Meghan Markle to be baptized at Kensington Palace

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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle to marry on May 19, 2018

Couple set to wed at Windsor Castle; wedding date presents potential scheduling conflict for Prince William.

Meghan Markle is expected to be baptized this month at Kensington Palace in a private ceremony with her family, including her mother and her father, ahead of the royal wedding, a report said Sunday.

Markle, who was raised as a Protestant and went to Catholic school, will be baptized as an Anglican by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, The Sunday Times reported. Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, and her father, Thomas Markle, are expected to attend the ceremony. Markle’s parents divorced when she was 6 years old.

Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, is expected to attend the private ceremony to have the duchess-to-be baptized. (Reuters)

Thomas Markle lives in Mexico and never met Prince Harry prior to the engagement. The duchess-to-be reportedly wants both her parents to be at the May 19 wedding at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

The former actress chose to be baptized before the royal wedding out of respect to Queen Elizabeth II, who is the head of the Church of England, according to The Sunday Times.

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Markle previously married film producer Trevor Engelson, who is Jewish, in 2011. She never converted to Judaism and the couple divorced two years after getting married.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, who will officiate the royal wedding, said last month the Church of England has “dealt with” Markle’s previous divorce, Sky News reported.

"It's not a problem," Welby said about Markle’s divorce. "The Church of England has clear rules with dealing with that and we've dealt with that. We went through that as anyone would who will officiate at a wedding where someone has been separated and a partner is still living."

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More details about the royal wedding have been released in recent months. Kensington Palace announced Friday that Harry and Markle invited 2,640 people to stand on the ground of Windsor Castle to watch the carriage procession.

"Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have said they want their Wedding Day to be shaped so as to allow members of the public to feel part of the celebrations, too," the palace said in a statement. "This wedding, like all weddings, will be a moment of fun and joy that will reflect the characters and values of the Bride and Groom."

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be married on May 19. (Reuters)

About 1,200 people will be members of the general public. Harry and Markle invited 200 people to represent charities and other organizations they support.

The 2,640 people does not include those who are invited to the ceremony in the chapel.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.