I seem to remember hearing a few years ago that the Prince of Wales has to marry a virgin - not even a widow is acceptable. But kings of England have married widows in the past. Is my memory correct, and if so, is this law or just tradition? How long has this been so?
I’m pretty sure that when Charles was looking for a wife, one qualification was that the woman be a virgin. I don’t think it was a legal requirement, though.
If you’re in line for the throne, you can’t marry a divorcee, but I suspect that’s more custom than any particular law.
More likely, it was the standards of the 1930s (the last time this came up).
The British monarch reigns with the permission of Parliment, who in this matter will probably be very sensitive to the wishes of the people. With the changes in standards and mores since the 30s, it’s quite possible that they would accept a divorced consort, especially if the candidate is otherwise popular.
The concern about Prince Charles marrying a divorced person is that the Church of England frowns on divorce. (I don’t know if it’s absolutely not recognized,as in the RC church, or if it’s only recognized in certain circumstances, but it’s definitely a doctrinal no-no of some sort.)
Since the monarch is also the supreme governor of the C. of E., the hierarchy has some concerns about the possibility of a king, married to a divorced person, and thereby in breach of the Church’s own doctrine.
Funny, I thought it was a divorce case that got the Church of England started in the first case; Henry VIII and all that.
Ah, but Henry VIII wasn’t seeking a divorce - he was seeking an annullment from Catherine, on the basis that the marriage was void ab initio, since he had married his brother’s widow, contrary to the canon law.
When the Pope wouldn’t come through for political reasons (he was heavily influenced by the Emperor, who was Catherine’s nephew), Henry and Parliament separated the C. of E. from the R.C. church, and then Archbishop Cranmer pronounced the annullment that Henry wanted.
After all that fuss and bother, the next time Henry wanted to get rid of his wife, he just had her head cut off.
The reason that the heir to the throne will not marry a divorcee is that he or she will become head of the C of E, defender of the faith (as is on the back of English coins), this is why Edward gave up the throne before he married Mrs Simpson, a divorcee. It isn’t a rule, as the CofE doesn’t forbid divorce, however it used to be considered a sign of a low moral tone for the head of the church to fail in one of its principle sacraments. The reason the heir looks to marry a virgin is so that there will be no Kiss And Tell like there was with Koo Stark and Prince Andrew (or was it Edward?) nor any former partner coming out of the woodwork to tell the tabloids how he bonked the future queen of England.
Just to add the amusing (well, to me, anyway) anecdote that the title “Defender of the Faith” that is one of the titles of the British monarch, was actually granted by the Pope … I think to the very Henry VIII who caused all the problems, but my recollection is fuzzy on that one.
Anyway, it actually refers to the Roman Catholic faith… or at least, did originally when it was granted.
Henry VIII earned the title of Defender of the Faith by a grateful Pope for a theological treatise that Henry authored in response to Martin Luther. At the time, Henry prided himself on his piety, and was thrilled with the honor, and even after his split with the RCC he didn’t give it up.
Pope Leo X conferred the title of “Defender of the Faith” on Henry VIII in 1521, for Henry’s treatise in defence of the seven sacraments. (Martin Luther only recognized two sacraments, baptism and communion, on the theory that those were the only two that Jesus ordained in the Gospels as sacraments.)
I believe after Henry began his steps to break the ties between the C. of E. and the R.C. churches, the then-Pope realised what a horrible mistake Leo had made and revoked the title, but the English Parliament re-confirmed it as part of the royal style in 1544. It’s been part of the royal style of the English and British monarchs ever since.
Oh, with respect to divorce and the C. of E. - the OCDCC states that divorce “is contrary to the canons and formularies of the C. of E.”