Introducing the newest royal couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are married!
On Saturday, May 19th the beaming couple finally said “I do” in front of 600 friends and family packed into the pews of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle and billions tuning in from around the world.
The couple have just been married by the Archbishop of Canterbury The Most Revd. and Rt Hon. Justin Welby, who has previously spoken of the pair’s “profound sense of commitment” to each other.
Meghan Markle has ditched the outdated “obey” line in her wedding vows.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s full wedding vows
THE VOWS
HARRY and MEGHAN, I now invite you to join hands and make your vows, in the presence of God and his people.
The Bride and Bridegroom face each other and join hands.
The Bridegroom says:
I HARRY, take you, MEGHAN, to be my wife, to have and to hold from, this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God’s holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow.
The Bride says:
I MEGHAN, take you, HARRY, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; according to God’s holy law. In the presence of God I make this vow.
THE GIVING OF THE RINGS
HEAVENLY Father, by your blessing let these rings be to HARRY and MEGHAN a symbol of unending love and faithfulness, to remind them of the vow and covenant which they have made this day, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Bridegroom places the ring on the fourth finger of the Bride’s left hand and, holding it there, says:
MEGHAN, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
They loose hands and the Bride places a ring on the fourth finger of the Bridegroom’s left hand and, holding it there, says:
HARRY, I give you this ring as a sign of our marriage. With my body I honour you, all that I am I give to you, and all that I have I share with you, within the love of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Prince Harry and Prince William greet the crowds on the eve of the Royal Wedding.
Following in the footsteps of her royal pre-predecessors, the outdated “obey” line will be nowhere to be seen during their wedding vows.
Instead, the couple will sweetly declare to be together “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.”
Princess Diana was the first bride to throw out the line.
She may have only been 20 years old when she married Prince Charles, who was 13 years her senior, but the doe-eyed bride made one genius edit to the stale marriage vows she was expected to recite.
WATCH: A nervous Diana exchanges wedding vows with Charles. Post continues after the video…
Breaking with protocol, the blushing bride removed the order to “obey” her husband and instead promised to ”love him, comfort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health.” Amen to that, Lady Di!
The move was considered rather scandalous (remember, it was 1981) with headlines at the time shouting: “Lady Diana won’t vow to obey Charles!”
In 2011, Kate Middleton followed her lead and included the same line in her vows to Prince William.
37 years later and it’s clear Princess Diana has paved the way for both of her daughters-in-law!
Following in Duchess Catherine and Princess Diana’s footsteps, Meghan Markle won’t be answering to anyone – especially not her husband.
In another break with tradition, Meghan Markle will reportedly walk herself down the aisle for the first half of the procession.
According to CNN, the actor has devised an unprecedented plan where she’ll be joined by only her pageboys and flower girls at the West door of the church, before walking meeting Prince Charles at the Quire.
Her father-in-law-to-be will escort her to the foot of the altar and instead of “giving her away”, he’ll stand back as Meghan steps forward to Prince Harry.
The publication reports Meghan came up with the plan and both Harry and Charles are “delighted” with it.
If it indeed comes to fruition, she’ll be the first-ever royal bride to walk down the aisle unescorted for a proportion of time.
