Since news of Meghan Markle's blossoming romance with Prince Harry came to light last year, the rumour mill has been working overtime as to whether she would be invited the Duchess of Cambridge's sister, Pippa Middleton's, upcoming nuptials to hedge fund manager, James Matthews next month, following news the royal's sister had implemented a 'no ring, no bring' policy for her wedding guest list.
However, it seems Markle – who is confirmed to attend the wedding reception, to be held at Pippa's parents' private estate in Berkshire – should have been the least of Pippa's concerns when it came to whittling down her ever-growing guest list, as it's just been announced the public has the right to attend her big day.
According to the Telegraph, a recently published Church of England guidance on 'celebrity weddings' states that ordinary members of the public, like you or me, have the right to attend Pippa's wedding on 20 May at St Mark's Church in Berkshire.
The guidance, titled 'Celebrity Marriages in Anglican Cathedrals and Churches' was published by the Church of England weeks before Pippa's big day, and states that 'a marriage is a public ceremony which at the least all parishioners are entitled to attend […]as long as there is available seating or standing room unless a genuine question of safety or security arises'.
Stephen Borton, an ecclesiastical law expert and chief clerk of the faculty office of the Archbishop of Canterbury, told the Telegraph: 'The document is pretty clear. Parishioners and those on the electoral roll have the absolute right to attend services of public worship, and they can't be denied access.
'Marriages are not a private event, they are public.
'It is a parish church and if any of the parishioners or any of those on the electoral roll wished to attend, they could not legally be refused. That of course does not extend to those from outside, such as the press,' he added.
The news will come as a welcome surprise to local Berkshire residents who would like to congratulate Pippa on her wedding day.
Andrew House, chairman of the parish council for the neighbouring village of Bradfield told the publication: 'Some people will no doubt want to wish the couple well, especially those Englefield parishioners who knew the Middleton family from when they lived in the area. Kate went to Brownies here and there are still people in the area who remember her.'
We're already hitting ASOS for a last-minute wedding outfit buy.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
