The Royal Wedding was an incredible experience! A few of us got up at 5am to catch the train into London and get a good seat in Trafalgar Square. If you saw the event on TV and saw the shot of Trafalgar Square then you saw me!!
I should explain that I am neither a royalist or republican. It's not my country, though we do share a very long history. So I take it as I find it and try to express a moderate opinion on cultural issues. The royal family serve as unique ambassadors of the UK and as such play an important role. Using their influence they add weight to many worthy causes, they connect the people with those who really have the power in this country, which is still the ruling class. The two boys, William and Harry, have grown up as sort of adopted orphans of the public, and seeing them come of age as grown men brings a general satisfaction. They are a new generation, like us, connected as no other generation has been. They set up tweeting, facebook, websites for this wedding, and as a result so many people saw it live.
In Trafalgar Square they asked people to dress as if attending a wedding- the weather was cold so most women opted for "fascinators", a sort of clip on wedding hat. Flags were everywhere, and Union Jack hats, glasses, and even cardboard cutout Will and Kate face masks!
The mood was unusually patriotic, jubilant and friendly. In the Square, under the shadow of Nelson's Column celebrating the victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, we had wedding programs and sang, read, stood and sat just as if we were at Westminster. We really felt we were wedding guests! As the end of the service approached, I was careful to read the lyrics to " God Save the Queen" and not tastelessly sing our own "Let Freedom Ring" which was written to the same tune. :) I waved my flags, cheered, ooo'd and ahhh'd with everyone else, and as I sang I felt very British and proud to celebrate such an exciting day alongside my British friends.
Strangely enough, it was as though we attended a friend's wedding.Will and Kate are 29, only 2 years younger than me. I was impressed with their writing their own prayer, and felt truly pleased for them both. :)
Of course lots of photos are waiting to be posted once I finish them off!
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