Prince Harry: Future Wedding

PrinceHarrysWife · #1 07-02-2014, 03:45 PM

The title asks all people...

Do you think that Harry could marry at City Hall with just two witnesses or am I just stupid?

That is, if he couldn't marry at St George's Chapel or Westminster Abbey..

**HRHHermione** · #2 07-02-2014, 04:26 PM

Uh- this sounds like bad fanfic based on "The Prince and Me"

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Cris M · #3 07-02-2014, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HRHHermione

Uh- this sounds like bad fanfic based on "The Prince and Me"

Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app

Yeah, and that movie was terrible.

dbarn67 · #4 07-02-2014, 04:39 PM

Regardless, I the question deserves an answer.

I don't think the BRF needs permission of the monarch to wed. I guess, if he wanted to I suppose he could.

**HRHHermione** · #5 07-02-2014, 04:46 PM

Legally? Yes. Is it completely and totally impossible for about a hundred obvious reasons? Yes.

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AdmirerUS · #6 07-02-2014, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinceHarrysWife

The title asks all people...

Do you think that Harry could marry at City Hall with just two witnesses or am I just stupid?

That is, if he couldn't marry at St George's Chapel or Westminster Abbey..

it won't happen but I appreciate your spunk. I think Harry would find it intriguing as well.

A girl has to be able to dream!

Duc_et_Pair · #7 07-02-2014, 06:23 PM

Any British couple can get married in a civil ceremony. Also Prince Harry. The best example is his very own father's second wedding before the Windsor municipal registrar. Or his ancestor King Edward VIII, who wed in a civil ceremony as well before the municipal registrar of Monts (near Tours, France). Prince Michael is another example of someone who engaged in a civil wedding. In the United Kingdom there is no laïcité (separation of Church and State) but in most countries on the continent there is. For an example the King of the Netherlands, the Prince of Monaco or the King of the Belgians married in a civil ceremony first. The one and only legal binding act for the State.

Pic: the wedding of Prince Albert II and Miss Wittstock: http://www.theleadingevents.com/wp-c...0-01153351.jpg

LauraS3514 · #8 07-02-2014, 07:24 PM

The location of a putative marriage is irrelevant. Theoretically he can marry wherever he wants. However, as a member of the Royal Family covered by the Royal Marriages Act Prince Harry needs to request the permission of The Sovereign to marry. If permission is refused he can ask Parliament for permission and then wait one year. If Parliament doesn't object he can marry. If both Sovereign and Parliament object, any marriage he attempts to contract will be invalid and any children not in line to the throne.

Mirabel · #9 07-02-2014, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinceHarrysWife

The title asks all people...

Do you think that Harry could marry at City Hall with just two witnesses or am I just stupid?

That is, if he couldn't marry at St George's Chapel or Westminster Abbey..

He could; doubtful whether he will!

US Royal Watcher · #10 07-03-2014, 04:57 PM

I'm intrigued by this question. My understanding is that he can marry in City Hall but, unless he has the blessing of the Queen, any children would not be eligible for the throne. PrinceHarrysWife, let us know if you hear anything or have any announcements.

Alison H · #11 07-03-2014, 05:08 PM

He would need the Queen's permission to marry. George IV, when he was the Prince of Wales, secretly married Maria Fitzherbert, and it was decided that the marriage was invalid because he didn't have the king's permission. The same Act of Parliament that gave women equal succession rights with men limited the rules on marriage to the 6 people closest in line to throne, but obviously Harry's included within those 6.

If he had the necessary permission, he could get married wherever he wanted. There might be issues with the religious authorities recognising a civil marriage, but it'd be valid in law.

Winnie · #12 07-03-2014, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LauraS3514

The location of a putative marriage is irrelevant. Theoretically he can marry wherever he wants. However, as a member of the Royal Family covered by the Royal Marriages Act Prince Harry needs to request the permission of The Sovereign to marry. If permission is refused he can ask Parliament for permission and then wait one year. If Parliament doesn't object he can marry. If both Sovereign and Parliament object, any marriage he attempts to contract will be invalid and any children not in line to the throne.

