Prince Harry: Future Wedding

[Pranter]

I did some research on Meghan's religious inclinations and can't find anything where she has said 'I'm X'....she doesn't seem to belong to any certain religious faith.

The most I can find is that she attended Catholic schools (other faiths and non-religious can attend) and went to synagog with her dad now and then. I don't think she had a Bat Mitzvah either. I've not seen anything about her mother's spiritual leanings.


LaRae

[O-H Anglophile]

Originally Posted by Pranter

I did some research on Meghan's religious inclinations and can't find anything where she has said 'I'm X'....she doesn't seem to belong to any certain religious faith.

The most I can find is that she attended Catholic schools (other faiths and non-religious can attend) and went to synagog with her dad now and then. I don't think she had a Bat Mitzvah either. I've not seen anything about her mother's spiritual leanings.


LaRae

I thought I read somewhere that Meghan dismissed the reports that her father was Jewish--I believe he is Protestant but I don't remember the denomination.

[kyle]

About Meghan's religion...

Royal Musings: Meghan Markle's religion or no religion

[Pranter]

Not sure I'd take any of that as factual considering the source.


LaRae

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by tatianacressida

Maybe because of the divorce of Meghan, they will have to do like Charles and Camilla, have a civil marriage and a "blessing" by the Church of England?

Or is her prior marriage irrelevant since it did not occur in the Anglican church?

Charles had to marry civil for two reasons

1. Because Camilla was involved in the break up of his first marriage
2. He is the future head of the church of England. It wouldn't look appropriate for him to remarry in the church.

Harry is neither so there is no issue. The Anglican church has allowed divorcees to remarry in the church since 2002. Its up to the minister marrying them if he allows it. WA has already been asked and confirmed that such a marriage would be allowed.

I always think that looks so crowded and awkward!
I really hope they don't do that.

I still think the two options for a venue are the Abbey and St. George's, but if we are considering other options, what about Hampton Court?

That is where Lord Frederick Windsor and Sophie Winkleman married.

As beautiful as Hampton court is, the largest spaces there to marry only hold 220 people.

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by O-H Anglophile

I thought I read somewhere that Meghan dismissed the reports that her father was Jewish--I believe he is Protestant but I don't remember the denomination.

If she has, I've not come across it yet.


LaRae

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by Pranter

If she has, I've not come across it yet.


LaRae

I have read a few times that Samantha Markle, not Meghan, has said their father was Episcopalian not Jewish. And she does have an Uncle who is 'bishop' of his own church in Florida (Episcopalian), so at least the uncle is.

Which if her dad is Episcopalian (the American branch of the Anglican church), may make her transition into the Anglican british royal family not as hard as some may think. Even if she also has some catholic roots or at least education.

[O-H Anglophile]

Originally Posted by Pranter

If she has, I've not come across it yet.


LaRae

I googled and found several references to her father being Irish and Episcopalian. One of them was a Jewish life blog that dismissed the idea. Another article that was leaning yes to Judaism (mostly because it would make Meghan even more different than the traditional British Royal bride, did state that a publicist that was asked stated "Meghan is not Jewish" with no further details offered

So just as unlikely as it is true.

[kyle]

Originally Posted by Pranter

Not sure I'd take any of that as factual considering the source.


LaRae

Not a fan of Marlene?

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Countessmeout

I have read a few times that Samantha Markle, not Meghan, has said their father was Episcopalian not Jewish. And she does have an Uncle who is 'bishop' of his own church in Florida (Episcopalian), so at least the uncle is.

Which if her dad is Episcopalian (the American branch of the Anglican church), may make her transition into the Anglican british royal family not as hard as some may think. Even if she also has some catholic roots or at least education.

Not if she never was christened as her half-sister also claims (not the most reliable source but could very well be true). In that case, she would need to be baptized and confirmed to become a member of the CoE - if she would be willing to (probably more out of respect for tradition than personal conviction), if not, she can still visit church services but not take part in communion, nor answer the christening questions, Harry would be the one answering in that case and Meghan could at most promise to support her husband in the christian upbringing of their children (yes, I know, getting ahead quite a bit).

[Curryong]

On another forum there was a poster who knew a great deal about show business in LA and how it worked there. She stated when the Meghan/Harry furore was at its height, that Meghan as a child had attended social events at a particular LA synagogue. She averred that she had heard from others that Tom Markle was a regular attendee at that synagogue.

