Britain on Wednesday legalised same-sex marriage after Queen Elizabeth II symbolically gave her royal stamp of approval, clearing the way for the first same-sex weddings next year.

Introduced by the government in January, the bill to legalise same-sex marriage in England and Wales was given royal assent one day after it cleared Parliament on Tuesday.

Women and Equalities Minister Maria Miller also announced that the first same sex wedding could take place by as early as summer 2014.

Graphic: Gov.uk

The Act, which applies to England and Wales, will:

- allow same sex couples to marry in civil ceremonies
- allow same sex couples to marry in religious ceremonies, where the religious organisation has ‘opted in’ to conduct such ceremonies and the minister of religion agrees
- protect those religious organisations and their representatives who don’t wish to conduct marriages of same sex couples from successful legal challenge
- enable civil partners to convert their partnership to a marriage, if they wish
- enable married individuals to change their legal gender without having to end their marriage

Women and Equalities Minister, Maria Miller said: "Marriage is the bedrock of our society and now irrespective of sexuality everyone in British society can make that commitment. It is a wonderful achievement and whilst this legislation may be about marriage, its impact is so much wider. Making marriage available to all couples demonstrates our society’s respect for all individuals regardless of their sexuality. It demonstrates the importance we attach to being able to live freely. It says so much about the society that we are and the society that we want to live in."