In most traditions, these witnesses included family, friends, and neighbors. According to historian, Alison Weir, this consummation ritual was also practiced by the royals in in medieval times.
In general, no, royals did not consummate their marriage in front of others. Throughout much of history, marriage was a significant event for which the public would gather, but it did not usually involve the act of consummation, as this was considered a private affair.
The purpose of the ritual was to establish the consummation of the marriage, either by actually witnessing the couple's first sexual intercourse, or symbolically, by leaving before consummation. It symbolized the community's involvement in the marriage.
The customs of these ceremonies varied across cultures and royal families, but they all followed a common theme: the newly married couple would be escorted to bed by certain wedding guests, then they'd be expected to consummate their unions while others were around.
Furthermore, in some cultures, it was believed that gods or deities were aware of the union between a couple. Therefore, even though it is not common practice nowadays for royals to watch a ceremony of consummation, it is not true to say that this never occurred in the past.
In many traditions and statutes of civil or religious law, the consummation of a marriage, often called simply consummation, is the first (or first officially credited) act of sexual intercourse between two people, following their marriage to each other.
In the third episode of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Charlotte and King George consummate their marriage multiple times, even when they claim they do not like each other.
They slept in separate beds
Apparently a lot of posh people actually prefer to sleep in separate beds, including the Queen and her man. As etiquette expert Lady Pam and Her Majesty's cousin explained in a biography about her relative: "In England, the upper class always have had separate bedrooms.
Although the nuances of the ritual vary from place to place, a bedding ritual usually incorporates a newly-wed couple being put to bed on their wedding night by their friends, family and wider community.
droit du seigneur, (French: “right of the lord”), a feudal right said to have existed in medieval Europe giving the lord to whom it belonged the right to sleep the first night with the bride of any one of his vassals.
Then they were left alone to attend to their chief duty, the begetting of heirs to ensure the succession. This bawdy custom had died out by the end of the 17t century.” The custom was not confined to royalty, however. Both nobles and commoners celebrated weddings in this manner as well.
The wedding night, also most popularly known as 'suhaag raat', is when newly-weds are expected to consummate their marriage and for many couples, who had never had a physical relationship before, this night might be the first time they would be having sex with the partner.
Suhag Raat is a significant ritual in the life of a newly wedded couple in the Indian subcontinent, and refers to the first night when the marriage is consummated. The bed of the newlywed couple is decorated with flowers, which are believed to bring sweetness to their relationship.
Celtic barefoot weddings
In the ancient Gaelic and Celtic tradition, the bridal party attended the ceremony with bare feet as a sign of simplicity and humility. This was also thought to represent the natural relationship being consecrated at the ceremony -- “natural” was key.
There are no official rules forbidding public displays of affection, but the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip set a precedent encouraging royals to keep touching to a minimum.
Although there is no formal law that forbids future monarchs from showing affection, Queen Elizabeth II set a precedent that encouraged royals to keep their hands to themselves. This is why you rarely see Prince William and Kate Middleton smooching in public, or even holding hands.
Witnessing of a marriage consummation? What is that? Essentially the newly married couple had sex in the presence of witnesses, usually with the bed curtains closed and the observers discreetly waiting on the outer fringes of the room.
It is a tradition for the bride to cover her face with a veil or ghunghat, and wait for her husband. The groom then enters the room and sits beside his new wife and lifts her veil. The act of unveiling the bride and when her face is revealed is known as “mooh dikhai”.
After receiving the proposal, the girl's family considers the matter and responds with whether they have agreed or not.” "If the proposal is accepted by the girl's family, they then send a handkerchief, also known as the handkerchief of 'Vokra', which signifies their consent to the match.”
The monarch isn't a fan of a deep bath either, she is said to bathe in “no more than seven inches of water”, according to royal author Brian Hoey for the Daily Mail.
Apparently, she heads to bed at 10.30pm each evening in order to get a good night's sleep. The bling is stunning, obviously. Regular exercise is also said to help with sleep and Kate leads an active lifestyle, often talking about how she loves to get outdoors – it's thought that she runs or walks every day.
The proclamation may have proved less than accurate, but for almost a century between the 1850s and 1950s, separate beds were seen as a healthier, more modern option for couples than the double, with Victorian doctors warning that sharing a bed would allow the weaker sleeper to drain the vitality of the stronger.
"You need to bow", the young royal appears to tell the future King as the Queen's coffin passes by. George quickly follows the instruction, and the pair both dip their heads as a sign of respect to their great-grandmother, the Queen.
As Historic Royal Palaces writes, "They shared a happy life together, producing 15 children until their lives were changed and saddened by the King's devastating mental illness. Nonetheless Charlotte remained steadfast and loyal to her husband."
While he agreed to be married because it was his duty, he felt that he was not good enough for Charlotte because of his mental health condition. It's why he tried to keep it a secret, afraid of what she might think, or that she would push him away because of it.