# Prince Harry Wedding Questions (theadapalooza!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 19, 2018, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470 "2018-05-19T18:35:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/1 "2018-05-19T18:35:48Z")
1. Why Windsor? Tradition for all Princes/esses not of Wales? 2. Is that church 'the Royal Chapel" (not sure what that really means) separate from the (one of but the snazziest) churches for Windsor _hoi pollo_i? 2.a. Is that why there a–the?–Dean of Windsor representing the diocese itself? 2.a.1. The Archbishop of Canterbury is required by British law to marry … whom? 1. The fourth clergyman…who was he? He looked Orthodox of some sort. Is that novel…I mean, there was no RC priest. Or was he invited like the American to take part in the service because the bride and groom wanted it? 2. The American was Baptist of some sort, I’m guessing. What denomination? 3. What were all the flags lining the church. I recognized the legs of Wales only. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/2 "2018-05-19T18:59:10Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Why Windsor? Tradition for all Princes/esses not of Wales? > > 2. Is that church 'the Royal Chapel" (not sure what that really means) separate from the (one of but the snazziest) churches for Windsor hoi polloi? > > 2.a. Is that why there a–the?–Dean of Windsor representing the diocese itself? > > 2.a.1. The Archbishop of Canterbury is required by British law to marry … whom? > > 1. The fourth clergyman…who was he? He looked Orthodox of some sort. Is that novel…I mean, there was no RC priest. Or was he invited like the American to take part in the service because the bride and groom wanted it? > > 2. The American was Baptist of some sort, I’m guessing. What denomination? > > 3. What were all the flags lining the church. I recognized the legs of Wales only. 1. Why not? See 2. 2: It’s the private chapel of Windsor Castle, just as many an important landowner up and down the country still has a private chapel in their homes. But: 2 supplementaries: there are no rules about which clergyman marries you in a church, provided they are appropriately licensed in law, but the Dean is there because it’s Windsor, and the Archbishop is there because it’s been customary for the royals 3: the captions identified him Archbishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in London, so no doubt there is some personal connection there 4: The American preacher is the Primate of the Episcopal Church in America - a bit more holy-rollerish than the CofE in style, but Anglican. 5: Those are the banners of the [Knights of the Garter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Garter), one of the most exclusive honours, for whom St George’s is the “home” chapel. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/3 "2018-05-19T19:14:53Z")
Why does the bride not have adult bridesmaids? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/4 "2018-05-19T19:19:11Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Why does the bride not have adult bridesmaids? She didn’t want to choose among her friends ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/5 "2018-05-19T19:37:45Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > 1. Why Windsor? Tradition for all Princes/esses not of Wales? > > 2. Is that church 'the Royal Chapel" (not sure what that really means) separate from the (one of but the snazziest) churches for Windsor _hoi pollo_i? > > 2.a. Is that why there a–the?–Dean of Windsor representing the diocese itself? > > 2.a.1. The Archbishop of Canterbury is required by British law to marry … whom? > > 1. The fourth clergyman…who was he? He looked Orthodox of some sort. Is that novel…I mean, there was no RC priest. Or was he invited like the American to take part in the service because the bride and groom wanted it? > > 2. The American was Baptist of some sort, I’m guessing. What denomination? > > 3. What were all the flags lining the church. I recognized the legs of Wales only. 1. Just a choice. Windsor is probably where the royals feel most at home, but great state occasions are usually held in Westminster Abbey. 2. It’s a royal chapel, but the public can attend normal religious services there most of the time. And visitors can wander round when there are no services. 2a The Dean of Windsor is the guy in charge of St George’s Chapel. 2b. Nobody. 1. He’s the Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London. No idea why he was there. 2. Episcopal. Head of Episcopal Church in the USA. 3. Flags of the Knights of the Garter. The Chapel is the home of the Order of the Garter. Were you thinking of the Isle of Man, not Wales? The flag isn’t the flag of the Isle of Man either. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/6 "2018-05-19T20:45:27Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Why does the bride not have adult bridesmaids? I saw this answered somewhere, the tradition is not to have adult bridesmaids, although I believe Kate had Pippa as a maid of honor or something like. I don’t remember where I read it but seemed it was not just a royal tradition but pretty much a Brit one. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/7 "2018-05-20T05:10:25Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > 2.a.1. The Archbishop of Canterbury is required by British law to marry … whom? I don’t think he’s required to marry anybody. A local parish vicar is required to marry any man and woman if one of them lives in the parish and neither of them have a living former spouse, but I think that’s the only scenario where a couple is entitled to be married by someone. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/8 "2018-05-20T05:40:03Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > I saw this answered somewhere, the tradition is not to have adult bridesmaids, although I believe Kate had Pippa as a maid of honor or something like. I don’t remember where I read it but seemed it was not just a royal tradition but pretty much a Brit one. Yea, I remember Pippa helping Kate. The little kids were adorable today. I always heard kids steal the show at weddings. My youngest flower girl at my own wedding was my baby sister. She was 10. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/9 "2018-05-20T06:59:30Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > 2.a. Is that why there a–the?–Dean of Windsor representing the diocese itself? The Dean is (at least in part) there because he’s the day-to-day head priest in that church. His arena was hosting the all-star game. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/10 "2018-05-20T07:44:59Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > I saw this answered somewhere, the tradition is not to have adult bridesmaids, although I believe Kate had Pippa as a maid of honor or something like. I don’t remember where I read it but seemed it was not just a royal tradition but pretty much a Brit one. Not true - for royals or Brits in general. The Queen had a coach load of adult bridesmaids. As stated, it was Meghan’s choice. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/11 "2018-05-20T07:48:22Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > I don’t think he’s required to marry anybody. > > A local parish vicar is required to marry any man and woman if one of them lives in the parish and neither of them have a living former spouse, but I think that’s the only scenario where a couple is entitled to be married by someone. Celebrate the wedding, not marry anybody. Other than his or her own spouse, that is. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/12 "2018-05-20T07:53:40Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > 1. Why Windsor? Tradition for all Princes/esses not of Wales? > > . I see this hasn’t quite been answered. Think of it this way - Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey are the Head Office of the monarch, and as such take centre stage for state or semi-state occasions such as the wedding of a future King (William). Windsor Castle - and St George’s Chapel therein - is the more private weekend retreat of the monarch (Camp David if you like) and as such serves as the location of choice for more private royal occasions, such as this one. St George’s Chapel is also where we now bury our monarchs. It’s open to the public unless there’s a special event on. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/13 "2018-05-20T09:27:31Z")
