Queen's Disapproval: Wedding Woes

The Royal Marriages Act of 1772 gave the monarch the right to veto marriages of their descendants, which could result in the wedding being invalid and the couple's children being considered illegitimate. This law was amended in 2013 to only apply to the first six people in line to the throne. If the Queen does not approve of a wedding, it is likely that the couple will not receive her blessing or attendance at the ceremony. In the case of royal weddings, the Queen's disapproval could result in the couple being removed from the succession line.

The Queen's approval is required for the first six people in line to the throne

The first six people in line to the throne are:

• William, Prince of Wales
• Prince George of Wales
• Princess Charlotte of Wales
• Prince Louis of Wales
• Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
• Prince Archie of Sussex

If any of these individuals were to marry without the sovereign's consent, they and their descendants would be disqualified from succession. However, any member of the royal family over the age of 25 who had been refused the sovereign's consent could marry one year after giving notice to the Privy Council of their intention to marry, unless both houses of Parliament expressly declared their disapproval.

The right of the sovereign to veto marriages was established by the Royal Marriages Act 1772, which was repealed in 2015. This Act was proposed by George III after his brother, Prince Henry, married a commoner. The Act stated that any marriage contracted without the consent of the monarch was to be null and void.

The current rules regarding the need for the sovereign's approval for marriages are designed to guard against marriages that could diminish the status of the royal house.

Without the Queen's approval, the marriage is null and void

The Royal Marriages Act of 1772 gave the monarch the right to veto marriages involving the British royal family. This was to "guard against marriages that could diminish the status of the royal house". If a member of the royal family were to marry without the consent of the monarch, the marriage would be considered null and void.

The Act applied to the descendants of King George II, male or female, except for the issue of princesses who married into foreign families. The Act stated that any marriage without the consent of the monarch, "signified under the great seal and declared in council", would be invalid. This consent was to be included in the marriage licence and register, as well as the books of the Privy Council.

The Act was amended in 2013 to only apply to the first six people in line to the throne. This means that, for example, Prince William and Prince Harry had to ask the Queen's permission to marry. If they had not received the Queen's sanction, their marriages would have been considered null and void, and they and their children would have been removed from the line of succession.

While members of the royal family who are further from the throne are not required to seek the monarch's consent, it is believed that they would still do so out of respect.

The couple and their descendants would be removed from the line of succession

The Royal Marriages Act 1772, which was repealed in 2015, stated that any descendant of King George II could not marry without the consent of the reigning monarch. If a marriage was contracted without the consent of the monarch, it was to be considered null and void.

However, if a member of the royal family over the age of 25 was refused the sovereign's consent, they could still marry one year after giving notice to the Privy Council of their intention to marry, unless both houses of Parliament expressly declared their disapproval.

If a couple did marry without the consent of the monarch, they would be removed from the line of succession, and any children born from the marriage would be considered illegitimate and would lose any right to succeed.

The only known case in which permission to marry was withheld by the British sovereign despite a formal request under the Royal Marriages Act is that of Prince George William of Hanover, a German citizen descended from King George III. On 23 April 1946, George William married Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark, whose brother, Prince Philip, was courting the future Queen Elizabeth II. Their request for permission from King George VI received no response due to the sensitivity of the fact that a state of war still existed between the United Kingdom and Germany at the time. It was held by British officials that the marriage and its issue would not be legitimate in the United Kingdom despite being legal in Germany.

The Royal Marriages Act 1772 was amended in 2013

The Royal Marriages Act of 1772 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain that outlined the conditions under which members of the British royal family could enter into a valid marriage. The Act was proposed by King George III after his brother, the Duke of Cumberland, married a commoner, Lady Anne Horton, without the King's consent. The Act gave the sovereign the right to veto any marriage that could potentially diminish the status of the royal house. This right of veto was highly controversial at the time.

The Act stated that no descendant of King George II, male or female, could marry without the consent of the reigning monarch, unless they were the issue of princesses who had married or would marry into foreign families. The consent was to be set out in the licence and register of the marriage and entered into the books of the Privy Council. Any marriage without the monarch's consent was to be considered null and void.

However, members of the royal family over the age of 25 who were refused consent could still marry one year after notifying the Privy Council of their intention, unless both houses of Parliament expressly declared their disapproval. Despite this, there is no record of any instance where the sovereign's consent was formally refused.

The Act also made it a crime to perform or participate in the illegal marriage of any member of the royal family. This provision was repealed in 1967.

The Royal Marriages Act was amended in 2013 with the Succession to the Crown Act, which limited its scope to only the first six people in line to the throne. This amendment came about after British Prime Minister David Cameron wrote to the leaders of other Commonwealth realms in 2011, proposing that the Act be limited to those closest in line to the throne.

The Queen issues an Instrument of Consent to formally approve the union

The Royal Marriages Act of 1772, which was amended in 2013, states that the first six people in line to the throne must obtain the sovereign's consent before marrying in order to retain their place in the line of succession. This means that for royals such as Prince William and Prince Harry, the Queen must issue an Instrument of Consent to formally approve the union.

The Instrument of Consent is a document that is handwritten on vellum and includes imagery referencing the United Kingdom and the families of the couple. For example, the Instrument of Consent for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's union included imagery of the United Kingdom, California, the United States, and Princess Diana's family.

If a member of the royal family does not receive the Queen's approval, they and their descendants are disqualified from succeeding the Crown.

It is believed that even members of the royal family who are not required to consult the Queen for approval would still seek the monarch's blessing out of respect.

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