Nine objections to Charles and Camilla union

NINE formal objections have been made against the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles, it was reported last night.

The deadline for objections passed at 5pm yesterday and the details have been sent to the office of the Registrar General for England and Wales, who will decide whether they are valid.

The details of the objections and who filed them are not known but no marriage certificate can be issued until all sticking points have been dealt with.

The wedding is due to take place at Windsor Guildhall on 8 April. Should the objections not be deemed valid, applications by those who filed them could be made for judicial review at the High Court.

Known as caveats, the objections were lodged at the local register offices at Chippenham and Cirencester, where the prince and Mrs Parker Bowles have their homes.

Politicians and religious groups have already raised concerns about the legality of the union.

The current objections focus on interpretations of the 1836 and 1949 Marriage Acts. These have generally been thought to ban members of the Royal Family from marrying in civil ceremonies.

The Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, has said: "The government is satisfied that it is lawful for the Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker Bowles, like anyone else, to marry by a civil ceremony in accordance with Part III of the Marriage Act 1949."