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Wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles

Thewedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles(laterKing Charles IIIandQueen Camilla) took place in a civil ceremony atWindsor Guildhall,on 9 April 2005. The ceremony, conducted in the presence of the couple's families, was followed by aChurch of EnglandService of Prayer and Dedication atSt George's Chapel.The groom's parents,Queen Elizabeth IIandPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,did not attend the civil wedding ceremony, but were present at the Service of Prayer and Dedication and held a reception for the couple inWindsor Castleafterwards.[1]

Wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles
Combined coat of arms the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall
Date9 April 2005;19 years ago(9 April 2005)
VenueWindsor Guildhall
St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
LocationWindsor, Berkshire,England
Participants

The marriage formalised the relationship between Charles and Camilla, and she became known as "Her Royal Highness TheDuchess of Cornwall".The proceedings of the Service of Prayer and Dedication were covered by theBBCnetwork. Notable figures in attendance included international political, religious and royal figures, as well as various celebrities. The wedding was described by the media as "A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups."[2][3][4][5]

Engagement and preparations

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On 10 February 2005, it was announced thatCamilla Parker BowlesandCharles, Prince of Wales,would marry on 8 April 2005, atWindsor Castlewith a civil service followed by religious prayer. ThePrivy Councilmet on 2 March 2005 to give effect to the Queen's consent to the marriage, in conformance with the provisions of theRoyal Marriages Act 1772.[6]The government indicated that the marriage was notmorganatic.[6]After the engagement announcement, the couple were congratulated by Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.[7]TheArchbishop of Canterbury,Rowan Williams,issued a statement which read: "These arrangements have my strong support and are consistent with Church of England guidelines concerning remarriage which the Prince of Wales fully accepts as a committed Anglican and as prospective Supreme Governor of the Church of England."[8]Prime MinisterTony Blair,Leader of the OppositionMichael Howard,Leader of theLiberal DemocratsCharles Kennedy,Leader of the House of CommonsPeter Hain,and the Prime Ministers of the otherCommonwealth realmsadded their congratulations.[9]

The Duchess' engagement ring was a Windsor family heirloom that had belonged toQueen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.It has a 1920splatinumsetting and it is composed of a square-cut central diamond flanked by six diamond baguettes.[10]

Civil ceremony

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A civil ceremony was chosen when the Archbishop of Canterbury refused permission to the couple to marry in church, due to opposition to the marriage within the Anglican church.[11]Although Camilla Parker Bowles haddivorced her first husbandin 1995, the marriage of a divorced person whose ex-spouse is still living has been possible in the Church of England, at the discretion of the member of clergy conducting the ceremony, since 2002.[12]

WhenAnne, Princess RoyalmarriedTimothy Laurenceafter having divorcedMark Phillips,she did so in theChurch of Scotland.The remarriage of divorcés is not controversial in the Church of Scotland, which does not view marriage as asacrament,and the sovereign has no constitutional role in the governance of the Church.[13]Charles and Camilla did not elect this course of action.

Questioning a royal civil wedding

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Charles is the first member of the royal family to marry in acivil ceremonyin England.Stephen Cretney,a Fellow atAll Souls College, Oxford,questioned whether Charles and Camilla could marry in a civil ceremony, as theRoyal Familywas specifically excluded from the law which instituted civil marriages in England (Marriage Act 1836).[14][15]On 14 February, theBBC'sPanoramauncovered documents of official legislative research advice dating from 1956 and 1964, which stated that it was not lawful for members of the royal family to marry in a civil ceremony inEngland and Wales,though it would be lawful in Scotland.[16]These documents' statements were dismissed in a statement published byClarence Houseon the advice of four unnamed legal experts.[17]It took the view that the 1836 Act had been repealed by theMarriage Act 1949.

