Friday, April 29, 2011

The Royal Wedding

I didn't think I'd have any interest in watching the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine but I ended up flipping it on when I got up.  The girl had grand plans to get up early to watch it because one of her friends is an apparent Anglophile and was planning on watching it.  But, no surprise to me, she didn't have the same pull at 5am herself.  Fortunately she has the modern convenience of the DVR.

I remember being curious enough about the Prince Charles and Diana wedding 30 years ago and getting up before dawn to watch it.  I also remember being surprised that something so romantic in concept could be so incredibly boring, stiff, and drawn out.  And that I actually got up so early to witness it.  Frankly, what I also very clearly remember at the time of Prince Charles' engagement, was the big hullabaloo about how the bearer of future heirs to the throne had to enter marriage a virgin.  And my recollection is, that there was an official confirmation of it back then.  Well, it's either a good sign of progressiveness or privacy but I'm relieved that it wasn't a part of the news this year.  Because let's face it, Catherine wasn't a 19-year-old preschool teacher when she got engaged.

Anyhoo, today I managed to wake up in time to watch William and Catherine's slow exit from the cathedral and I have to say, I really liked her dress.  The silhouette reminded me of the wedding gown Julie Andrews wore in "The Sound of Music" when she got married and the actual style with the lace overlay over the bustier frame was an obvious nod to the gown Grace Kelly wore in her wedding to Prince Rainier.

I caught a highlight reel on CNN of the actual ceremony and I loved the little smirk Catherine reflexively gives when William says "for richer or poorer".  I'm sure she was so relieved that she reined in a b!tch, please eyeroll during that part of the vows. And soon, they will be off on their honeymoon.  Am I the only one who finds that ironic?  Isn't their Royal lives the stuff honeymoons are made of?

Anybody else watch some of this?  I have a feeling this marriage is going to be a lot more quiet, and hopefully happier and more fulfilling, than the one I got up before dawn 30 years ago.

1 comment:

Pound said...

i didn't really care to watch either but i watched some the next morning, then watched more at jamie's house while keira ignored oli.

i saw diana and charles' wedding one summer when i was in thailand. i remember that, and it was borrrrrring but i remember her crazy long train. princess grace's dress was the ultimate though. no future princess can ever look so awesome. they actually didn't go on a honeymoon. that helicopter just took them to another part of london. man i wanna travel 15 min away by heli.