Archbishop gives Charles 'blessing' to marry

Prince Charles has been given the Archbishop of Canterbury's blessing to marry Camilla Parker Bowles if he wants to, it emerged today.

Dr Rowan Williams told Charles during secret talks that he would give the union his blessing, senior sources have revealed.

But Charles has made it clear that he will not be "bounced" into marriage, which he believes is a " personal decision". Sources close to the prince say he and Mrs Parker Bowles have no definite plans to marry until his younger son Prince Harry is at least 21, which is more than a year away.

When they met Dr Williams, who has always spoken out against remarriage of divorcees apart from in exceptional circumstances, he told Charles he would support him if he chose to "formalise" his relationship with Mrs Parker Bowles.

The revelation comes after the unprecedented intervention of Dr Williams's predecessor, Lord Carey, who said Charles should make "an honest woman" of his long-term love.

The 55-year-old prince, who has always said his relationship with Mrs Parker Bowles is "non-negotiable", is understood to be "intensely irritated" at Lord Carey's comments that it was "natural" for them to marry.

One close source said: "He has a great disinclination to talk about the subject."

Mrs Parker Bowles is also said to be reluctant to accept the active public role that marriage to Charles would bring, although she likes to be allowed to appear with him at some events as his escort.

A close friend of the prince told The Times that the couple have discussed marriage after Dr Williams made it clear he would bless their union.

In a further development, senior evangelicals, who take a conservative line on sexual matters, have said they would give the marriage their blessing if the couple, as divorcees, both admitted wrongdoing.

The view of the Church of England leadership is critical to any decision because, once King, Charles would succeed his mother as Supreme Governor. The only constitutional bar to the marriage would be if the Queen refused to approve it.

The close friend of the prince, said to be authorised to speak on his behalf, told The Times of the couple: "It would be wrong to give the impression that they have not talked about it and are against it. That would not be right.

"But no one will rush them into it or bounce them into it. It's a personal decision."

The friend said any marriage would take place after Sir John Stevens, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, had concluded his inquiry into the death of Princess Diana.

The friend said: "With the inquest and the inquiry under way, nothing can be considered until we reached the next stage." After that, the marriage could take place "next year at the earliest".

Clarence House said it was a private matter between the couple and refused to comment. But most Anglican leaders want the situation to be resolved before Charles succeeds to the throne, sources suggest. Last year, the General Synod relaxed its rules on divorce, agreeing that in some cases, divorcees could remarry in church while their former partner was still living.

They would be prepared to accept a marriage more easily if Charles and Mrs Parker Bowles were to repent for what has happened in the past, sources say. This would be a matter between the couple and a spiritual pastor.

The Rev Rod Thomas, priest in charge of St Mathew's, Plymouth, and spokesman for Reform, the influential conservative evangelical organisation, said: "Evangelicals will not speak uniformly on this issue. But there are a number who think that if there is acknowledgement of wrongdoing, then there is no real bar on marriage."

The Ven Michael Lawson, of the Church of England Evangelical Council, added: "From a Christian point of view, everyone should be allowed a new start in life."