In the newspaperThe Timeson 22 February 2005, the lawyerDavid Pannickwrote: "It is difficult to understand how the happy couple can marry in a civil marriage ceremony, as they intend, without causing a right royal nullity... Section 79(5) of the 1949 Act still prevents a civil ceremony."[18]

The first lawyer to put his name to a contrary view wasLord Falconer of Thoroton,Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor, who made the following statement in the House of Lords on 24 February:

The Government are satisfied that it is lawful for the Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker-Bowles, like anyone else, to marry by a civil ceremony in accordance with Part III of the Marriage Act 1949. Civil marriages were introduced in England, by the Marriage Act 1836. Section 45 said that the Act "... shall not extend to the marriage of any of the Royal Family". But the provisions on civil marriage in the 1836 Act were repealed by the Marriage Act 1949. All remaining parts of the 1836 Act, including Section 45, were repealed by the Registration Service Act 1953. No part of the 1836 Act therefore remains on the statute book.... We are aware that different views have been taken in the past; but we consider that these were overcautious, and we are clear that the interpretation I have set out in this Statement is correct. We also note that the Human Rights Act has since 2000 required legislation to be interpreted wherever possible in a way that is compatible with the right to marry (Article 12) and with the right to enjoy that right without discrimination (Article 14). This, in our view, puts the modern meaning of the 1949 Act beyond doubt.[19]

This argument was rejected by the law professorRebecca Probert.She noted that the 1949 Act nowhere refers to "ancient procedures" but to the preservation of existing "law". As the heading indicates, Section 79 is a "saving". The purpose of a "saving" is to make specific provision for the continuance of an old law which would otherwise be abrogated by a new law.[20]

The government raised the issue of the Human Rights Act, noting that under this the 1949 Act had to be interpreted wherever possible to uphold the right to marry without discrimination. The key words are "wherever possible" – the Human Rights Act specifically states that where a statute makes something illegal the only way to make it legal is to amend or repeal the statute. For example, were the Sovereign to deny a member permission to marry under the Royal Marriages Act, an application to the Court for a declaration that the marriage must be permitted to go ahead under human rights legislation would fail.

Eleven objections were received by the Cirencester and Chippenham register offices but were all rejected by theRegistrar General(andNational Statistician)Len Cook,who determined that a civil marriage would in fact be valid.[21]

Change of the wedding venue and date

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On 17 February,Clarence Houseannounced the marriage's change of venue from Windsor Castle to theWindsor Guildhall,immediately outside the walls of the castle.[22]This substitution came about when it was discovered that the legal requirements for licensing the royal castle for civil weddings would require opening it up to other prospective couples for at least three years. On 22 February, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen would not attend the wedding ceremony, but would attend the church blessing and host the reception afterwards.[23]The reason stated by the palace was the couple wanted to keep the occasion low key. On 4 April, it was announced that the wedding would be postponed 24 hours until 9 April, so that the Prince of Wales could attend thefuneral of Pope John Paul IIas the representative of the Queen. The postponement also allowed some of the dignitaries who were invited to the funeral to attend the wedding. In keeping with tradition, the Prince of Wales spent the night apart from his bride-to-be atHighgrove House,his country home inGloucestershire,with his sons PrincesWilliamandHarry,while Camilla remained at Clarence House.[24]

Wedding and Service of Prayer and Dedication

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External videos
The televised Service of Prayer and Dedication (external video)

The wedding took place at theWindsor Guildhallat 12:30pm BST (11:30UTC) on Saturday 9 April 2005. Crowds had gathered on the streets since dawn ahead of the service. The ceremony was attended by senior members of the royal family apart from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.[25]

At the wedding, the couple's witnesses werePrince WilliamandTom Parker Bowles,sons of the groom and bride respectively.[26][27]In keeping with tradition, the couple's wedding rings are crafted from 22 caratWelsh goldfrom theClogauSt David's mine inBontddu.The tradition of using Clogau Gold within the wedding rings of the Royal Family dates back to 1923.[10]The design of the wedding rings is byWartski,a London jeweller that has held theRoyal Warrantto the King (until 2022 as the Prince of Wales) since 1979. The King wears his on the small finger of his left hand.

