Prince Charles, Camilla’s Wedding Caused ‘Legal Furore’; Royal Couple Broke Precedent

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Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles' 2005 wedding caused furore.
Prince Charles and Camilla face backlash.
Prince Charles and Camilla's civil wedding ceremony questioned.

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles reportedly caused a legal furore when they decided to tie the knot in a civil ceremony in 2005.

In the book “King and Country: The Monarchy and Future Charles III,” royal author Robert Blackburn discussed the controversy that unfolded on the couple’s wedding day.

He said that the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall’s decision to wed in a civil ceremony flew in the face of decades-long precedent that excludes the members of the royal family from tying the knot by way of civil registration.

Standard legal textbooks and works of reference, also state that the members of the royal family cannot wed in a civil ceremony. As such, Prince Charles and Camilla’s decision to not seal the deal in the church was questioned by the public.

“From an objective legal viewpoint, therefore, there were other routes to matrimony that would have seemed less fought with difficulty. If they specifically wished a civil marriage, then because the apparent bar on the Royal Family in the Marriage Acts extended only to England and Wales, they could have conducted a civil marriage registration anywhere else in the world,” he said.

Blackburn went on to say that the Anglican Church has also been disestablished since 1920, so it could have been a venue for Prince Charles and Camilla’s wedding. But months before they tied the knot, Buckingham Palace released a statement saying that their legal advisers said that the royal couple could marry in a civil ceremony in England.

However, Blackburn said that the legal opinions were never published so they cannot be identified.

Meanwhile, Prince Charles and Camilla’s wedding was also plagued with other issues. After their engagement was announced, the public was enraged and some of them threatened Camilla.

In “The Firm,” royal author Penny Junor said that one woman even went as far as standing outside Clarence House while declaring that Prince Charles shouldn’t be king if he weds the Duchess of Cornwall.