Prince Harry and Meghan Markle legally tied the knot on May 19, 2018.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had several shocking revelations during their tell-all talk with Oprah Winfrey. These even include their supposed “secret wedding” before their formal wedding ceremony.
The Duchess of Sussex shared that she and the Duke of Sussex “got married” three days before the event. She continued that “no one knows that” until that moment when she told Oprah. She added they have even framed the vows they shared at the “backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury.”
Following the surprising claim, many have questioned the authenticity of the story. Weeks later, Page Six reported that the Sussex couple has “admitted” that the secret wedding never actually happened.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s admission
The clarifications emerged after the couple’s spokesperson talked to The Daily Beast. As explained, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry only “exchanged personal vows a few days before their official/legal wedding on May 19.”
Reports, then, noted that such an event “does not constitute a formal wedding” as opposed to the Duchess’s previous statements. Moreover, the so-called “secret wedding” was not legitimate.
The same publications also emphasized that the claim “was much disputed” and not the least in the United Kingdom. As pointed out, a legal marriage needs to have a minimum of two witnesses and should take place inside a place of worship.
It was likely a “simple rehearsal”
The Independent released a similar report, with statements from various officials. Former Chief Clerk at the Faculty Office Stephen Borton deemed Meghan Markle “confused and clearly misinformed.” He asserted that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “did not marry three days earlier in front of the Archbishop of Canterbury.”
Borton also shared his insights on what the Duchess had told Oprah. He said that it was likely an “exchange” of vows and a “simple rehearsal,” which is “fashionable.”
Several publications and officials, then, reportedly tried to reach out to the Archbishop of Canterbury to clarify the reports. But, the office has yet to release a statement regarding the matter. They, however, stated that they would not comment on personal matters.
Damaged credibility of the Oprah interview
As the controversies continue to develop, many outlets have claimed that this “admission” and clarification have seemingly “damaged the credibility” of the interview. Reports also added that the Duchess of Sussex talked about the supposed secret wedding in the earlier part of the interview.
The same publications, later on, noted that Meghan Markle also faces another issue. It is about her claims of not knowing anything about the royal life before meeting Prince Harry.
This comes after many netizens unearthed a 2014 blog post that she wrote in her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig. In it, the former actress largely tackled the “pomp” surrounding the Cambridges’ wedding back in 2011.
Images courtesy of The Royal Family/YouTube