The marriage of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall is illegal — according to the official advice of 1996. A briefing paper from the Cabinet Office, released to The Times under the Freedom of Information Act, stated then that, under the Royal Marriages Act 1772, the marriages of members of the Royal Family in England and Wales must be performed by Anglican clergy. When the Prince and Camilla Parker Bowles announced their intention to be married last year, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, emerged to reinterpret the law.

With references to the Marriage Acts of 1836 and 1949, he managed to obfuscate other interpretations. What else are lawyers for? He did admit: “We are aware that different views were taken in the past, but we consider that these were overcautious.”

There is no need for panic. Doubtful legality is the element in which royal marriages exist. The 1772 Act was introduced because of the propensity of George III’s siblings for unsuitable marriages. Their ladies were not only notoriously fast and loose, but they committed the unforgivable sin of being commoners. Earlier, Edward IV had married Elizabeth Woodville (illegally), having previously married another widow (illegally). George IV was a total rogue in his first wedding as well. And Henry VIII, the founding father of the Church of England, was a serial polygamist.

So there is enough of a grey area around royal matrimony to keep a wool bench of Lord Chancellors in business. We should be grateful that the Prince has behaved more honourably than many of his ancestors. And we wish them both a long and happy marriage.