The civil wedding was followed by a televised blessing, officially termed a Service of Prayer and Dedication[28]by both the Prince of Wales's office and the press.[29][30][31]in the afternoon atSt George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.[32]This was attended by 800 guests and all the senior members of the royal family, including the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, and led by theArchbishop of Canterbury,Rowan Williams.[33]During this ceremony Charles and Camilla joined the congregation in reading "the strongest act of penitence from the1662 Book of Common Prayer",[34]widely quoted in press reports of the wedding:

We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, Which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, by thought, word and deed, Against thy Divine Majesty, Provoking most justly thy wrath and indignation against us.[34][30][35]

The arrangements for the wedding and service were strongly supported[30]by the Archbishop of Canterbury as "consistent with the Church of England guidelines concerning remarriage".[36]The "strongly-worded"[37]act of penitence recited by the couple was a confessional prayer written byThomas Cranmer,Archbishop of Canterbury to KingHenry VIII.[35]It was interpreted as a confession by both, of past sins, albeit without specific reference[37]and going "some way towards acknowledging concerns" over their past misdemeanours.[35]

For the wedding, the Duchess wore acream-coloured dress and coatwith a wide-brimmed cream-coloured hat. For the Service of Prayer and Dedication afterward, she wore a floor-length embroidered pale blue and gold coat over a matching chiffon dress and a dramatic spray of golden feathers in her hair.[38]Both ensembles were by Antonia Robinson and Anna Valentine, London designers who worked under the name Robinson Valentine, now solely calledAnna Valentine;both hats were made by the IrishmillinerPhilip Treacy.[10] The Duchess's flower bouquet contained daffodils, jasmine, Lily of the Valley, pink and cream lilies, camellias, hydrangeas, and roses which came from the Prince of WalesHighgrove House gardens.[39]Charles and all male members of the royal family woremorning dress.The wedding cake was made by Dawn Blunden of the Sophisticake cake shop inWoodhall Spa,Lincolnshire.[40]In April 2005, a hotelier paid £215 in an internet auction for a slice of the cake.[41]

Following the service of blessing, the couple greeted the people who had lined outside the chapel.[42]The party then moved to Windsor Castle's State Apartments where the Queen hosted a reception for a number of guests.[42]The couple later went toBirkhallon theBalmoral Estatefor their honeymoon.[42]

The official photographer of the wedding wasHugo Burnand.[43]

Public and commercial interest

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Manufacturers ofpotteryand other commemorative items faced a late rush to change the dates on their products after the delayed wedding date became known. However, sales of those with the incorrect date soared when people began to think that they would become collectors' items.

Coins and stamps were unveiled byRoyal MintandRoyal Mailrespectively to mark the wedding.[44][45]A cut-price replica of Camilla's diamond engagement ring went on sale at a British supermarket and immediately became the chain's fastest selling jewellery item.[46]For the wedding day, thetheme parkAlton Towerschanged the name of their rollercoaster "Rita: Queen of Speed" to "Camilla: Queen of Speed". Television commercials and signs around the park were all updated to reflect this change.[47]

TheBBCgained the rights to broadcast the event where there was live coverage of the Service of Prayer and Dedication from St George's Chapel. OnBBC One,Dermot MurnaghanandSophie Raworthpresented the live coverage of the event and fashion advisorsTrinny WoodallandSusannah Constantinecontributed as the contemporary social commentators. The BBC had around thirty cameras at the event and shared footage with broadcasters throughout the world.BBC News 24also had coverage during the day withJane HillandSimon McCoyreporting live fromWindsor.[48]The BBC reported an average audience of 7.3 million.[49]

Many self-described fans ofDiana, Princess of Walesopposed the wedding of Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, with some referring to the event as "Black Thursday" and writing to national newspapers to express their disapproval.[50]

Wedding guest list

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According to a list released by the office of Prince Charles:[51]

Family of the Prince of Wales

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Family of Camilla Parker Bowles

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Service of Prayer and Dedication guest list

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According to official press package:[52]

