Stephen Knott (L) and Alastair Bruce (R) married in Edinburgh. (Twitter)
An army general has shared details of his poignant wedding to his partner of 20 years on social media, telling his followers that “love is constant”.
Army Major General Alastair Bruce married Stephen Knott at St John’s Episcopal Church in Edinburgh on Saturday (3 July) in a heartfelt ceremony.
Alastair Bruce, who also serves as governor of Edinburgh Castle, shared a photo of himself and Knott standing outside the church following their wedding ceremony on Twitter on Sunday (4 July).
“This would not have been possible in [the] British Army I joined in 1979,” Bruce wrote.
He went on to thank the Scottish Episcopal Church for allowing him and his husband to fulfil their dream of tying the knot in a religious setting.
“Attitudes change but love is constant,” he added.
Yesterday after 20yrs together, @StephenKnott_ & I were married in @StJohnPrincesSt #Edinburgh
This would not have been possible in @BritishArmy I joined in 1979 & thanks to @secsynod for making this joy possible in #Scotland
Attitudes change but love is constant. pic.twitter.com/HvUV1SQPla
— Alastair Bruce (@AlastairBruce_) July 4, 2021
St John’s Episcopal Church subsequently raised a flag bearing both men’s coats of arms in a mark of dedication to the happy couple.
Alastair Bruce’s wedding has brought much-needed ‘cheer’ to Twitter
In a subsequent tweet, Alastair Bruce praised the church as “the most welcoming and beautiful” place, adding: “Thank you for greeting us into your congregation, permitting us to marry among you and… flying our flag (and keeping it at the mast).”
John Nichol, a retired RAF officer and writer, sent his “huge congratulations” to Bruce and his new husband on social media.
“The military system we inhabited back then was a very different one so to see you now able to celebrate marriage with your loved one brings such cheer to my heart,” Nichol tweeted.
Tom Tugendhat MP tweeted: “The very model of a modern major general! Congratulations to you both.”
Bruce and his husband tied the knot a full four years after the Scottish Episcopal Church made history when it voted in favour of allowing same-sex weddings, making it the first mainstream branch of Christianity in the UK to do so.
A significant majority of bishops, clergy and laity voted in favour of allowing same-sex weddings in 2017, paving the way for queer couples of faith to celebrate their love for the first time in Scotland.