Did Kate Middleton Have To Change Her Religion To Wed Prince William?

Kate Middleton and Prince William tied the knot on April 29, 2011. Even though they’ve already been married for eight years, a lot of things about their relationship have been kept private.

When Middleton was just a young girl, her family had ties to the Anglican faith even though they do not consider themselves to be religious. The Duchess of Cambridge’s parents didn’t go to church regularly except during formal occasions like weddings.

After she was born in 1982, the mom of three was baptized by a Berkshire bishop. However, Middleton never performed the next step of affirming her faith during her teenage years. But prior to marrying Prince William, Middleton made the choice of being confirmed.

The move to have herself confirmed wasn’t required of Middleton but the gesture was certainly appreciated by Queen Elizabeth II. The ceremony was performed by Rt. Rev. Richard Chartres, the same bishop in London who performed Prince William’s confirmation rites in 1997.

According to The Guardian, there was no specific reason for Middleton to get confirmed before her royal wedding except to outwardly declare her faith in God. After all, the new generation of royals seems less outwardly religious compared to their older relatives.

Meanwhile, since Middleton was baptized as an Anglican, there was no need for her to change her religion just so she could marry Prince William. But will this also be the case for someone who is not Anglican?

The Succession to the Crown Act of 2013 changed the old rule of banning British royals from marrying Catholics. However, a ruling monarch cannot be Catholic since this stands in contrast to being the head of the Church of England.

As such, if Prince William and Middleton suddenly decide to raise their children as Catholics, Prince George would have to renounce his faith to become King or he would be forced to abdicate. But none of these things really matter because the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge share the same faith.