Meghan Markle baptised by archbishop

US ACTRESS Meghan Markle has been baptised by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual head of the Church of England, ahead of her royal wedding in May to Britain’s Prince Harry, the Daily Mail newspaper reported on Thursday.

The 45-minute ceremony conducted by Justin Welby, spiritual head of the Anglican communion of millions of Christians globally, took place at the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace in London on Tuesday, the paper said.

The secret baptism was followed immediately by her confirmation, it added.

“That’s not something that we are commenting on,” Prince Harry’s office said about the report.

The Mail said Prince Harry’s father, heir-to-thethrone Prince Charles and his wife Camilla were present but Queen Elizabeth, the titular head of the Church of England, was not.

The service observed full ritual, with holy water from the River Jordan from the private royal family font poured on Ms Markle’s head, the paper said.

When Ms Markle, 36, and Prince Harry, 33, announced their engagement last November, his office said Meghan, who attended a Catholic school as a child, identified as a Protestant and would be baptised and confirmed before their marriage on May 19.

Archbishop Welby will preside over the exchange of wedding vows at the ceremony at Windsor Castle, although the service itself will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor.