Buckingham Palace is being consulted over proposals to change a historic Parliamentary chapel into a “multi-denominational” room, so that it can be used to conduct same sex ‘marriages’.
MP Chris Bryant
Earlier this year, homosexual MP Chris Bryant proposed that St Mary Undercroft in Westminster be turned into a “multi-faith” space to allow some minority groups to perform same sex weddings in Parliament.
According to The Telegraph, the Queen’s private secretary, Sir Christopher Geidt, is now being consulted over the plans which are strongly backed by Equalities Minister, Helen Grant.
Royal Peculiar
St Mary Undercroft is a “royal peculiar” which means that permission for the plans to go ahead will be needed from the Queen due to her role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
The proposed move would be highly controversial since it would require the Church of England to break its ties with the Anglican chapel through legislation brought forward by Parliament or the Church’s General Synod.
Under the Government’s same sex ‘marriage’ bill, St Mary Undercroft in Westminster cannot be used to perform same weddings since the Church of England is exempt from the new laws.
Assist
In March, Equalities Minister Helen Grant promised to “assist” Mr Bryant with his plans during a debate on the bill in the House of Commons, and has reportedly asked the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to look into the proposals.
Mr Bryant also wrote separately to John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, asking for the restrictions to be lifted to enable same-sex 'marriages' to be performed in the chapel.
Mr Bercow allegedly expressed support for the plans, stating that he was “seeking advice and will respond in due course”. It is believed that Mr Bercow passed the letter to Lt Gen David Leakey, the parliamentary official responsible for the chapel, asking him to examine the proposals further.
Correspondence
The Telegraph has reported that over the last three months, Lt Gen Leakey has corresponded with figures in Parliament, Buckingham Palace and the Church, including Sir Christopher, Dr John Hall, the Dean of Westminster, the Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Commons chaplain, and Sir Robert Rogers, the clerk of the Commons.
Lt Gen Leakey is believed to oppose the move and has warned of a “continuous campaign” to permit same sex 'marriages' in the chapel.
Mr Bryant has since changed his request, asking for the chapel to be turned into a “multi-denominational” room to allow minority groups - such as Quackers - to conduct same sex weddings in the premises.
St Mary Undercroft has been a Christian place of worship for over 700 years and has been used for worship by the Court and the Royal household.
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