In a privy council meeting held at Buckingham Palace on 14 March, Her Majesty The Queen officially gave her consent for the marriage of her grandson Prince Harry to Meghan Markle.
The declaration reads, “MY LORDS, I declare My Consent to a Contract of Matrimony between My Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert David 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.”
Under the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, a person who is one of the six persons next in the line of succession to the Crown must obtain consent of Her Majesty before marrying. Prince Harry is currently fifth in the line of succession. Without Her Majesty’s consent, he and his descendants would have been disqualified from succeeding to the Crown, but the marriage would still have been legally valid.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will wed at St George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle on 19 May at noon local time (7 am ET/4 am PT in the United States). The Palace also revealed who would conduct the ceremony, “The Dean of Windsor will conduct the service, and The Archbishop of Canterbury will officiate as the couple make their vows.”
It will be followed by a carriage procession through the down before a reception for wedding guests at St George’s Hall. The Prince of Wales will host another private reception later that evening for close friends and family of the couple.
Harry and Meghan, via Kensington Palace, have said that they are “hugely grateful for the many good wishes they have received since announcing their engagement.”
Earlier this week, Meghan joined The Queen and other members of the Royal Family for the Commonwealth service at Westminster Abbey.
