Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Clarify Legality Of Secret Wedding, Confirm They Only 'Exchanged Personal Vows' During Backyard Ceremony
Clearing the air. After many voiced their skepticism over Meghan Markle's claim that she and Prince Harry secretly tied the knot three days before their May 19 nuptials, a spokesperson for the couple made a statement to clarify the situation.
"The couple exchanged personal vows a few days before their official/legal wedding on May 19," they told The Daily Beast.
FROM CHRISTMAS SERVICES TO TROOPING THE COLOUR: HOW THE ROYALS CELEBRATE THEIR INTRIGUING FAMILY TRADITIONS
In the pair's interview with Oprah Winfrey, the former actress confused viewers when she revealed, "three days before our wedding, we got married. No one knows that, but we called the archbishop and we just said ‘Look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world but we want our union between us.'"
She continued, "The vows that we have framed in our room are just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury."
After the TV special aired, it was noted that their private ceremony wouldn't be able to act as a legal wedding, as they didn't have enough witnesses present.
Just yesterday, The Sun publicized their marriage certificate, which listed the date as May 19. Stephen Borton, the former chief clerk at the Faculty Office who crafted the marriage license, even spoke out on the situation.
"I’m sorry, but Meghan is obviously confused and clearly misinformed," he declared. "They did not marry three days earlier in front of the Archbishop of Canterbury."
"The Special License I helped draw up enabled them to marry at St George’s Chapel in Windsor and what happened there on 19 May 2018 and was seen by millions around the world was the official wedding as recognized by the Church of England and the law," Borton continued.
"They couldn’t have got married in the grounds of Nottingham Cottage as it is not an authorized venue and there were not enough witnesses present. You cannot be married with just three people," he explained. "It’s not a valid ceremony."
"Any certificate she may have of her vows on the wall is not an official wedding certificate," he added. "The wedding itself took place at St. George’s Chapel under the conditions stipulated by the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, which have been recently amended."
Concluded Borton: "In order for them to be married a special license was drawn up and the wording from Her Majesty the Queen authorizing the wedding and the official venue was recorded."
