter: her first brush with the firm came in 1993 with princess diana in a skirt suit. when she first emerged announcing her retirement what did that do to your business? >> i had no idea that she was going to be wearing that suit for that occasion. >> what was your reaction? >> it was -- oh my god. >> reporter: a royal favorite, wakely's gone on to dress both kate middleton and meghan markle. >> it all started with princess diana. to now be providing designs for her daughters-in-law, it's kind of come full circle for you. >> yes, that feels really wonderful. it breaks my heart that she's not here to see it all. because -- she'd be loving it. >> reporter: diana revolutionized royal fashion, breaking with tradition and thrusting royal style into the spotlight, paving the way for her future daughters-in-law.

>> i think her choices of those dresses kind of gave us a new way of defining what royal glamor could be. >> prince charles himself has taken a publicity back seat to his wife's trend-setting clothes -- >> diana led the way with so much fashion. it was amazing how the world reacted to what she wore. she became this extraordinary design icon. >> reporter: the boundary-pushing legacy now being carried out by meghan markle, who has attended events wearing sky-high heels, ripped jeans, and without panty hose, a royal staple. >> i was fascinated by the hat that she wore at a recent event. it had this kind of, you know, sort of california vibe to it. more casual, even for a dress hat. >> she also has a lot more leeway than kate, future queen consort to the uk. so expect to see meghan push fashion boundaries in a way we'll never see kate do. >> reporter: in two days meghan

will make her biggest fashion statement yet as she steps into history. like diana and kate before her, the wedding dress will be seen and critiqued by millions all over the world. >> meghan is getting married in a stunning gothic chapel. she needs to have a grand dress to match the venue. that's the most important thing. the dress has to match the perh instinctively want to go for something fairly simple, she is going to have to take into consideration this incredible atmosphere. >> reporter: a 20-year-old diana donned an extravagant ivory silk taffeta dress. >> it was ruffles. it was ruffles upon ruffles upon ruffles with a train of ruffles. >> reporter: the train, a staggering 25 feet long. and flash forward 30 years later. kate walking down the aisle in a stunning satin alexander mcqueen gown. but the details of meghan's gown

are still a complete secret. >> at this point, every single designer in the country has been accused of working on this dress in secret. >> reporter: british milliner victoria grant adorned the heads of the well-heeled with epic creations. >> this is a big part of the british culture. >> it is, yes. >> for an american, hats might not be as commonplace. here, it's very common. everyone owns hats. >> obviously weddings, garden parties, cocktail parties, as well as all the formal occasion wear. >> reporter: fascinators, as they are called, have become something of a fascination for american royal watchers. >> so fabulous. >> i love it. >> reporter: our "nightline" team witnessing history in the making as we stopped by studio of famed royal hatmaker philip tracy. >> hello, look at this rling pe> >> are you excited about that your hat? >> i haven't seen it yet. >> oh! >> you know, it's looking good. trust me. >> do you?

>> yes, i do, always. >> reporter: princess beatrice dropped by to pick up this head-turning creation for the wedding of her cousin will. meghan markle has already tipped her hat to this very british tradition. what hat would you pick out for her? >> i'd like to see her in something with a little more detail. she could do a little bit of veil. >> reporter: other traditions to watch, the charming custom of young brides maids and mo notab charlotte. and expect some sort of tribute to the late princess diana. >> diana would have been so proud and so happy that harry is marrying the woman that he loves. really marrying for love. >> reporter: for "nightline," i'm paula faris in london. next here, they will never be royals but they might strike it rich. how locals are cashing in on royal wedding fever.

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finally here tonight, it's been estimated the royal wedding could bring in more than $100 million to the british economy. and tonight we're going to meet a few of the local chaps hoping to cash in. here again, abc's james longman. >> reporter: the royal family has always been big business for british tourism. harry and meghan are taking over. across the road from where meghan will become a royal princess, stores are swinging into action. all kinds of things you can buy to commemorate this royal wedding. plates. cups. their faces. union jack flags. how big is harry and meghan's wedding for your business? >> amazing, amazing. harry and meghan actually are more popular as compared to kate and william. >> wow. >> we are expecting 3,000 on that day. >> that's about $4,000 in one day. >> reporter: brits and tourists alike love this merchandise. emma bridgewater is one of the

country's most famous potters, tapping into hundreds of years of tradition. >> the announcement about the engagement was made. how quickly after that were you getting requests? >> within an hour. customers were messaging us. often they've already bought their mugs for prince george or princess charlotte. >> reporter: the company sold 35,000 pieces for prince will m william's wedding alone. they're hoping to top that for harry and meghan. and of course no british occasion would be complete without beer. harry and meghan's windsor knot is proving very popular. >> brew it with barley from the royal farm here in windsor. and we combine that with hops from the west coast of the u.s. >> reporter: windsor and eaton brewery has made about 12,500 gallons of the stuff. >> there's a fair chance we're going to run out before the big day is over. >> reporter: even if your aren't caught up in wedding fever, brits won't pass up an excuse to celebrate. for "nightline," i'm james longman in windsor, england. cheers. >> cheers.

>> thank you, james longman, clearly enjoying the royal beat. thank you for watching "nightline." as always, we're online 24/7 on our "nightline" facebook page. thank you again for watching and have a great night.

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