LONDON – Prince Charles' (search) wedding to Camilla Parker Bowles (search) will be moved to Saturday so it does not coincide with the funeral for Pope John Paul II (search), Charles' office said Monday.
The heir to the throne will represent Queen Elizabeth II (search) at the Vatican funeral on Friday, the prince's office added.
Prince Charles and Parker Bowles made the decision to move the wedding after he cut short his Swiss skiing holiday Monday, a spokesman for his Clarence House office said.
Charles returned to attend a Monday afternoon memorial service for the pope at London's Westminster Cathedral, which Parker Bowles also planned to attend, the spokesman said. She will not be going to the pope's funeral, he added.
The Vatican confirmed that the funeral would be held Friday. Italian news agencies reported that it would start at 0800 GMT.
Charles' wedding had previously been scheduled for Friday and the major ceremonial occasion, a service of blessing, had been set for 1330GMT. The couple plan to marry in a civil ceremony in the town hall at Windsor, west of London.
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