Royal Wedding: Queen Consents To Prince Harry Marrying Meghan Markle

A picture of the Royal family’s matriarch – the head of the British government, Queen Elizabeth’s written consent, allowing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to marry, has been released by Buckingham Palace.The Instrument of Consent was signed by the Queen in March. The first six people in line to the throne must seek the Queen’s approval to marry. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are due to be wed on 19 May in Windsor.Without the Queen’s consent Prince Harry would have been disqualified from the line of succession. The Instrument of Consent says: “Now know ye that we have consented and do by these presents signify our consent to the contracting of matrimony between our most dearly beloved grandson Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales KCVO and Rachel Meghan Markle.” The Instrument of Consent began after the Royal Marriages Act of 1772. It required descendents of George II to get the sovereign’s consent before they wed, otherwise their marriages would be invalid.Photo Credit: Getty