Bishop Michael Curry had ‘no idea’ royal wedding sermon would become internet sensation
'I thought somebody was doing an April Fool's joke on me'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The royal wedding might’ve been primarily about the nuptials of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, however, one of the day’s most notable aspects was the enthusiastic sermon given by Bishop Michael Curry.
At 14 minutes long, it was an elaborate address that captured the nation’s hearts with a focus on “the power of love”.
Curry’s sermon was an instant hit on social media, becoming the most-tweeted about moment of the royal wedding, with many praising the American preacher for his passionate and unconventional speech, in which he mentioned slavery and quoted Martin Luther King Jr.
However, the response came as a complete shock to Curry himself, who revealed that he initially thought his invitation to speak at the wedding was an “April Fool’s joke”.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, the reverend explained he had “no idea” his speech would resonate so much, confessing that he was nervous at the time.
“When I sat down from the sermon I remember thinking to myself, ‘I hope that was OK’,” he said.
Curry, who is also the first African American head of the Episcopal Church, went on to praise the royal couple:
“They're going to work to make this world better and empowering women is one of the ways we do that.”
Much to Piers Morgan’s delight, the bishop also took the opportunity to compliment the TV host, describing him as a “wonderful journalist and presenter”, adding that he is “always seeking the healing power of the truth.
“He does that… gosh, as well as if not better than any other,” he concluded.
Even Morgan himself admitted he was surprised and somewhat “mesmerised” by the bishop’s comments.
“Did you pay him or something?” teased co-host Charlotte Hawkins.
On the day of the wedding itself, Curry’s sermon amassed 40,000 tweets per minute, leaving spectators praising the reverend’s address as the standout moment from the ceremony.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live on Monday, Curry revealed he had originally written the sermon out: “There were a few ad-libs in there,” he added.
He also revealed he was aiming to speak for “six to seven minutes” but overran by almost double that due to “moments of pause” and “non-verbal interactions”.
“It ended up being a little bit longer than I had planned on,” he concurred.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments