Meghan's Church Wedding: Is It Possible?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding was a significant event for the British royal family, with the couple exchanging vows in a ceremony officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle. The wedding was notable for its departure from traditional royal customs and the inclusion of African-American cultural elements. However, prior to the official ceremony, Meghan and Harry claimed to have secretly married three days earlier in a private backyard ceremony with the Archbishop. This claim was refuted by church officials, stating that a private wedding without witnesses is not legally recognized by the Church of England.

Meghan's previous marriage

Meghan Markle's first marriage was to American film producer Trevor Engelson. The couple dated for six years before getting engaged in 2010 and married in 2011. Their wedding was a four-day affair held in Jamaica, with a quick ceremony followed by dancing. However, the marriage lasted only two years, with the couple separating in 2013 and divorcing in 2014, citing irreconcilable differences. It is believed that the long-distance nature of their relationship, due to Markle's filming commitments in Toronto and Engelson's work in Los Angeles, contributed to their split. Following the divorce, Engelson faced media scrutiny and was relentlessly pursued by paparazzi. He has since moved on and married dietitian Tracey Kurland in 2019.

Markle's first marriage raised questions about whether a divorcee could marry into the British Royal Family. In 2002, the Church of England agreed that divorced people could remarry in the church with the discretion of the priest. Markle's marriage to Prince Harry took place in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle with the blessing of the Queen.

The Church of England's stance on divorce

The Church of England has allowed, in special circumstances, for people to remarry in church even if their former spouse is still living. This decision is left up to the individual priest. The Archbishop of Canterbury endorsed Prince Charles's second marriage, and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding also took place in a church.

The Church of England recommends that couples either include a Communion service during their wedding or take Communion shortly after getting married. This means that Markle, if she wanted to take Communion with Harry, needed to be confirmed in the Church of England or in another Anglican church.

For adults, there is no need for a waiting period between baptism and confirmation. If a child is baptised as a baby, they can be confirmed once they are old enough to profess their own faith.

The Church of England, however, does not accept a baptism unless it was conducted in the name of the Trinity of God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If Markle was baptised only in the name of Jesus, she would need to be baptised again.

The Church of England also requires weddings to be officiated by a member of the clergy in a church or licenced place, and to have at least two witnesses. The public must also have unrestricted access to the building during any marriage ceremony to allow for valid objections against the marriage.

Furthermore, a couple who are already lawfully married cannot choose to remarry each other, unless there is some doubt as to the validity of the earlier marriage.

Meghan's baptism

Meghans's Baptism

On 6 March 2018, Meghan Markle was baptised and confirmed into the Church of England by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at St. James's Palace. Although Markle was divorced, the Anglican Church has permitted marriage to divorced persons with a living former spouse since 2002.

Markle studied the rites and sacraments of the Church of England for several weeks under the tutelage of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, according to the Daily Mail. When he baptised her, she then completed her confirmation immediately after.

There are two most likely reasons why Markle was baptised. Firstly, while Markle’s parents — both of whom are Protestant — raised her as a Protestant Christian and sent her to Catholic school, they simply never baptised her, and this is Markle’s first baptism. Secondly, she may have had a baptism that the Church of England won't accept. The Church of England does not accept a baptism unless it was conducted in the name of the Trinity of God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If Markle was baptised only in the name of Jesus, she would need to be baptised again.

It is important to note that Markle wasn’t required to be baptised at all to be married in the Church of England. The Church of England recommends that couples either include a Communion service during their wedding or take Communion shortly after getting married. That means that Markle, if she wanted to take Communion with Harry, did need to be confirmed in the Church of England or in another Anglican church.

The wedding ceremony

The wedding started at 12:00 midday BST, with the public arriving at the grounds of Windsor Castle from 8:00 am. The main congregation and guests arrived at the chapel at 9:30 am, followed by members of the Royal Family. Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh were the last members of the Royal Family to depart for the ceremony, arriving at the chapel at 11:52 am. Shortly after, Meghan arrived with the party of junior attendants and proceeded down the aisle, followed by the attendants, where the Prince of Wales met her to escort her through the quire of the chapel.

The ceremony included a scripture lesson from The Song of Solomon in the Christian Bible, read by Prince Harry's maternal aunt, Baroness Fellowes. The sermon was delivered by Michael Curry, the presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church in the United States. The marriage vows were those published in Common Worship and included the promise "to love and to cherish" each other. This was sealed by the exchange of rings. After the signing of the registers, Harry and Meghan sang the national anthem with the guests. They paused briefly to bow and curtsey to the Queen before walking down the aisle, followed by other members of the bridal party and their families.

Hymns sung at the wedding included "Lord of All Hopefulness" and "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer". Two choirs, an orchestra, the chapel organ, and fanfare trumpeters provided music for the service. The orchestra was made up of musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Orchestra. In addition, the Choir of St George's Chapel and the Kingdom Choir, a gospel group led by Karen Gibson, sang "Stand By Me". The State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry included Kate Sandford, the first female state trumpeter at a British royal wedding. The music was under the overall direction of James Vivian, the chapel's Organist and Director of Music.

The wedding reception

For the evening reception, the Duchess of Sussex wore a halter-neck, open-back dress by Stella McCartney and an emerald-cut aquamarine ring that had formerly belonged to Princess Diana. George Northwood styled her hair for the private party. In a break with tradition, the bride made a speech at the event, as did the Duke of Cambridge, who gave the best man's speech. DJ Idris Elba and The Atlantic Soul Orchestra performed at the event, with a setlist including "Still D.R.E." and Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody". The event ended with a small fireworks display above Frogmore House.

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