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In 1955, he resigned from the Navy at the rank of lieutenant, junior grade, forced to accept an "other than honorable" discharge and leave the service rather than be court-martialed because of his homosexuality.

However, homosexuality remained illegal in Britain's armed forces until the year 2000, when the European Court of Human Rights ruled the ban illegal.

While homosexuality is not illegal in the country, it remains taboo, and same-sex marriage is not legally recognised.

Pope Francis roundly condemned countries that consider homosexuality a crime, and he talked of divorce sometimes being "morally necessary", citing cases of domestic abuse.

He denied being gay when confronted by a French magazine in 1989, and did not speak publicly about his homosexuality until he turned 70.