Why Prince Charles and Camilla didn't marry at Windsor Castle despite announcement

Prince Charles announced his engagement to Camilla Parker Bowles in February 2005, and soon revealed their marriage venue as well, but everything didn't go according to the plan.

The wedding was originally scheduled for April 8, 2005, and was to take place in a civil ceremony at Windsor Castle, followed by a religious service of blessing at St. George's Chapel on the same day. But just a week after announcing the details, the palace moved the venue to the town hall at Windsor Guildhall while the date was postponed by a day just a few days ahead of the ceremony.

The reason behind the change of plans was due to the terms of a licence to conduct a wedding ceremony. Until the mid-1990s, civil marriages in England and Wales could only be held in register offices, but The Marriages Act 1994 allowed these ceremonies to take place in other buildings, like castles, as long as the venue obtains a licence.

Windsor Castle didn't have a licence, but could have easily obtained one for the wedding of the heir apparent to the British throne. However, the terms of a licence state that the venue must ''be regularly available to the public for the solemnisation of marriages,'' which means that the royal family would have had to open the ancient building for other civilians' weddings as well for the next three years, reports Royal Central.

Therefore, the royals considered it easier to change the venue of their wedding. The date of the ceremony was also changed four days before the nuptials to allow some of the invited dignitaries to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

The union of Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla was unprecedented, as it was the first time the church, the queen, and the government allowed a senior royal, and that too the heir to the throne and the future head of the Church of England to marry a divorcee. Queen Elizabeth II's uncle King Edward VIII had to abdicate the throne when he wanted to marry twice-divorced socialite Wallis Simpson. The church didn't allow marriage to a divorced person with a living spouse until 2002.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh didn't attend their eldest son's second wedding, but were present for the service of blessing. Charles's son Prince William and Camilla's son Tom Parker Bowles signed as witnesses. Afterwards, the monarch held a reception at the Windsor Castle for the newlyweds.