NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 01: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle go on a walk about at Nottingham Contemporary on December 1, 2017 in Nottingham, England. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement on Monday 27th November 2017 and will marry at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in May 2018. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
St. George’s Chapel is a stunning, historic place. The building, which dates back to the 14th century, is located on the grounds of Windsor Castle and has hosted many royal weddings and funerals over the years.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have chosen to get married there, and not just because of the venue’s prestige. They’re also reportedly drawn to the chapel because it’s a holy and sacred place.
Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury and the head of England’s state church, said he had spoken to the couple and was “very, very sure” they didn’t decide to get married at a church just to check off something from a wedding to-do list.
“This is no tick-box exercise,” Welby told BBC Radio 4′s Today program on Thursday. “There is a profound sense of commitment [and] seriousness, both about faith and about their lives together, which is quite inspirational.”
The Church of England encourages clergy members to meet privately with an engaged couple to determine how committed they are to the marriage. If one of the partners is divorced, as Markle is, the clergy member typically asks questions about the circumstances of that divorce. It’s likely that Markle met with Welby or another church leader before the engagement was announced, experts say.
Markle, who was raised as a Protestant, plans to be baptized and confirmed into the Church of England before the wedding.