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Monday, May 2, 2011

The Royal Wedding



The Royal Wedding of a Happy Couple

Topic “A” this past week has been the wedding of Prince William of the British Royal Family to Catherine (Kate) Middleton, and as weddings go, every wedding is as important to each couple as all others. Consequently, the wedding of William and Kate was just a wedding. However, because of who he is that generated a whole lot of pomp and circumstance, so, I as a man actually watched the event because of the environment in which I was, and because when so much is scripted, there is so much that can go wrong.

I held my breath as people walked alongside of women with long dresses, hoping that they didn’t step on the dresses. I also hoped that both men and especially women didn’t misstep and fall down. I even worried that the weather might spoil the event, but at the end of the day all went well, proving that once again the British are masters of the rehearsed and superbly orchestrated spectacle.

My favourite moment came when the couple left Buckingham Palace in a convertible and drove around the corner to Clarence House with balloons trailing and a sign that said, “Just Wed”, as if anyone in the world was not aware. I’ve decided that I want to write a couple of paragraphs not to add even more redundant information, but to focus on something that I thought quite strange.

The guest list read like a who’s who of people from around the world. There were the couple’s own friends and work mates and former school chums, but then came world leaders, and the rich and famous, basically people who have outrageous egos. Seating was arranged giving family and British royalty select vantage points, but over 1,000 people were considered the general congregation and they were sat in a place where they could not see a thing, except if it was televised, in which case they might just as well have stayed at home.

With people suffering from such inflated egos, to be called “The General Congregation” might have been just too much. To add injury to insult they had to arrive at the church at about 8am and sit there until 11am when the service got underway. What about bathroom breaks? Perhaps that’s what all those trees were for. Even the minor royals were not spared as they arrived at the church in rented mini-buses.

Back at Buckingham Palace, after the service some of the guests had to enter the Palace from a side door. Probably the same side door I used when I visited the Palace as a paying visitor. I just hope that they also didn’t have to leave through the gift shop.

I presume they considered it all worthwhile, but I’m sure we all have one thing in common in that we wish the newlyweds a happy life together.

Now, come on Harry, we need to start planning a future happy event. You’re having far too much fun as a single man.

Copyright © 2011 Eugene Carmichael