I’m a true romantic and just love a wedding – yes, even a royal wedding.
And I have been itching to write this post, even though I’m sure it’s just one of a zillion which will be published online. But as I told the hubster, it’s something I just have to do.
You see, I was raised believing that the royals were practically part of our family. I’m not sure if it was because my grandmother was born in England, or because she and my mum were devoted readers of women’s magazines. In fact, I was surprised when I realised that not everybody feels this way!
Heck, I can even see a bit of a family resemblance between Her Majesty and my mum when they were young. I’m definitely not the only one who noticed it – when we were in Sandgate Children’s Home as children, my youngest sister would say “Ni-night Mummy” every night to the portrait of the Queen in the hallway.
I doubt there is any real family connection, but that’s how it’s always felt to me – Diana for example, felt like a slightly older cousin – and it’s a habit I just can’t seem to shake, even though royalty is an outdated concept to my logical mind.
So of course I had to watch Harry and Meghan’s nuptials on Saturday night. My darling hubby even arranged it so I could watch in comfort – on the big screen in our media room (which is normally reserved for Netflix and DVDs only), snuggled into a recliner with a snack!
The whole wedding seemed a lot less formal than William and Kate’s, it had a lovely relaxed feel, and was a perfect blend of British and American. The royals have certainly come a long way since Diana’s wedding to Charles, I remember how much fuss there was that he was marrying a (shock horror) commoner, even if she *was* a Lady! Thirty-seven years later, their son has married an American, divorced, biracial, actress and it has barely raised an eyebrow.
Meghan looked lovely, and it was pure joy to see the happy couple sharing little smiles and gazing into each others’ eyes (yup told you I’m a true romantic).
While I identified with her decision to walk down the aisle by herself, I know from experience how *hard* it is to actually do! Like her, I wanted to be an independent woman who gave herself to her husband but oh my goodness, I was shaking with nerves and soon wished I had somebody to lean on for support! At least Meghan had a comforting arm, once she reached the Prince of Wales.
Although Meghan was probably mortified by the antics of her half-siblings, and saddened about her dad not being able to make it, I’m sure there are plenty of others like me who took heart from the fact that even a princess can come from a dysfunctional family …
I wasn’t fussed on her bouquet, thought it was a bit poxy to be honest.
And what is it with English weddings having all the bridesmaids dressed in white too? Boring!
Seeing the royal family’s reactions to the Episcopalian minister was classic, but the standout for me was seeing Zara Tindall (Princess Anne’s daughter) with her mouth agape. Her expression said it all, and has already become part of our household vocabulary – apparently I gave the hubster a “Zara look” yesterday!
And it was great fun to do a bit of celebrity spotting, and to critique the various outfits and hats. Princess Eugenie’s dress was fifty shades of boring and unflattering; and I’m really not a fan of that mustard yellow Amal Clooney was wearing.
So that’s my take on the royal wedding – would love to hear your thoughts and comments too!