Members of the British Royal Family

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Viceroys

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Foreign royalty

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Members of reigning royal families

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Members of non-reigning royal families

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British politicians

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Religious representatives

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  • TheArchbishop of Canterburyand Dr Williams
  • TheLordand Lady Carey of Clifton
  • TheDean of Windsorand wife
  • Canon Doctor Hueston Finlay and wife
  • Canon Laurence Gunner and wife
  • Canon John Ovenden and Christine Ovenden
  • Rev Canon John White

Other notable guests

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References

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  2. ^"A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups".The New York Times.6 March 2005.Retrieved7 February2015.
  3. ^"Charles and Camilla's Once Upon a Time".The Washington Post.11 February 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 8 February 2015.Retrieved7 February2015.
  4. ^"Charles and Camilla's happily-ever-after finally arrives".USA Today.8 April 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 7 February 2015.Retrieved7 February2015.
  5. ^"Prince Charles and Camilla Get Married".CNN.Archivedfrom the original on 20 August 2014.Retrieved7 February2015.
  6. ^ab"Royal Marriage".Parliament of the United Kingdom.17 March 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 2 April 2015.Retrieved19 March2015.
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  9. ^"Prince Charles to marry Camilla".BBC News. 10 February 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 8 June 2012.Retrieved1 May2012.
  10. ^abc"Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, Marriage Profile".About.com.Archived fromthe originalon 13 January 2013.
  11. ^The Herald (2 October 2005)."Archbishop refused to allow church wedding for Charles and Camilla but duchess will be queen, says Dimbleby".The Herald.Retrieved19 October2024.
  12. ^"Marriage after divorce".Church of England.Archivedfrom the original on 3 December 2017.Retrieved2 December2017.
  13. ^"History".Church of Scotland. 22 February 2010.Archivedfrom the original on 19 July 2018.Retrieved9 April2017.
  14. ^Stephen Cretney, "Royal Marriages: the law in a nutshell",Family Law,Jordan Publishing, Bristol [2005 Fam. Law 317-321].
  15. ^Stephen Cretney, "Royal marriages: some legal and constitutional issues",Law Quarterly Review,April 2008, page 235.
  16. ^"Possible bar to wedding uncovered".BBC News. 14 February 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 12 January 2009.Retrieved26 February2009.
  17. ^"Panorama: Lawful impediment?".BBC News. 14 February 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 29 September 2009.Retrieved26 February2009.
  18. ^Pannick, David (22 February 2005)."Imagine it: Camilla calls a couple of judges and says, Let's oust him".The Times.London.Archivedfrom the original on 31 May 2023.Retrieved1 June2023.
  19. ^Lord Falconer of Thornton (24 February 2005)."Royal Marriage; Lords Hansard Written Statements".Hansard.Parliament of the United Kingdom. col. WS87 (50224–51).Archivedfrom the original on 2 April 2015.Retrieved12 October2008.
  20. ^Probert, Rebecca (September 2005)."The wedding of the Prince of Wales: royal privileges and human rights".Child and Family Law Quarterly.17(3):363–382.SSRN1594262.Archivedfrom the original on 15 August 2020.Retrieved18 August2022.See section (1)(b)(1) – Can a member of the royal family marry in a civil ceremony?: the meaning of section 79(5) of the 1949 Marriage Act: terms and context. See also footnote 30 "S Walters, 'Charles Wedding Illegal Warn Experts'Mail on Sunday20 February 2005, p. 1. ", footnote 39"...'[t]here is a presumption that consolidation Acts are not intended to alter the law... ", and footnote 98" See e.g. the sarcastic opening lines of a leader inThe Guardianthe day after the Lord Chancellor's statement: 'Well, that's all right then. Everything is strictly legal. The government's lawyers say so.' ('Difference of opinion' 24 February 2005). "
