The law is what I say it is...

I had, and still have no problem with the Prince of Wales' marriage to Camilla - not before time is my reaction, but the question of whether their marriage is legal or not raises some interesting questions about how such issues are decided. We now know that, only ten years ago, the then Government was advised that members of the Royal Family could not be married in a Register Office, and indeed the Act which introduced the concept of civil marriage states quite clearly that it does "not extend to the marriage of any of the Royal Family". Pretty clear, wouldn't you say? And yet last year the Lord Chancellor quite blithely advised Parliament that "we are clear" that the Prince was free to marry in a Register Office. How did he manage to square the circle - well he didn't really try to, he simply stated that in his opinion past views on the matter had been "overcautious". Like I say, I wish the couple all the very best, but it should be a matter of some concern that a Government law officer can simply ignore the clear wording of an Act when it suits him.