6 Days Before Royal Wedding, Queen Finally Gives Consent to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Many families are fortunate to be able to trace their traditions far back in time. There are reasons for why we repeat certain customs over and over.
Though some of the finer details and reasons for these customs may have been lost decades ago, we still cling to traditions — they’re part of what makes us who we are.
But for royal couples, those traditions are more than just endearing connections to their ancestors: they’re non-negotiable.
In the wake of Prince Henry and Meghan Markle’s engagement there have been many rituals that the couple and those around them have had to participate in.
There is a very specific order for the steps leading up to a wedding, and though Markle was not royal and may have been unfamiliar with these rites until recently, she’s definitely in the middle of them now.
Back in March, the queen formally gave her spoken consent to the marriage of her grandson and Markle. This was one step, but it was not the final step.
On March 14 at Buckingham palace, Queen Elizabeth read the following statement:
“I declare My Consent to a Contract of Matrimony between My Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert of Wales and Rachel Meghan Markle, which Consent I am causing to be signified under the Great Seal and to be entered in the Books of the Privy Council.”
As wedding preparations have been finalized, the queen has completed an official document that again signifies her consent.
Two months after her initial statement, she has given her approval in finer writing. But this process isn’t as simple as just getting grandma’s blessing on your choice of spouse. This draws on a much older practice.
The document starts out, “Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories…” and then describes the Act of Parliament that the royals are adhering to.
“To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting! Whereas by an Act of Parliament entitled “Succession to the Crown Act 2013”, it is amongst other things enacted that “a person who {when the person marries} is one of the 6 persons next in the line of succession to the Crown must obtain the consent of Her Majesty before marrying”, such consent to be signified under the Great Seat, declared in Council, and recorded in the books of the Privy Council(.)”
“NOW KNOW YE that We have consented and do by these Presents signify Our Consent to the contracting of Matrimony between Our Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales, K.C.V.O., and Rachel Meghan Markle,” it continued.
“In Witness whereof We have caused Our Great Seal to be affixed to these Presents GIVEN at Our Court at Buckingham Palace the fourteenth day of March Two Thousand Eighteen in the Sixty-seventh year of Our Reign,” it concluded.
Of course, it had to be finished off properly, as well. “By The Queen Herself Signed with Her Own Hand” is written at the bottom, and her signature is visible at the top right corner of the document.
Since Prince Harry is still (barely) in line for the throne, his choice of wife had to be officially accepted and approved by The Queen. With one week to go before the royal wedding, the two have been given the queen’s full consent!
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