Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding ceremony in 2018 was a traditional Christian affair, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, officiating. Notably, the ceremony did not include communion. This was likely because Meghan, while raised Christian, was not Anglican, and had to be baptised and confirmed into the Church of England in the months leading up to the wedding.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date of the wedding | 19 May 2018 |
Location of the wedding | St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom |
Bride | Meghan Markle |
Groom | Prince Harry |
Bride's religion | Raised Protestant, attended Catholic school |
Groom's religion | Member of the Church of England |
Officiant | Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby |
Reason for no communion | Markle was not baptised and confirmed into the Church of England until March 2018 |
What You'll Learn
- Meghan Markle was baptised into the Church of England before her wedding
- Markle's baptism was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury
- Markle's baptism was a private ceremony
- Markle's parents were expected to attend the baptism
- Markle's baptism signified the beginning of her transition to UK citizenship
Meghan Markle was baptised into the Church of England before her wedding
Meghan Markle was baptised into the Church of England in a private ceremony two months before her wedding to Prince Harry. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, conducted the ceremony at St James's Palace, using holy water from the Jordan River.
Although Markle was raised Christian, she was not baptised as an infant. Her parents, who are both Protestant, sent her to a Catholic school, but she was never baptised. Alternatively, she may have had a baptism that the Church of England does not accept. Some churches, especially evangelical and Pentecostal churches, baptise believers "in the name of Jesus Christ" instead of "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit". The Church of England does not recognise baptisms that do not use the latter phrase.
Markle studied the rites and sacraments of the Church of England for several weeks under the tutelage of the Archbishop of Canterbury before her baptism and confirmation. Markle's decision to be baptised and confirmed was reportedly out of respect for the Queen's role as the head of 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. Therefore, Markle needed to be confirmed in the Church of England or another Anglican church to take Communion with Harry.
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Markle's baptism was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Markle's baptism was indeed conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at the Chapel Royal of St James's Palace in London. It was an intimate 45-minute service attended by her fiancé, Prince Harry, as well as Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall. The Archbishop described the ceremony as "very special, beautiful and sincere".
Markle, who was raised Protestant, studied the rites and sacraments of the Church of England for several weeks under the tutelage of the Archbishop before her baptism and confirmation. Although not required to be baptised to marry into the Church of England, Markle chose to be baptised and confirmed "out of respect for the Queen's role as the head of the Church of England".
The Archbishop also officiated the wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, which took place on 19 May 2018 at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
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Markle's baptism was a private ceremony
Meghan Markle's baptism was a private ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in early March 2018. The ceremony was held at St. James's Palace in London, and included holy water from the River Jordan being poured on Markle's head. Markle studied the rites and sacraments of the Church of England for several weeks under Welby's tutelage before her baptism and confirmation.
Although Markle was raised Christian, there are a couple of reasons why she may have been baptised. Firstly, although it is not required to be baptised to be married in the Church of England, Markle may have wanted to take communion with Prince Harry, which would require her to be confirmed in the Church of England or another Anglican church. Secondly, it is possible that Markle had not been baptised as a child, or that she had been baptised in a way that was not recognised by the Church of England.
Markle's decision to be baptised and confirmed before her wedding to Prince Harry was seen as a sign of respect for the Queen's role as the head of the Church of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury described the ceremony as "beautiful, sincere, and very moving".
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Markle's parents were expected to attend the baptism
Although Meghan Markle's parents were expected to attend the baptism, they did not appear to have made the trip. Markle's father, who lives in Mexico, is Episcopalian, and her mother, who resides in the U.S., belongs to another Protestant denomination. Markle's parents, both of whom are Protestant, raised her as a Protestant Christian and sent her to a Catholic school. It is unclear whether Markle had been baptised as a child, but she certainly underwent a private baptism ceremony as an adult, two months before her wedding to Prince Harry. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, administered the sacrament, which took place at St. James's Palace in London. The Archbishop described the ceremony as "very special, beautiful, sincere, and very moving."
Markle's baptism was conducted with holy water from the River Jordan, which was poured onto her head from the private Royal Family font. The ritual lasted around 45 minutes and was attended by Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who hosted a small dinner in Markle's honour afterward. Notably, Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge, and the Queen were not in attendance.
Markle's baptism was followed immediately by her confirmation, which is a requirement for anyone joining the Anglican Church. Markle studied the rites and sacraments of the Church of England for several weeks under the tutelage of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who also officiated her wedding to Prince Harry. Markle's decision to be baptised and confirmed was reportedly out of respect for the Queen's role as the head of the Church of England.
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Markle's baptism signified the beginning of her transition to UK citizenship
Meghan Markle's baptism signified the beginning of her transition to UK citizenship. Markle, who was raised Christian, was baptised and confirmed into the Church of England by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at St. James's Palace in London in early March 2018, two months before her wedding to Prince Harry.
Although Markle was not required to become an Anglican to marry Harry in church, she chose to be baptised and confirmed out of respect for the Queen's role as the head of the Church of England. As the monarch of England, Queen Elizabeth II is considered the head of the Church of England. Markle's decision to join the Church of England was also influenced by the Church's recommendation that couples include a Communion service during their wedding or take Communion shortly after getting married. As Markle wanted to take Communion with Harry, she needed to be confirmed in the Church of England or another Anglican church.
Markle's baptism was conducted with holy water from the River Jordan, and was described by Welby as "beautiful, sincere, and very moving". Markle studied the rites and sacraments of the Church of England for several weeks under the tutelage of Welby before her baptism and confirmation.
Markle's baptism signified her transition to becoming a British citizen, as she retained her U.S. citizenship during the process of applying for British citizenship after her engagement to Harry.
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