PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘backyard’ wedding “did not take place” claims a vicar who said he discussed the event in a phone call with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Oprah Winfrey they had married ‘in our backyard’ on the Wednesday before the ceremony at St George’s Chapel.
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During the tell-all interview, the Duchess of Sussex said: “You know, three days before our wedding, we got married. No one knows that.
“The vows that we have framed in our room are just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury.”
Later on in the show, Harry said it had been just them and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby present.
The private service is said to have taken place in the small garden of Nottingham Cottage, the property in the grounds of Kensington Palace where Harry and Meghan were living at the time.
Newcastle vicar Rev Mark Edwards, who was flooded with private wedding requests during the Covid lockdown, contacted the Archbishop’s office after the claims to “get some clarity” on their policy.
But the vicar at St Matthew’s Church, in Dinnington, and St Cuthbert’s Church, in Brunswick, said he was told by a Lambeth Palace staff member that, “Justin does not do private weddings.
“Meghan is an American, she does not understand.”
Rev Edwards said the person he spoke to then told him: “Justin had a private conversation with the couple in the garden about the wedding, but I can assure you, no wedding took place until the televised national event.”
WED YOU BELIEVE IT
In the Church of England, weddings require at least two witnesses, and the public must have “unrestricted access” to the ceremony so objections can be lodged.
And a couple who are already married cannot do so again – unless something was wrong with the first marriage.
Experts have said any ceremony that took place is unlikely to have been legally binding.
The law also states that Church of England weddings must take place in “a certified place of worship” and cannot be conducted outside.
And Meghan’s claims last week have caused some doubts among members of the Church and the public.
Rev Edwards said it was “in the public interest for the leader of the church to put the record straight”.
He told ChronicleLive: “It puts us priests in a difficult position on what constitutes a Church of England wedding.
“Should there be witnesses and licensing and legality or is it now just an ad hoc arrangement with members of clergy? Can we now do private weddings without witnesses in our back gardens?
“Justin saying he refuses to comment is not helpful to the rest of us clergy and our own policies and practices.
“I have had people ask me during lockdown if they could have a private wedding, and I have had to explain that would not be a legal wedding and not according to canon law.
“I think we need a clarifying statement – we need to know what our policies and procedures are. It can’t appear to be one rule for one and another rule for another.”
Meghan said the couple married ‘in our backyard’ on the Wednesday before the wedding which was watched by millions around the world in May 2018.
She told Oprah: “Three days before our wedding, we got married.
“No-one knows that but we called the Archbishop [of Canterbury] and we just said ‘this thing, this spectacle is for the world but we want our union between us’.
“The vows that we have framed in our room are just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury.”
Harry added: “Just the three of us.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex married in front of 600 guests at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in May 2018 – with their big day including a carriage procession and blooming flower arch.
It’s estimated that the big day cost £32m – covering everything from the cost of security and catering to Meghan’s stunning dress.
A spokesman for the Archbishop of Canterbury said he would not be commenting on personal or pastoral matters.
