Meghan and Harry: royal wedding looms large but the British monarchy has also had its brushes with divorce
In 1936, drama over a divorced American woman led King Edward VIII to abdicate the throne because of his determination to marry her
Divorce has bedevilled Britain’s royal family for centuries. It has created problems not only when Prince Charles and Princess Diana ended their marriage in the most bitter fashion in 1996 but also when other royals – Princess Margaret – fell in love with people who had been divorced and could not marry them for that reason.
The British monarch also serves as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, which historically refused to bless the unions of anyone with a living ex-spouse. The church softened its position in 2002 to allow divorced individuals to remarry under “exceptional circumstances”.
In 1936, drama over a divorced American woman led King Edward VIII to abdicate the throne because of his determination to marry her.
In contrast, in 2018, Prince Harry’s plan to marry divorced American actress Meghan Markle is being met with … a shrug. Here’s a look at royals and divorces.
Henry VIII and his six wives
Henry VIII’s desire to divorce his first wife was central to his reign. He tried but failed to gain the pope’s approval to annul his marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, then broke with the Catholic Church. In 1533 the marriage was declared invalid, freeing Henry to marry again.