Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has contradicted Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex’s claim that she and Prince Harry were married several days before the official lavish ceremony at Windsor Castle in 2018.
Key points:
- Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, had said she was married to Prince Harry before their lavish wedding
- The revelation was made during her interview with Oprah Winfery
- However, the head of the Church of England has said this was not the case
The Duchess told Oprah Winfrey in an interview in March she wed the Duke of Sussex in a secret ceremony officiated by the Archbishop a few days before the Windsor event, which was held in a glare of royal pomp and pageantry.
“You know, three days before our wedding, we got married — no-one knows that,” she said.
“Just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury.”
This was one of the many revelations which came out of the interview.
However, the Archbishop has been quoted as stating this was not true.
German newspaper Die Welt quoted the Archbishop saying the events the duchess described would have been illegal for him.
“The legal marriage took place on that Saturday,” he said.
“I would have committed a crime if I had signed something that was not true.”
The Archbishop is quoted as saying he personally signed the marriage certificate.
He said he had earlier had a “series of private and pastoral meetings” with the pair, but declined to give details on the conversation.
“If you talk to a priest, you can expect that conversation to remain private,” he said.
British media have previously published a copy of the wedding certificate showing the official marriage occurred at Windsor Castle, with the official who drew up the licence saying the duchess was either confused or misinformed.
Some have suggested the couple had perhaps exchanged some simple vows before the Archbishop.
Reuters