The Archbishop of Canterbury declared Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle husband and wife this Saturday afternoon .
Upon entering St George’s Chapel without an escort, the actress known for her leading role in the American TV show “Suits” , wearing a long white dress designed by Clare Waight Keller , walked to the center of the XVth century chapel at Windsor Castle , where she joined Prince Charles , heir to the throne of England, who accompanied her to meet his son Harry.
After exchanging vows with love and care, Prince Harry, of 33 years old and sixth in the British throne succession , put a Welsh gold ring on Markle’s finger before a congregation that included Queen Elizabeth , several members of royalty and other celebrities, including the famous talk-show host and American media mogul Oprah Winfrey .
“In the presence of God and before this congregation, Harry and Meghan have given their consent and exchanged their wedding vows,” declared the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
“In joining hands and exchanging rings, they have declared their marriage. Hence, I pronounce you husband and wife .”
The marriage engages Markle, three years older than Harry and born in Los Ángeles, in one of the world’s most important royal families.
Although the ceremony embodied the traditions of a monarchy that dates back to the year 1066 , Markle brought a halo of modernity to the nuptial celebration. For a start, she didn’t swear to obey her husband . In addition, a black Episcopal bishop from the United States, Michael Bruce Curry , gave a passionate wedding speech in which he quoted the black civil-rights leader, Martin Luther King : “We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we discover that, we will be able to make of this old world a new world. Love is the only way.”
Thousands of curious bystanders and monarchy enthusiasts followed the luxurious limousine in which Markle arrived at the castle, waving British flags and cheering as the vehicle passed.
Air traffic controllers from the Heathrow airport , one of the busiest in the world, said that the airspace above Windsor was closed 15 minutes before the ceremony.
A few hours earlier, Queen Elizabeth granted the title of Duke of Sussex to his grandson, making the star of the TV series “Suits” a Duchess upon marrying Henry.
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