'A unique, special and personal moment' was how one of the UK's first mixed-sex couples to form a civil partnership described how it felt to make history today.
Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan celebrated their union this morning at Kensington and Chelsea Register Office in West London, part of the first wave of same-sex couples forming civil partnerships. The moment was especially sweet for Rebecca and Charles, however, as they had fought to overturn the law which until recently had meant that civil partnerships were permitted only for same-sex couples.
Civil partnerships were first introduced in 2005 to offer same-sex couples almost identical rights as marriage - including inheritance, property and tax entitlements - but previously excluded mixed-sex couples.
After being refused permission to enter into a heterosexual partnership five years ago, Rebecca and Charles took their legal challenge all the way to the Supreme Court. They won their lengthy battle in 2018, when a landmark ruling that stated that the law was discriminatory and breached their right to a family and private life.
Speaking today after their ceremony, Rebecca said the couple’s 'personal wish' to form a civil partnership came from a 'desire to formalise our relationship in a more modern way, with a focus on equality, and mutual respect'.
She also called for 'deeper discussions' on giving legal recognition to other kinds of caring relationships, including those between friends, siblings and co-parents.
The change in the law is expected to open up civil partnerships to an estimated 3.3 million cohabiting heterosexual couples in the UK. It could also help redress some misconceptions around them: many believe that they share the same rights as married couples and are protected by so-called common law marriages, when in fact they do not enjoy the same entitlements as married couples or same-sex civil partners.
It is thought that some 84,000 mixed-sex couples could form civil partnerships in the new year, while the new term ‘getting civilled’ has already been coined.
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