The Marriage of His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales with Ms Meghan Markle Order of Service
St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, Saturday 12 noon, May 19, 2018
Music before the service:
From 10.35am Mr Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music, will play Marche Hèroïque Sir Alfred Herbert Brewer Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 541 Johann Sebastian Bach Psalm-Prelude Set 1, No. 2 Herbert Howells Symphony No. 4, Andante Cantabile Charles-Marie Widor Prelude on ‘Rhosymedre’ Ralph Vaughan Williams Salut d’Amour Sir Edward Elgar St Paul’s Suite, movement 4 Gustav Holst Lady Radnor’s Suite, movements 2, 3 & 5 Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry Capriol Suite, movements 2, 3, & 5 Peter Warlock Fantasia on Greensleeves Ralph Vaughan Williams Serenade for Strings, movement 1 Sir Edward Elgar Chanson de Matin Sir Edward Elgar arr. Benjamin Woodgates
ARRIVAL OF THE BRIDEGROOM
11.45am The Bridegroom and his Best Man arrive at the West Door and are received by the Dean of Windsor. All stand as the Bridegroom and his Best Man are conducted to the Bray Chantry Chapel.
ARRIVAL OF THE PARENTS
11.42am The Mother of the Bride, Ms Doria Ragland, arrives at the Galilee Porch and is received by the Dean of Windsor and is conducted to her seat in the Quire.
11.45am Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall arrive at the Galilee Porch and are received by the Vice-Dean who presents the Canons of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
ARRIVAL OF THE QUEEN
11.52am Her Majesty The Queen arrives at the Galilee Porch and is received by the Dean of Windsor who presents the Canons of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Those in the Quire stand as Her Majesty is conducted to her place in the Quire. A fanfare will sound.
PROCESSION OF THE CLERGY
The Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle Minor Canon, The Reverend Franklin Lee Chaplain to The Queen, The Reverend Prebendary Rose Hudson-Wilkin Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in the USA, The Most Reverend Michael Curry The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby Canon Steward, The Reverend Canon Dr Mark Powell Canon Precentor, The Reverend Canon Martin Poll Vice-Dean, The Reverend Canon Dr Hueston Finlay
ARRIVAL AND PROCESSION OF THE BRIDE
A fanfare will sound.
11.59am The Bride, having been greeted by the Dean of Windsor, moves in procession through the Nave, where she is joined by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, to the High Altar. The Bridegroom and his Best Man await.
INTROIT
(from Latin for ‘Entrance’) is sung: Performed by the Orchestra and Ms Elin Manahan Thomas (Soprano) with Mr David Blackadder (Trumpet). Eternal source of light divine, With double warmth thy beams display, And with distinguished glory shine, To add a lustre to this day. George Frederick Handel
THE WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION BY THE DEAN OF WINDSOR
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you: and also with you. God is love, and those who live in love live in God and God lives in them. 1 John 4. 16
THE PREFACE
In the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we have come together to witness the marriage of Henry Charles Albert David and Rachel Meghan, to pray for God’s blessing on them, to share their joy and to celebrate their love. Marriage is a gift of God in creation through which husband and wife may know the grace of God. It is given that as man and woman grow together in love and trust, they shall be united with one another in heart, body and mind, as Christ is united with his bride, the Church. The gift of marriage brings husband and wife together in the delight and tenderness of sexual union and joyful commitment to the end of their lives. It is given as the foundation of family life in which children are born and nurtured and in which each member of the family, in good times and in bad, may find strength, companionship and comfort, and grow to maturity in love. Marriage is a way of life made holy by God, and blessed by the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ with those celebrating a wedding at Cana in Galilee. Marriage is a sign of unity and loyalty which all should uphold and honour. It enriches society and strengthens community. No one should enter into it lightly or selfishly but reverently and responsibly in the sight of almighty God. Harry and Meghan are now to enter this way of life. They will each give their consent to the other and make solemn vows, and in token of this they will each give and receive a ring. We pray with them that the Holy Spirit will guide and strengthen them, that they may fulfil God’s purposes for the whole of their earthly life together.
HYMN All sing:
LORD of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy, Whose trust, ever child-like, no cares could destroy, Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray, Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day. Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith, Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe, Be there at our labours, and give us, we pray, Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day. Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace, Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace, Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray, Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day. Jan Struther ‘Slane’, Traditional Irish Melody
THE DECLARATIONS
The Archbishop of Canterbury then asks: First, I am required to ask anyone present who knows a reason why these persons may not lawfully marry, to declare it now. The Archbishop says to the Couple: The vows you are about to take are to be made in the presence of God, who is judge of all and knows all the secrets of our hearts; therefore if either of you knows a reason why you may not lawfully marry, you must declare it now. The Archbishop says to the Bridegroom: Harry, will you take Meghan to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live? He answers: I will. The Archbishop says to the Bride: Meghan, will you take Harry to be your husband?Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him, and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live? She answers: I will. The Archbishop says to the congregation: Will you, the families and friends of Harry and Meghan, support and uphold them in their marriage now and in the years to come? All answer: We will. The Archbishop then says:
THE COLLECT
God our Father, from the beginning you have blessed creation with abundant life. Pour out your blessings upon HARRY and MEGHAN, that they may be joined in mutual love and companionship, in holiness and commitment to each other. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
READING
From the Song of Solomon read by The Lady Jane Fellowes My beloved speaks and says to me: ‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If one offered for love all the wealth of one’s house, it would be utterly scorned.