Samir Hussein/Getty Images(LONDON) — The Archbishop of Canterbury, who will officiate Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding this month, revealed that he has turned to the music of grime and hip-hop superstar Stormzy as he prepares for the occasion.
The Most Rev. Justin Welby will be the celebrant in less than two weeks at St. George’s Chapel where the royal couple are to be married.
Speaking to regional BBC radio in response to a question on how he calms his nerves as the big day approaches, the archbishop, 62, said lyrics in Stormzy’s song “Blinded by Your Grace” had resonated with him.
The song is full of religious references: “Lord I’ve been broken, Although I’m not worthy, You fixed me, I’m blinded by your grace.”
Welby said: “There’s a line in that – ‘I stay prayed up and get the job done’ – I think that sort of sums it up.”
He added: “I’m always nervous at weddings because it is such an important day for the couple – whoever they are … I’ve made a couple of cack-handed [clumsy] mistakes over the last couple of weddings I’ve been involved in, and I’m thinking this is probably not a good moment to make it a hat-trick,” he added, referencing triple-goal soccer scoring.
As the most senior bishop in the Church of England., Welby is the second most senior figure in the church, which is headed by Queen Elizabeth II.
Kensington Palace recently revealed that Meghan Markle had been baptized and confirmed into the church in a secret ceremony.
Stormzy, as he is known professionally, was born Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. in the South London district of Croydon, taking the grime music scene — indigenous to London — quite literally by storm.
Stormzy, 24, was awarded Best Grime Act at the MOBO Awards in 2014 and 2015, among many other accolades, and is one of London’s most-recognized rising music talents.
Prince Harry himself has said that he, too, is an avid fan of Stormzy’s music, and bookmakers have slashed odds on bets on the grime star’s chances of performing at the wedding.
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