Junior Rasmussen
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday 19 May 2018 at St George's Chapel, Windsor. The ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the sermon was delivered by Bishop Michael Curry, the first black presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. Curry's sermon lasted 14 minutes and quoted Martin Luther King Jr. to emphasise the redemptive power of love.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the wedding | 19 May 2018 |
| Location | St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, United Kingdom |
| People involved | Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Bishop Michael Curry, Queen Elizabeth II, Justin Welby, David Conner, Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Anba Angaelos |
| Sermon duration | 14 minutes |
| Sermon theme | "The Power of Love" |
| Sermon mentions | Martin Luther King Jr., slavery, Jesus of Nazareth, Moses, the Hebrew scriptures |
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What You'll Learn
Bishop Michael Curry's sermon was 14 minutes long
Bishop Michael Curry, the first black presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, delivered a powerful and impassioned 14-minute sermon at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The preacher quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and referenced a hymnal sung by slaves in the antebellum South to discuss the power of love to change the world. Curry's sermon was a highlight of the wedding, with its message of social justice, religious engagement, and the radical power of Christian love.
Curry's sermon, titled "The Power of Love," stood out for its contrast to the usual solemn and stationary ecclesiastical addresses at royal weddings. His delivery was full-throated, uninhibited, theatrical, and emotive, reflecting the style of the traditional African-American church. He preached about Moses and Jesus of Nazareth, the Hebrew scriptures, and the old slaves in America's antebellum South, who recognised the power of spirituals even in captivity.
The inclusion of Bishop Michael Curry in the wedding was significant as it symbolised Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's commitment to affirming her identity within their marriage. As a person of colour, Curry's presence and his powerful message resonated deeply with Meghan Markle and her heritage. Curry's sermon also challenged guests and viewers to imagine a love so powerful that it could change the world, going beyond the celebration of the couple's union.
The sermon received a positive reaction, especially from black Americans, who felt that Curry's words acknowledged the enduring seat of colonialism and questioned it within the context of the royal wedding. His words and presence made the event more inclusive and sent a powerful message about the importance of love, social justice, and religious engagement. Bishop Michael Curry's 14-minute sermon was, therefore, a memorable and impactful moment in the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
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The sermon was titled The Power of Love
The royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel in Windsor. The sermon, titled "The Power of Love", was delivered by Bishop Michael Curry, the first black presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.
Curry's 14-minute address quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and referenced a hymnal sung by slaves in the antebellum South to emphasise the redemptive property of love and its potential to change the world. In his sermon, Curry spoke of Moses and Jesus of Nazareth, the Hebrew scriptures, and the "old slaves in America's antebellum South". He also quoted the activist Martin Luther King Jr., who did revolutionary work advocating for marginalised people. Curry's message was about the love shared by the couple but also challenged guests and viewers to imagine a love so powerful that it could change the world.
Curry's sermon was a nod to the African American experience and was symbolic of the ways in which the couple was publicly working to affirm Meghan's identity within the marriage. It was also a break from tradition, as it was delivered by an American priest, and its content was more politically and socially charged than what is usually expected at a royal wedding.
The sermon was well-received, especially by black Americans, and is considered one of the highlights of the wedding ceremony.
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Curry quoted Martin Luther King Jr
Bishop Michael Curry delivered a 14-minute sermon at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding on Saturday, 19 May 2018. The sermon, titled "The Power of Love", emphasised the redemptive property of love.
Bishop Curry quoted Martin Luther King Jr. to begin and end his speech. He said:
> The late Dr. Martin Luther King once said, and I quote: 'We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will make of this old world a new world. For love is the only way.'
Curry's decision to quote Martin Luther King Jr. was surprising to some, as although it is not uncommon for black American pastors to quote the civil rights icon in sermons, his name is not often heard at weddings. However, Curry quoted the activist because King regularly spoke about how much his work was rooted in the concept of "love". King's worldview advocated for loving your enemies and people who are different, regardless of their ethnic identity, political tribe, or religion.
Curry's sermon was incredibly well-received, especially by black Americans, and will go down in history as a moment when the enduring seat of colonialism was brought before the Lord and questioned in its own house.
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The sermon referenced slavery
The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor. The sermon was delivered by Michael Curry, the presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church. In his 14-minute address, Bishop Curry quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and referenced slavery.
Curry's sermon, "The Power of Love", emphasised the redemptive property of love. He referenced a hymnal sung by slaves in the antebellum South to talk about the power of love to change the world. In an interview following the wedding, Curry said he could "feel slaves around the place" and that "their voice was somehow heard that day". He included one of their songs, "There is a Balm in Gilead", in his sermon.
Curry's sermon was a nod to the African American experience. It was described as a "soaring sermon" and "a moment when the enduring seat of colonialism was brought before the Lord, and questioned in its own house". The mention of slavery was seen as an "inherent accusation of white silver-spoon complicity".
The reaction to Curry's sermon was incredibly well-received, especially by black Americans. It was described as "one of the highlights of the royal wedding ceremony" and "a speech that could have been lifted straight out of the pages of James Baldwin or ZZ Packer".
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The sermon was well-received, especially by black Americans
Bishop Michael Curry, the first black presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, delivered a powerful and impassioned sermon at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The 14-minute address quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and referenced a hymnal sung by slaves in the antebellum South to emphasise the redemptive property of love and its power to change the world.
Curry's sermon was incredibly well-received, especially by black Americans. It was a moment when the enduring seat of colonialism was brought before the Lord and questioned in its own house. The mention of slavery was an inherent accusation of white complicity, and the acknowledgement that this union should not go forth without recognising it.
Curry's presence at the wedding was symbolic of the ways Markle and Harry are publicly working to affirm her identity within the marriage. As a person of colour, he shared Markle's Americanness and her heritage. Curry's sermon was also a nod to the African American experience and a revival of Anglicanism rooted in social justice, religious engagement, and a politically charged faith in the radical power of Christian love.
Curry's message was especially powerful given the context of the week leading up to the wedding, which included a school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas, the killing of more than 60 Palestinian protesters, and the daily hateful rhetoric that has become normalised in our political climate. His words challenged guests and viewers to imagine a love so powerful that it could change the world.
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Frequently asked questions
Bishop Michael Curry's sermon lasted 14 minutes.
Michael Curry is the first black presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. He is the son of a Civil Rights activist.
The sermon was about the power of love to change the world. It referenced slavery and quoted Martin Luther King Jr.
The sermon was incredibly well-received, especially by black Americans. It was described as "fiery", "impassioned", and "theologically-charged".
The wedding took place on 19 May 2018 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. It included a gospel choir and a performance of "Stand By Me" by the Kingdom Choir.
