Archbishop of Canterbury talks about Meghan Markle's baptism

Archbishop of Canterbury talks about Meghan Markle's baptism

The Archbishop of Canterbury today revealed Meghan Markle's baptism into the Church of England was a 'very special, beautiful and sincere' ceremony.

Justin Welby said the service at St James's Palace in London - also attended by the US actress's fiancé Prince Harry - was 'very moving' and a 'great privilege'.

But he joked that he must 'not drop the ring' at their wedding at Windsor Castle on May 19, adding that he was also keen to ensure he gets 'the vows in the right order

Dr Welby, 62, conducted the intimate 45-minute baptism service at the Chapel Royal on March 6, with Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall also present.

The service to formally introduce her into the Anglican faith marked an important step on her transformation into future granddaughter-in-law to the Queen.

Dr Welby was asked what he could say about the service – at which neither Prince William nor the Queen were present - by ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham.

He replied: 'Almost nothing at all. Except that it was very special, it was beautiful and sincere. And very moving. It was a great privilege.'

Meghan had asked Dr Welby to lead the service after forming a close bond with him in recent weeks as he instructed her on the rites and sacraments of the Church.

Speaking about the royal wedding, the Archbishop added: 'Unlike recent weddings, I must not drop the ring! And I must not forget to get the vows in the right order as I did at the rehearsal for one of my children's weddings.

'At the heart of it is two people who have fallen in love with each other, who have committed their lives to each other with the most beautiful words and profound thoughts, who do it in the presence of God, through Jesus Christ.

'You pray for them to have the strength to fulfil their vows. And you seek to do it in a way that respects their integrity and honours their commitment.'

The royal wedding service will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor, David Connor, with the Archbishop presiding as the couple make their vows.

Dr Welby was speaking to ITV News one week after the release of his new book 'Reimagining Britain' on March 8, which claims Brexit has divided the UK and austerity has crushed the weak.

The Archbishop added: 'This challenge to reimagine our society is the culmination of many, many years under many different governments.

'I look at places where I've lived like Liverpool, which has lost half its annual budget - one of the poorest cities in North West Europe. So austerity may be necessary in and of itself but the way it's done must take into account the common good.'

Etchingham also put it to Dr Welby that the voice of the Church of England and other charities is diminished when it breaks trust with the public.

He replied: 'It deeply damages it. Absolutely. And the way we deal with that is so important because we have to be transparent and honest, not to cover up, not to pretend it's any less bad than it is. And we have to take steps to make sure that it's stopped and changed.'

She then suggested that the voice of the Church in society is 'perilously compromised' with it in front of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

But he replied: 'Church is in the middle of reimagining itself and has been certainly under my predecessor and his predecessor under Rowan Williams and George Carey and will go on with that.

We have to reimagine our role, our position, how we communicate the good news of Jesus Christ. How we live in a way that is convincing. And so when we speak of other things there is some authenticity.

'We're never going to be perfect, we're full of human beings and human beings fail. But we need to have a consistency in how we deal with our own failures and sins.

'The things we're seeing in the inquiry and we'll go on seeing, not only betray the Church, they betray the country, and worst of all they betray God. And they deeply damage survivors who are at the centre of the heart and compassion of God.'