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  22. ^"Prince and Camilla change venue".BBC News. 17 February 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 22 September 2022.Retrieved10 April2005.
  23. ^"Queen denies 'snub' over wedding".BBC News. 23 February 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 20 September 2022.Retrieved10 April2005.
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  26. ^"Wedding role for William and Tom".BBC News. 23 March 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 14 June 2012.Retrieved1 May2012.
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  28. ^"See note 1 for the role of a Service of Prayer and Dedication".Church of England.Archivedfrom the original on 23 April 2011.Retrieved3 May2016.
  29. ^"Press Pack with full details of Service of Prayer and Dedication"(PDF).Clarence House.Archived(PDF)from the original on 23 September 2016.Retrieved29 April2016.
  30. ^abcLeft, Sarah (10 February 2005)."Charles and Camilla to Marry".The Guardian.London.Archivedfrom the original on 20 May 2023.Retrieved29 April2016.
  31. ^"DVD bearing this title".Amazon. 31 July 2007.Archivedfrom the original on 7 April 2023.Retrieved29 April2016.
  32. ^"Timetable of Royal wedding day, 9 April 2005".BBC News.Archivedfrom the original on 19 December 2021.Retrieved28 April2016.
  33. ^Clarence House (18 March 2005)."Royal wedding blessing on live TV".CNN.Archivedfrom the original on 2 April 2013.Retrieved1 May2012.
  34. ^ab"Royal couple to acknowledge 'sins'".CNN. 7 April 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 2 June 2016.Retrieved28 April2016.
  35. ^abcBrown, Jonathan (7 April 2005)."Charles and Camilla to repent their sins".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 21 November 2022.Retrieved21 November2022.
  36. ^Williams, Rowan (10 February 2005)."Statement of support".Archived fromthe originalon 3 June 2016.Retrieved29 April2016.
  37. ^ab"Charles and Camilla to confess past sins".Fox News.9 April 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 1 June 2016.Retrieved29 April2016.
  38. ^"Parker Bowles, elegant yet feminine for wedding".NBC News. 9 April 2005.Retrieved1 May2012.
  39. ^"The Wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles".About.com. 9 April 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 3 April 2013.Retrieved1 May2012.
  40. ^Royal Correspondent (20 March 2011)."Is this the royal wedding cake maker?".The Telegraph.London.Archivedfrom the original on 23 March 2011.Retrieved29 April2011.{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help)
  41. ^"Royal wedding cake sold on web".BBC News.Archivedfrom the original on 6 January 2024.Retrieved25 April2011.
  42. ^abc"Charles and Camilla's wedding day".BBC. 9 April 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 16 September 2022.Retrieved13 May2018.
  43. ^Spranklen, Annabelle (21 April 2021)."Prince William and Kate Middleton Almost Didn't Take Their Most Iconic Wedding Photograph".Town and Country Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon 31 March 2023.Retrieved31 March2023.
  44. ^"Coin change after royal date swap".BBC.Retrieved4 April2005.
  45. ^"Charles and Camilla stamps shown".BBC.Retrieved18 March2005.
  46. ^"It Asda be Camilla".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 18 September 2014.Retrieved4 April2005.
  47. ^"Theme park to rename ride Camilla".Newsround.BBC News.Archivedfrom the original on 16 November 2005.Retrieved12 April2005.
  48. ^"The Royal Wedding: Charles and Camilla"(Press release). BBC. 5 April 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 8 April 2021.Retrieved4 January2022.
  49. ^Cozens, Claire (11 April 2005)."Deirdre and Ken more popular than Charles and Camilla".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 25 July 2023.Retrieved25 July2023.
  50. ^Honigsbaum, Mark(7 March 2005)."Meet the Diana Circle: the band of fans trying to stop the royal wedding".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 28 September 2022.Retrieved22 September2022.
  51. ^"Guest List for Prince Charles' Wedding".Chicago Tribune. 8 April 2005.Archivedfrom the original on 10 April 2017.Retrieved9 April2017.
  52. ^"THE WEDDING OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES & MRS CAMILLA PARKER BOWLES"(PDF).Office of The Prince of Wales.Archived(PDF)from the original on 17 April 2021.Retrieved9 April2017.
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