Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: What to Expect at Their Wedding

As rumors of a royal engagement between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to circulate, many are wondering how the couple will reveal the news and what their wedding will look like.

Unlike Prince William and Kate Middleton's elaborate 2011 nuptials, Harry and Meghan are expected to blaze their own path with a more low-key ceremony.

However, there are still complexities that must be considered.

One of the biggest concerns is Markle's previous divorce.

In 2011, she married director Trevor Engelson, but they split less than two years later.

Historically, divorce was frowned upon by the Church of England and members of the British royal family were forbidden from marrying someone who had been divorced.

This was exemplified in the controversy surrounding Edward VIII's abdication in 1936 to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson.

However, times have changed.

In 2002, the General Synod of the Church of England voted to recognize that some marriages regrettably do fail and that there are exceptional circumstances in which a divorced person may be married in church during the lifetime of a former spouse.

Three of Queen Elizabeth's four children have been divorced, and Prince Charles himself married his now-wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, in a civil ceremony in 2005.

It is unclear what legal advice was given at the time of Charles and Camilla's marriage, as the file has never been released.

Nevertheless, it is believed that the government has generally objected in the past to marriages between royals and divorces.

Religion is another factor to consider.

In order to remain in the line of succession, members of the royal family cannot be Catholic.

The Queen serves as the head of the Church of England, and until 2013, laws forbade members of the family from marrying someone who is Catholic.

However, the laws were modernized in 2013, allowing those in the immediate line of succession to marry anyone they like, regardless of religion, provided they have permission from the monarch if they are one of the first six in line to the throne.

Markle's religious affiliation is not known, but it is unlikely to affect her ability to marry Harry or threaten his place in the line of succession.

It is also believed that the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has no issue with conducting the ceremony for Harry and Markle, should they choose to marry.

As for the location of the wedding, it is likely that Harry and Markle will opt for a more low-key ceremony outside of London.

Historian Hugo Vickers, who is close to senior members of the royal family, suggests that the couple may have a service of blessing rather than a big grand ceremony.

If so, St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle is a likely option, as it is where Charles's brother Prince Edward married Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Peter Philip's wed wife Autumn.

Despite the complexities involved, many believe that Harry and Markle will blaze their own path and do things their own way.

“I don't imagine that Prince Harry will go for a big grand wedding,” says Vickers.

“He would want to do it his own way.”

Whatever the case may be, the world is eagerly anticipating news of a royal engagement and the details of Harry and Markle's wedding.