Pippa Middleton's wedding may have some unexpected guests


Pippa Middleton's wedding is the royal-related event of the year (assuming Prince Harry and Meghan Markle don't pull together a last-minute quickie wedding this fall). We learned last week that Markle herself will reportedly be attending the wedding reception (though not the ceremony in the morning, per royal protocol). But while Markle may not be at the ceremony, held at St. Mark's Church, it . . . appears maybe you could be as well!

We'll explain. Per a recently published Church of England guidance, on the topic of "celebrity weddings," non-invitees (read: regular people) could have the right to attend Pippa's wedding ceremony. The statement reads, "a marriage is a public ceremony which at the least all parishioners are entitled to attend." (That would seem to mean that all in the Englefield parish, surrounding the church, would be able to attend.) And attend they may very well want to do! A chairman of the parish council for Bradfield, a neighboring village, said to the Telegraph, "It's a rather nice thought that they might be able to attend. I'm sure there will be interest."

But Kate needn't worry about fellow attendees taking covert photos of her with their cell phones during the ceremony just yet. The document maintains that while members of the public will be able to attend, they will only be able to do so "as long as there is available seating or standing room unless a genuine question of safety or security arises."

See photos of Pippa Middleton:

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This might get a bit complicated, the Telegraph notes, as it is unclear what exactly constitutes a "question of safety or security." And a law expert told the outlet that the document is "pretty clear," as "parishioners and those on the electoral roll have the absolute right to attend services of public worship, and they can't be denied access. Marriages are not a private event, they are public."

This marks the first time that a Church of England guidance has been published online on this subject. A representative for the wedding itself told the Telegraph, "For security reasons we are making no comments on the private details of this wedding (being held on private property)."

While what the scene is going to be like at the church seems somewhat murky, why not book a flight to London and show up, and roll the dice? Maybe get there a few days early and befriend someone in the Englefield parish in order to maximize your chances, which will also give you plenty of time to make sure you have the perfect fascinator to wear for the event.

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