As she seemed knowledgeable I accepted that Tom was probably Jewish, especially after I learned that Meghan's husband Trevor was a Jew. However, months later I'm not convinced that what I read from that poster was correct.

I too have read that Samantha has stated that Tom's family was Episcopalian. It's always seemed to me that Meghan's beach wedding was not a religious ceremony and that Meghan did not convert to Judaism.

She's never stated that she is Roman Catholic, though photos she posted on the Tig confirmed that she celebrated Christmas and Easter as far as trees, presents, Eggs etc go. I've come to the conclusion now that Meghan has never been baptised or confirmed into any religion and that her religious feelings are probably fluid.

I think she may well decide to be confirmed into the Church of England before her marriage, and if that includes a baptism before it then that will be performed as well.

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by Somebody

Not if she never was christened as her half-sister also claims (not the most reliable source but could very well be true). In that case, she would need to be baptized and confirmed to become a member of the CoE - if she would be willing to (probably more out of respect for tradition than personal conviction), if not, she can still visit church services but not take part in communion, nor answer the christening questions, Harry would be the one answering in that case and Meghan could at most promise to support her husband in the christian upbringing of their children (yes, I know, getting ahead quite a bit).

Yes she would need to be baptized, and likely would be.

But if she has an Episcopalian background it would be much easier for her to transition. Even if she wasn't baptized, if she attended church with her father's family growing up, she would be familiar with the services and such. I also find it easier as a catholic, to attend Anglican services then I do some other protestant branches. Different but certainly more in common.

Considering it seems both of her parents are Christian, and we know she was raised around things like Christmas, raising her kids in a Christian up bringing doesn't seem too hard a promise for her. Likely this wedding is much easier thought then considering marriage to Trevor who was Jewish.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Pranter

If she has, I've not come across it yet.


LaRae

Seems like Chantal Artur, said to be her publicist, stated in an email last Spring that Meghan herself is not Jewish, so maybe that is what the story is basd on?

[burbankstorylady]

How does it arise in people's heads that Meghan must be Jewish just because her husband was Jewish? If her sister indeed said their father is Episcopalian, I believe her. A daughter knows better than some editorialist what the religious affiliation of her father is.

[Pranter]

Originally Posted by kyle

Not a fan of Marlene?

Not a fan of her source who is not someone I consider reliable.


LaRae

Originally Posted by Somebody

Seems like Chantal Artur, said to be her publicist, stated in an email last Spring that Meghan herself is not Jewish, so maybe that is what the story is basd on?

Probably...for awhile people were saying she was Catholic (must be) because she attended Catholic schools. I remember her publicist coming out and saying Meghan wasn't Jewish though.


LaRae

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by tatianacressida

How does it arise in people's heads that Meghan must be Jewish just because her husband was Jewish? If her sister indeed said their father is Episcopalian, I believe her. A daughter knows better than some editorialist what the religious affiliation of her father is.

The fact her and Trevor married in a civil ceremony speaks even more bounds. If they were both Jewish, they likely would have been married by a rabi. Finding a rabi who is willing to do an interfaith wedding is not always easy, and in Jamaica, that may have been harder.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Countessmeout

Yes she would need to be baptized, and likely would be.

But if she has an Episcopalian background it would be much easier for her to transition. Even if she wasn't baptized, if she attended church with her father's family growing up, she would be familiar with the services and such. I also find it easier as a catholic, to attend Anglican services then I do some other protestant branches. Different but certainly more in common.

Considering it seems both of her parents are Christian, and we know she was raised around things like Christmas, raising her kids in a Christian up bringing doesn't seem too hard a promise for her. Likely this wedding is much easier thought then considering marriage to Trevor who was Jewish.

It is higly unlikely that she did regularly go to church if she wasn't baptized. Even those who only go to church at christmas and for other major events would normally baptize their child. So, if she was never baptized, she most likely did seldomly attend church as a child. As an American she of course grew up in a cultural that is predominantly christian (heritage), so yes, I agree that it would be less of a difference compared to growing up in predominently muslim, bhuddist or hindu country.

