Same-sex couple makes history with wedding in Antarctica

A pair has made historical past with their wedding ceremony in Antarctica. Eric Bourne and Stephen Carpenter, who’re each stewards on a polar analysis ship RRS Sir David Attenborough, tied the knot on Sunday, changing into the primary same-sex couple to wed within the British Antarctic Territory (BAT) of Antarctica.

Bourne and Carpenter, who’ve been collectively for 20 years, received married aboard the ship with 30 crew members. The historic ceremony was carried out on the helideck by Captain Will Whatley.

They first met working aboard one other ship, earlier than being deployed within the final Gulf Battle.

They’ve traveled the world collectively on varied ships. Three years in the past, Bourne started working for British Antarctic Survey (BAS), the U.Ok. analysis heart for finding out the polar areas. When Carpenter joined RRS Sir David Attenborough final 12 months, they realized Antarctica would the proper place for a marriage. 

“Antarctica is such an unimaginable place. We now have been collectively for 20 years however now we have each been to Antarctica collectively, it felt like the proper place for us to lastly tie the knot,” Carpenter mentioned, in response to the BAS. 

“We have even had the coordinates of the marriage location engraved into our rings,” he added. The placement of these coordinates overlooks the mountain peaks and icebergs of Antarctic Peninsula — the couple’s favourite view.

The reception for the marriage will not be held till Could 8, when the ship returns to the Rothera Analysis Station. The couple will even have fun with family and friends in Spain later this 12 months, the BAS mentioned.

A change to marriage legal guidelines in 2016 made having a authorized wedding ceremony within the BAT simpler, and the continent has hosted a number of weddings since then. Atlas Ocean Voyages, an expedition cruise line, mentioned they carried out the primary official wedding ceremony in Antarctica in February 2022, and the BAS says Bourne and Carpenter’s wedding ceremony was the second amongst its workers within the territory.

Bourne and Carpenter’s marriage was registered with the BAT Authorities, and it will likely be legitimate within the U.Ok. The legislation that permits authorized marriages within the territory mirrors that of England and Wales, that means all {couples} — together with identical intercourse {couples} — can apply for a wedding license. 

“We’re each very proud to be the primary same-sex marriage to occur in British Antarctic Territory,” Bourne mentioned. “BAS is such a welcoming and accepting employer, and we really feel very fortunate to have the ability to reside and work in such an unimaginable neighborhood and place collectively.”

CBS Information has reached out to the BAS and BAT for extra data and is awaiting response.