Royal wedding 2018: Bishop Michael Curry delivers electrifying sermon

Cultural and racial diversity -- concepts rarely associated with the history of the British monarchy -- were on prominent display at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday as Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry.

As Bishop Michael Curry delivered his electrifying address at the ceremony, Twitter lit up with glowing commentary about his sermon, which included brief references to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the resilience of faith during times of slavery, and eradicating poverty -- all while relentlessly maintaining an deeply uplifting and inspiring message.

"Dr. King was right," Curry mused as Meghan and Harry held hands before him. "We must discover love. The redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will make of this old world a new world."

In contrast with the typically stoic nature of a formal royal wedding, Curry's monologue included a few jokes that had elicited laughs from chapel guests -- although they some in the crowd admittedly appeared a bit taken aback by the unexpected performance.

Toward the end of his speech, he told Harry and Meghan, "We've got to get ya'll married." Probably the first time those words have been spoken in St. George's Chapel!

Curry's sermon was followed by a performance of Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" by a black gospel choir.

The internet's response was rapid and impassioned as the world marveled at the pivot from tradition.

"Bishop Curry is preaching in England. Shaking the rafters. Have they ever had this before?" wondered White House correspondent April Ryan. "Well I love it!! Hallelujah! Preach!!!"

Most responses were glowing, although more than a few viewers noted the wedding guests seemed perplexed: "By the way, for all the confused Anglicans watching -- that sermon was short," Daily Telegraph's Tim Stanley said.

See photos from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding: