London - Anglican bishops yesterday issued a hardline restatement of their belief that divorcees cannot remarry in the Church of England.
The policy, contained in a booklet formally outlining Anglican teaching on marriage for the first time, dashed hopes of an announcement which could allow Prince Charles and his long-term partner, Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles, to marry.
A press conference to launch the 24-page document was told that any future reform, including a study looking at the question of remarriage due to be published in the coming weeks, would have to adhere to the "same principles" outlined by its current teachings.
The booklet, which also calls on cohabiting couples to progress to the "rich and wonderful" state of marriage, comes after Archbishop George Carey of Canterbury said that consumerism was contributing to the breakdown of marriage.