23/02/2005

Queen denies 'snubbing' Charles and Camilla's wedding

The Queen will not attend the civil marriage ceremony of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, it has been announced.

However, the Queen will still attend the church blessing at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and host the reception.

Some Royal experts have claimed that the Queen's decision not to attend the ceremony, which will take place on April 8, is a 'snub' to the couple. Both Buckingham Palace and Clarence House have denied the allegations.

A Palace spokesperson said that Prince Charles and Mrs Parker Bowles had wanted to have a 'low-key' wedding and that was the reason the Queen had decided not to attend.

The Prince's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry are expected to attend the civil ceremony, which will be held in the Guildhall at Windsor, along with Mrs Parker Bowles' children, Tom and Laura.

The Royal wedding venue has already had to be changed. When the engagement was announced on February 10, the plan was for the Prince and Mrs Parker Bowles to marry in a civil service at Windsor Castle. However, a week later the couple were forced to move the wedding to the Guildhall, after it was discovered the license necessary to hold a marriage there would remain valid for the next three years, meaning that anyone could subsequently apply to get married at the venue.

It had also been argued that it was not legal for members of the Royal Family to have a civil marriage in England and that the wedding would have to take place in Scotland, though this has been refuted.

It was announced yesterday that Prince Charles would not have a best man for the wedding. It is normally tradition for heirs to the throne to have two "supporters", instead of a best man – positions filled by the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex at the Prince's first wedding to Diana, Princess of Wales.

(KMcA/SP)

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