My People

My People
My matched set of grandchildren - Oliver and Cosette

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

When Harry Married Meghan

Oh, dear, I do love a good Royal Wedding, don't you? The way I see it... the next big televised wedding will be when Prince George marries which... he's turning 5 this year so probably in nearly thirty years, which would make me 80 so... who knows, this may have been my last. If we're still around for the next one, let's get together to watch it, ok?

My first Royal Wedding was Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer back in July of 1981. I was 13 and still believed in fairy tales. Di was only six or seven years older than me which seems insane... such a baby. Of course, I was 17 at my own first wedding so... eh.

I know I watched Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's wedding but I don't remember being particularly moved by it. It happened just a few months after my own first wedding so maybe I was beginning to get over the whole fairy tale thing by then, who knows?

The truth is I am pretty much a devoted Anglophile. I'm interested in all things royal, even way, way back in history. I can trace my lineage back to a few direct ancestors who were queens and kings and things and quite a few more Lords and Ladies and such. There is something about the tradition and history of it all that appeals to me, although, I'm sure in reality... if I were paying taxes to support them and such, I might not exactly love it. Benefits of my ancestors having left the Island many centuries ago, I suppose.

My impressions of Harry and Meg's wedding are as follows:


  • Getting up at 4am is harder than it used to be.
  • I was insanely excited and did a lot of pregaming the day before by watching lots and lots of documentaries on the British Royal family.
  • I watched the coverage mostly the BBC America channel but also some CNN and some of the E! coverage. Too much fluff on the second two channels, more straight to the chase on BBC. Maybe that's what I like about Brits. No, honestly, if you've read my blog you know I'm way more fluff and bother than I am likely to get straight to the point. Who am I kidding?
  • If you watch my Instastories, I did a little coverage during the wedding. I made a point of explaining why Marvin wasn't joining me for the viewing party... because he DOES NOT CARE.   I said that because he was so very much over hearing about the Royal Wedding that he started playing me this little soundbite from... Kevin Meaney's stand up routine... of him singing this "I don't care..." song. I don't mind him not caring. Obviously, I want to date a man, not a clone. I hope this link will work for you, if not, try this 
  • I was really, very sad for Meghan about how her family acted in the week before the wedding. Maybe they did need a bit more public relations training but honestly, her half sister and half brother are perfect asses. Her dad had known about his need for surgery for quite a while and even had the surgery scheduled for the week after the wedding. With family like she has, who needs enemies? I can absolutely understand why she only invited her mother. 
  • Seriously, with her father... as a dad you have ONE JOB on your daughter's wedding day, ok, maybe two jobs... write the check and walk her down the aisle. Since he didn't have to pay for it he had ONE JOB and he couldn't manage. That's poor planning. 
  • My stone cold heart toward Prince Charles melted a tiny bit at him walking her down the aisle. It melted a good bit more at him escorting her mom and Camilla the Hun out afterwards.
  • I'm sorry. Camilla is still the Other Woman in my book and her hat was completely excessive. Too extra, as they say these days.
  • The Duchess of Cambridge, on the other hand, (Princess Kate for those who aren't up to date on these things) was completely gracious. She wore a dress that she has worn in public at least three times before, way to go not trying to upstage the bride! She did look a bit puffy still but she has just had a baby in the past month sooooo... I'll give her some leeway.
  • How much do you love Princess Charlotte's outgoing personality? I love that George is reserved and shy and Charlotte is waving like a queen. It will serve her well.
  • Kudos to Prince Philip for recovering from hip replacement well enough to attend. He's aces in my book. 
  • I didn't love Meghan's dress. I would have like to see it fitted a bit better. It seemed like the fabric in her arms and torso was a bit too loose. Maybe that was the look they were going for, what do I know about such? I just liked Catherine's wedding dress better. 
  • I wish the television coverage had shown more of the children in the wedding. 
  • I also hate that the television coverage missed Meghan's curtsy to the Queen after the ceremony. That's a big moment and it made it seem like Meghan DIDN'T do it when reportedly she did. 
  • I loved Meghan's low, loose bun. I thought it was a good look for her. Some people were bothered by the loose strand of hair but I thought it made her look more relaxed and natural. I also thought her makeup was good. 
  • While I thought the chapel was beautiful, I missed them being at Buckingham Palace on the balcony afterwards. Those photo ops after Royal Weddings are iconic. Yes, the kiss outside the chapel was lovely but it wasn't the same. 
  • I liked her second dress more than the first. 
  • I know lots of people loved the American preacher but ... meh. I thought his energy was fun but his remarks wandered quite a bit, in my opinion. 
  • I also didn't really love "Stand By Me". It was too choral. 
  • I'm really happy for Harry. He's always seemed a bit lost since his mom died. I watched a documentary from last year where he said he had only cried a few times over his mom's death. That seems terribly unhealthy to me. I cry a few times a week over my my mom's death and I'm grown and it wasn't a shock and... well, you get it. The same documentary really made me feel that William and Harry HATE the press and who can blame them... except I feel like the press is for us, the weird Americans that go nuts for the Royal family which makes me feel guilty and a bit rejected. 
  • I fully expect them to have a baby in the next year. 
  • As much as I love the big royal affairs, I fear that the next big thing will be the Queen's funeral and that makes me sad. And then of course, King Charles' coronation and I'm still not over him not loving Diana like he should have. I'll be happier at William's coronation if I'm still around for that but I realize that makes me sound like I want both the Queen and Charles to be gone and that's not true at all. I love the Royal Family. At least I love watching them.


I'd love to hear your thoughts about the wedding, Harry, Meghan and all things royal. Love and hugs, y'all.


3 comments:

Gerry said...

I only got to see snatches of the Royal Wedding, but my sister Linda in Utah watched the whole thing and she was laughing her head off over the American preacher getting carried away she thought and running away with the wedding, and her description about how the British Royalty was acting during his riff made me laugh. But I became curious and explored Meghan's background some more, and I have to say I thought that the acceptance of Harry's chosen bride into the Royal Family must have cause them all to have to go through some royal soul searching before they could bring themselves to do it, so I have to hand it to them for doing that, which made this wedding somewhat unique for royal families.

Unknown said...

I just have to say...the American preacher is the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America, which is the highest position in the church here (he was formerly the Bishop of North Carolina). He was invited to preach by the Archbishop of Canterbury who is over the entire Anglican church in the world. He is the first African American to hold the position, and he follows the first female to hold the position. He is also the first to ever be elected on the first ballot. Yes, he can go on and on and even I thought he went long. However, I have heard other sermons and while he would be a bit much on a regular basis, he is much loved and respected.

Stacey said...

I agree on all points except the hair. Felt too informal for a royal weeding. Her hair today would have been perfect. As to the fit of the dress-it was a big topic on the Family and Consumer Sciences (aka Home Ec) Teachers page I am a member of, so you are not alone there. Not fond of Charles either but was especially touched at how he seemed to reach out to Meghan's mom (didn't she look so sad, sitting there all alone) to make her feel welcome.