HEIR TO THRONE CAN MARRY DIVORCEE, NEW ARCHBISHOP SAYS

CANTERBURY, England, July 15, 2002 (LSN.ca) – The designated Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has announced that there is no impediment to a rumoured marriage between Prince Charles, a widower, and the divorced Camilla Parker-Bowles. Williams’ opinion contradicts his outgoing predecessor, George Carey, who said only five years ago that a church wedding for the future Supreme Governor of the Church of England “would cause a crisis for the Church.”  New rules passed last week by the General Synod lift the ban on a church marriage for persons with “a former partner still living”—and it is assumed that Prince Charles and his longtime friend would be among the first to take advantage of the relaxed rules. Opinion is divided in England, however, over whether there is really a marriage in the works.  The Archbishop’s pronouncement is ironic in light of royal history. Prince Charles’ grandfather, George VI, came to the throne in 1936 only because his older brother, Edward VIII, abdicated in order to marry a divorced woman, Wallis Warfield Simpson. Had the 2002 rules been applied in 1936, Edward VIII would likely have enjoyed a long reign (he died in 1972) alongside Queen Wallis; had they had children, Elizabeth II would never have reigned, nor would Charles today be heir apparent.  For more news coverage see:  https://www.newsmax.com/showinsidecover.shtml?a=2002/7/14/215349   To read a biography of Edward, Duke of Windsor, see:  https://www.incwell.com/Biographies/EdwardVIII.html