Mixed reactions have been seen by Religious leaders from the Anglican, Roman Catholic Church and evangelical groups to the news that Prince Charles and Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles are to marry. Rev Rowan Williams and the Roman Catholic Church have seemed pleased by the short blessing civil ceremony that is planned, however, evangelicals and conservative Anglicans have expressed their worries at the news.

The head of the Anglican Communion, Rev Rowan Williams has given his full backing and blessing to the news in a statement released yesterday.

A statement has been released by Lambeth Palace stating that the Archbishop of Canterbury said, "I am pleased that Prince Charles and Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles have decided to take this important step."

He continued, "I hope and pray that it will prove a source of comfort and strength to them and to those who are closest to them."

A royal announcement was made giving notice of the marriage, and following a civil ceremony, the Royal family has asked Dr Rowan Williams to preside a service of prayer, and to help to dedicate the marriage to God. In the statement released yesterday, Williams gratefully accepted the honour of presiding at this event.

Williams was reported as saying, "These arrangements have my strong support and are consistent with Church of England guidelines concerning remarriage which the Prince of Wales fully accepts as a committed Anglican and as prospective Supreme Governor of the Church of England."

Rowan Williams and other senior churchmen have let their feelings be known that marriage for the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles is "the right thing for them, for marriage, for the monarchy and for the Church".

Bishops and clergy greeted news of a marriage because it will end the discomfort at the prospect of a future Supreme Governor and monarch in an open but unmarried relationship with a divorcée.

The Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales also backed the wedding.

The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, said: "I know that Catholics will join with me at this time in praying for the Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker Bowles and in wishing them every happiness."


In addition, the Bishop of Salisbury, Rev David Stancliffe said: "I welcome the news that Prince Charles and Mrs Parker Bowles are to marry, and I wish them well. Their decision to seek a civil ceremony followed by a service of prayer and dedication is entirely appropriate."

The Bishop of Hereford, Rev Anthony Priddis, who is Chairman of Church group Flame, on marriage and family life, said: "I am very happy that two people loving each other and living together should decide to get married. I am also happy that they will be having a civil marriage followed by a blessing which is the appropriate way in the circumstances."

He continued, "A blessing does not equate with condoning what has happened before but it does recognise a new beginning. I wish them both well. I don’t think that today’s announcement will change the practice of the Church of England in relation to the marriage of divorced people."

However, a number of evangelical groups have commented about their worries and opposition to the decision. Reform, which is a conservative evangelical group stated it would compromise the Prince of Wales’s "moral authority" when he comes to serve as Supreme Governor of the Church and would add to pressures for disestablishment.

In addition the Evangelical Alliance expressed its concern at the news. The organisation commented, "In theological and spiritual terms, we acknowledge that the couple’s previous divorces, their documented adultery and the nature of their extra-marital relationship up to this point, do present difficulties for many of our Anglican members and others with respect to Charles’s suitability to govern the Church of England."

Another worry for many church members regarding the civil ceremony is that Church of England’s authorised service of blessing will be used. This form of service has received wide criticism from many religious bodies in the UK, as it contains no mention of God at all, no hymns, worship or prayer, and nothing spiritual or religious at all.

In the service there will be no request that anyone in the congregation who knows a reason why they cannot lawfully marry should "declare it now", and instead of traditional vows, there will be a "dedication" when the couple "resolve" to be faithful to each other

Historically, the Church of England’s ban on the remarriage of divorcees in church was put in place by Act of Convocation in 1957. However, in November 2002, after much debate on the floor of the General Synod, the Church gave its blessing to divorced couples seeking a church wedding – to the anger of a large number of evangelical groups.