Meghan Markle has been baptised into the Church of England in a secret ceremony with Prince Harry at her side.
The intimate 45-minute service was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Chapel Royal on Tuesday evening.
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They were joined by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, but neither Prince William nor the Queen were present.
Miss Markle’s baptism, which formally introduces her into the Anglican faith ahead of her wedding to Harry in two months, marks an important step on her transformation from divorced American actress to future granddaughter-in-law to the Queen.
The ceremony was a closely-guarded secret with only a handful of royal aides involved.
…Her baptism was followed immediately by her confirmation, which means she will be able to join Harry, 33, at Holy Communion.
The Chapel Royal choir of six Gentlemen-in-Ordinary and ten Children of the Chapel – the oldest continuous musical organisation in the world – performed throughout the service.
Her father, a retired Hollywood lighting director, was Episcopalian – the main US offshoot of the Anglican Church – while her mother belonged to another Protestant denomination.
After her parents split, Miss Markle attended the Roman Catholic Immaculate Heart girls’ high school in Los Angeles, although she was not Catholic.
The Deacon's Bench
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