Thaindian News

London, Mar 27 (ANI): It has emerged that Kate Middleton might follow Princess Diana’s lead and drop the ancient vow to ‘obey’ her husband.

That means Middleton might only pledge ‘to love and to cherish’ Prince William when she chooses her wedding vows, reports the Daily Mail.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, who will marry the couple at Westminster Abbey April 29, had commented that the centuries-old tradition of ‘obeying’ one’s husband was ’sexist and outdated’.

Meanwhile, royal aides said that the couple have chosen their vows they will use, but wants to keep their decision under wraps.

Guidelines published by the Archbishops’ Council said a wife promising to ‘obey’ her husband was an ‘archaic notion’ and could even be used to justify domestic violence.

“A promise to obey was in the past part of different standards and expectations of women and men within marriage, for example the fact that women had no standing in law until 1926,” said the 2006 report ‘Responding to Domestic Abuse’.

William’s grandmother, the Queen, and his aunt, Princess Anne, used the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, which requires women to promise to ‘love, cherish and obey’, at their weddings.

William’s parents Diana and Charles broke the tradition in 1981 by turning to the 1928 Series I Alternative Marriage Rite of the Church of England, in which the bride omits ‘obey’.

Their decision came after the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, issued the tongue-in-cheek advice that ‘it’s a bad thing to start your marriage off with a downright lie’.

However, Diana, then 20, failed to set a trend among royals.

Sarah Ferguson and Sophie Rhys-Jones promised to obey in 1986 and 1999 respectively.

According to bookmakers William Hill, it is odds on at 8/11 that Middleton will pledge to obey. (ANI)