Kate Middleton made ‘powerful’ change to her wedding vows – just like mother-in-law Princess Diana

The Princess of Wales made a notable change to her wedding vows when she married Prince William in 2011, a decision that was praised by the then Archbishop of Canterbury for providing a “very direct picture.”

Following in the footsteps of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, Kate Middleton opted to omit the traditional vow to “obey” her husband. Instead, both Kate and Diana promised to “love, comfort, honor, and keep” their husbands, a move that was seen as promoting equality within the marriage.

This alteration to the classic royal vows was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Prior to their 2011 wedding, it was announced that William and Kate would craft their own vows, reflecting their desire for a more modern and egalitarian union.

By removing the pledge to “obey,” Kate and Diana effectively challenged a long-standing tradition that implied a wife’s subservience to her husband. Their choice was widely regarded as a progressive step, aligning with contemporary values of mutual respect and partnership within marriage.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, opted for the Series One (1966) Book of Common Prayer ceremony, which permits the bride to omit the phrases “obey him” and “serve him” from the religious proceedings. At her wedding to Charles in 1981, the late Princess Diana eschewed the royal protocol of uttering “obey,” a tradition observed by the late Queen, Princess Margaret, and the Princess Royal, among others.

Conversely, the Duchess of York and the Duchess of Edinburgh included the word “obey” in their wedding vows. However, Meghan Markle made the conscious decision to exclude this term from her vows in 2018.

Prior to the wedding of William and Kate, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, commended the couple for their choice of words in their vows. He remarked to the Mirror: “I’ve been very struck by the way in which William and Catherine have approached this great event. They’ve thought through what they want for themselves, but also what they want to say. They have a very simple, very direct picture of what really matters about this event.” The couple is believed to have forgone tradition and the word “obey” because, after knowing each other for a decade – first at university – they treat each other as equals.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Catherine, who are parents to Prince George, aged 10, Princess Charlotte, aged 8, and Prince Louis, aged 6, will commemorate their 13th wedding anniversary in a private manner. The Duchess has recently disclosed her decision to undergo preventive chemotherapy treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, and she is currently in a period of convalescence. Meanwhile, the Duke has resumed his public engagements after spending the Easter holiday privately with his family.