Middleton may refuse to obey as part of vows

London: Kate Middleton may decline the option to ‘obey' her husband when she chooses her wedding vows.

In a move that would follow Princess Diana's lead, she might pledge only ‘to love and to cherish' Prince William after the Archbishop of Canterbury indicated that the centuries-old tradition is sexist and outdated.

Royal aides said that the couple have chosen which version of the vows they will use on April 29, but want to keep their decision under wraps. But Archbishop Rowan Williams, who will marry the couple at Westminster Abbey and has discussed the vows with them, has given a clue about his advice.

Guidelines published by the Archbishops' Council and backed by its president, Dr Williams, warned that a wife promising to ‘obey' her husband — but not vice versa — is an archaic notion and could even be used to justify domestic violence.

The 2006 report, Responding to Domestic Abuse, said: "A promise to obey was in the past part of different standards and expectations of women and men within marriage, for example the fact that women had no standing in law until 1926."

A source close to the Archbishop confirmed: "The word ‘obey' did become outdated and that's why they produced the report."

At their weddings, William's grandmother, the Queen, and his aunt, Princess Anne, used the 1662 Book of Common Prayer, which requires women to promise to ‘love, cherish and obey'.

Diana and Charles, William's parents, broke the tradition in 1981 by turning to the 1928 Series I Alternative Marriage Rite of the Church of England, in which the bride omits ‘obey'.

Their decision came after the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Runcie, issued the tongue-in-cheek advice that "it's a bad thing to start your marriage off with a downright lie".