You are correct except on one issue. How I read the Royal Marriages Act, if both Sovereign and Parliament object, he [or she] may still marry and it will be a legal and valid marriage by law but he/she will lose all rights to Royal Line and so will all his issues. The marriage will not be invalid under law. It will be treated as all others under law like any common marriage.

This is something I don't believe Harry would ever contemplate. He will ask his Granny for permission to marry.

Roslyn · #13 07-03-2014, 08:50 PM

As I understand the current situation, if HM were to refuse consent and Harry gave the requisite notice to Parliament and, within 12 months of that notice being given, both Houses of Parliament did not "expressly declare their disapprobation of such intended marriage", he could get married anywhere it was permitted to enter into a valid marriage, which essentially means anywhere though there might be some exclusions in the local UK legislation of which I am not aware. However, if both houses of Parliament did express their disapprobation of the marriage, he could not enter into that marriage and if he did it would be void.

Once the Realms get around to passing the legislation in their jurisdictions which is necessary for the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 (which repeals the Royal Marriages Act 1772) to come into effect, as he's being among the first 6 in the line of succession he would have to get HM's consent to marry. If consent were refused, he could enter into a valid marriage but he and his descendants would be disqualified from succeeding to the Crown.

Interestingly, if he decided to marry now and declined to seek HM's permission or to give notice to Parliament, once the 2013 Act comes into effect the marriage would no longer be void, but he and his descendants would still be excluded from the succession.

But this is all moot because I cannot imagine Harry getting married to anyone of whom his granny disapproved, nor can I imagine granny disapproving of anyone Harry put up as a candidate for his hand.

Iluvbertie · #14 07-03-2014, 09:40 PM

Roslyn has said it all perfectly:

The law currently in place is the Royal Marriage Act from the reign of George III by which a legal marriage for a royal must have the consent of either the monarch of the day OR not have the disapproval of either of the Houses of Parliament.

Since the Human Rights Act even royals have legally been allowed to marry in civil services as that Act said that no one can be denied the right to marry - or words to that effect - it was that Act that allowed Charles to marry in a civil ceremony at Windsor with just 4 people present - his sons and Camilla's two children of whom only William and Tom were the 'official witnesses' who signed the registry documents.

The 2013 Succession to the Crown Act will change some aspects of the Royal Marriage Act by limiting those who need the monarch's permission to the first 6 in the line of success and taking the right to appeal to parliament out of the equation but that Act isn't in effect yet as it still has to pass in some of the other realms.

The Succession to the Crown Act will also change the consequences for anyone who marries without consent to make the marriage legal but continue to deny the children the right to inherit the throne.

It will also restore to the line of succession anyone who lost their place due to marrying a Roman Catholic so some of the Kents, such as Prince Michael will be restored to the line of succession as will Ernest of Hannover but anyone who is Roman Catholic will still be excluded.

Duc_et_Pair · #15 07-04-2014, 07:52 AM

So in short the answer on the question is: yes, Prince Harry can perfectly marry in a civil ceremony, with the most minimal fuss imagineable, if he desires so.

PrinceHarrysWife · #16 07-05-2014, 08:16 AM

Thank you Duc_et_Pair! I just had that feeling that that's what Harry will do once he's like seventh or eighth in the line of succession!

Duc_et_Pair · #17 07-05-2014, 10:02 AM

Even the Number One in the list of succession did...

From The Times: the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall leave the Windsor Guildhall after their wedding. The two witnesses were the eldest son of the bride (Tom) and the eldest son of the groom (William).

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/multim...la3_83415b.jpg

muriel · #18 09-22-2017, 07:02 AM

I thought it would be useful to have a thread where we could discuss where we think Harry might marry

muriel · #19 09-22-2017, 07:07 AM

My sense is that it will be a wedding at St George's in Windsor, with a reception at the Castle.

Duc_et_Pair · #20 09-22-2017, 07:37 AM

I have been bingewatching Poldark (last season) and I think it would be nice when the (step)son of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall would have a wedding in the Duchy of Cornwall indeed.... For an example in the beautiful and historic cities of:

Truro (city pic) and Truro Cathedral (interior pic) or Falmouth or St Ives or Penzance or St Austell, etc...