Not sure that the difference with a (non-practising?) Jew is more complicated. Harry doesn't come across as very religious either, so in their daily life it doesn't really make a difference, if she marries Harry, she will only have some church-related obligations as a royal duchess, she didn't have to (formally) attend Jewish ceremonies as Trevor's wife.

[Countessmeout]

Originally Posted by Somebody

It is higly unlikely that she did regularly go to church if she wasn't baptized. Even those who only go to church at christmas and for other major events would normally baptize their child. So, if she was never baptized, she most likely did seldomly attend church as a child. As an American she of course grew up in a cultural that is predominantly christian (heritage), so yes, I agree that it would be less of a difference compared to growing up in predominently muslim, bhuddist or hindu country.

Not sure that the difference with a (non-practising?) Jew is more complicated. Harry doesn't come across as very religious either, so in their daily life it doesn't really make a difference, if she marries Harry, she will only have some church-related obligations as a royal duchess, she didn't have to (formally) attend Jewish ceremonies as Trevor's wife.

Certainly not true. Especially if your parents are from two different denominations. If her mother is catholic and her father Episcopalian there may have been question of which church to baptize her in. She did attend catholic school which would require her to take religion classes. So she would have religious education through her schooling. Many families don't actually baptize their kids. My parents only baptized us because our grandmother would never speak to them again, but never anything else. No communion, confirmation, anything. We went to church with our grandparents but only when visiting them, not even holidays. Until we had to go to catholic school when we moved and it was the only good school in the area. I went through the sacraments as an adult by personal choice.

You don't get the difference??? If you were raised in Christian homes attending catholic school, celebrating Christmas and easter, you don't think going to synagogue and celebrating Jewish holidays would be a huge shift. And there would likely be pressure from Trevor's family to raise kids Jewish.

If nothing else, having gone to catholic religion classes, she will be familiar with how services are run. She likely would attend them in school. And Anglican are different but not vastly.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Countessmeout

Certainly not true. Especially if your parents are from two different denominations. If her mother is catholic and her father Episcopalian there may have been question of which church to baptize her in. She did attend catholic school which would require her to take religion classes. So she would have religious education through her schooling. Many families don't actually baptize their kids. My parents only baptized us because our grandmother would never speak to them again, but never anything else. No communion, confirmation, anything. We went to church with our grandparents but only when visiting them, not even holidays. Until we had to go to catholic school when we moved and it was the only good school in the area. I went through the sacraments as an adult by personal choice.

You don't get the difference??? If you were raised in Christian homes attending catholic school, celebrating Christmas and easter, you don't think going to synagogue and celebrating Jewish holidays would be a huge shift. And there would likely be pressure from Trevor's family to raise kids Jewish.

If nothing else, having gone to catholic religion classes, she will be familiar with how services are run. She likely would attend them in school. And Anglican are different but not vastly.

We clearly see things differently. I am mainly focusing on Meghan not having had a christian upbringing (someone who never attends church and wasn't baptized doesn't have a christian upbringing in my book), so I don't see how it is far more complicated being with a non-practising jew than with an Anglican prince! In both cases, it seems rather easy to find a way to make it work as neither seemed that invested in their religion.

In both cases it seems the couple itself is not that religious but due to family pressures (for sure in Harry's case, unsure in Trevor's case, not strong enough for a Jewish wedding!) their might be some expectations.

The 'advantage' for the Anglican side is Meghan having attended catholic schools - although the (former) catholics in our Anglican church acknowledge that their are several important theological differences (!), even though the liturgy itself has a lot in common. The advantage on the Jewish side is that there was far less pressure as Trevor is not a British prince... (so she was not expected to regularly turn up with the head of the Jewish community and sit on the front row; in that case I would have agreed with you) - and even though the celebrations and traditions might differ, she should have been acquainted with the stories in the Tenach (because of the Catholic school she attended).

Had Meghan had a Episcopalian upbringing attending church regularly in her youth and being an active and committed church member until today, I would agree that her marriage to Trevor would have been more complicated than becoming a CoE member but in this case not so much... She most likely did fine with Trevor in this respect and will be equally fine with Harry.

[Osipi]

How did we get off the subject of Harry's future wedding and onto Meghan Markle's religious leanings? As far as I'm concerned, spiritual beliefs and practices are personal and should there be a wedding, the couple will work things out that things are acceptable all the way around.