thread title makes it sound as if the prince is marrying himself. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/14 "2018-05-20T16:27:32Z")
Questions about the title - Now that he’s married, he’s been made Duke of Sussex. If he’d never gotten married, would he never have gotten a dukedom? Also, is there just a list of duchies lying around for the queen to give them out? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/15 "2018-05-20T16:35:28Z")
There is a list of ducal titles that are traditionally reserved for the royal sons and grandsons. Most of them are actually currently in use, due to the absence of wars, insurrections, and dynastic squabbles which traditionally trimmed the royal tree from time to time. If you look at the Wikipedia articles for George III, Victoria, and George V, all of whom had several sons who got titles, you’ll get a pretty good list by skimming the “Issue” section of the info boxes. It looks like Connaught, Albany and Clarence are the only traditional three not in use at the moment. > **[George III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_III_of_the_United_Kingdom)** > > George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 1738\[c\] – 29 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. Both kingdoms were in a personal union under him until the Acts of Union 1800 merged them on 1 January 1801. He then became King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. He was concurrently Duke and Prince-elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg ("Hanover") in the Holy Roman Empire before becoming King of Hanover on 12 October 1814. H... > **[Queen Victoria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Victoria)** > > Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previous British monarch and is known as the Victorian era. It was a period of industrial, political, scientific, and military change within the United Kingdom, and was marked by a great expansion of the British Empire. In 1876, the British Parliament voted to grant... > **[George V](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_V)** > > George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. > Born during the reign of his grandmother Queen Victoria, George was the second son of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, and was third in the line of succession to the British throne behind his father and his elder brother, Prince Albert Victor. From 1877 to 1892, George served in the Royal Navy, until t... ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/16 "2018-05-20T16:43:07Z")
Missed the edit window: there’s also Cumberland, but it’s suspended under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917. The head of the House of Hanover, who is the most senior descendant in the male line from George III, technically could apply under that Act to have the title restored. > **[Titles Deprivation Act 1917](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titles_Deprivation_Act_1917)** > > The Titles Deprivation Act 1917 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which authorised enemies of the United Kingdom during the First World War to be deprived of their British peerages and royal titles. > The British royal family was closely related to many of the royal and princely families of Germany. In particular, while Victoria became queen in 1837, the Kingdom of Hanover, which had been in personal union with the British crown for over a century, passed to her uncle the Duke of Cu... ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/17 "2018-05-20T16:52:16Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > [answer to if the Archbishop of Canterbury must officiate at any Royal wedding:] > > I don’t think he’s required to marry anybody. > > **A local parish vicar is required** to marry any man and woman if one of them lives in the parish and neither of them have a living former spouse, but I think that’s the only scenario where a couple is entitled to be married by someone.[bold added] 1. This _is_ for Royals only, then? Because can’t everybody else march off to the local registrar? ETA: I did misidentify the spinning legs. Just love that. On the other hand they could have a tailless cat as their herald (right word for the actual image thingy inside?) and that would be cool too. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/18 "2018-05-20T17:31:04Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > The Dean is (at least in part) there because he’s the day-to-day head priest in that church. His arena was hosting the all-star game. 🙂 What “rank” is a Dean? Is that slot in the CoE hierarchy below Bishop or something, for the Windsor parish–which is who you’d expect at such a big occasion, or does it mean “head of the flock who attend this particular building” (which sounds weird, I know, but I’m struggling…). And then you’ve got Dean Swift, who as a cleric was a great writer, but neither of the above, as far as I know. I’m confused. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/19 "2018-05-20T17:56:22Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > 1. This _is_ for Royals only, then? Because can’t everybody else march off to the local registrar? I am losing track of this a bit. It is \*convention \*that the Archbishop presides over royal weddings, but he could have stayed home with his feet up if he had wanted, or if he had a serious objection to marrying a divorcee. I doubt that a vicar would be \*obliged \*to marry anyone, local or not You can’t just walk into a register office and ask to get married either. In England and Wales, 28 days notice must be given to the Register Office before the marriage can take place. Both partners must be resident for seven days in England or Wales before notice is given. (Scotland has different rules) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2018, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470/20 "2018-05-20T17:57:07Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > What “rank” is a Dean? Is that slot in the CoE hierarchy below Bishop or something, for the Windsor parish–which is who you’d expect at such a big occasion, or does it mean “head of the flock who attend this particular building” (which sounds weird, I know, but I’m struggling…). > > And then you’ve got Dean Swift, who as a cleric was a great writer, but neither of the above, as far as I know. > > I’m confused. In the Anglican Church, a Dean is a senior priest (but below the rank of Bishop), who is in charge of running a cathedral or large chapel, and is the supervisor of the other clergy and staff of that institution. Swift was the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prince-harry-wedding-questions-theadapalooza/814470.md?page=2)