The Royal Wedding

Its 4.45am and I'm awake.

Evan had left the house at 4am and was now outside the Big Ben awaiting the group to join him. 5 minutes later I had a message from Andrew from Embankment with a similar enthusiasm. I can't imagine what either were/will be like on their own wedding day!  René not wanting to leave his alarm clock to be responsible had crashed at the Stepney Sheraton. So up showered and out the door we went to meet them at 6.15am on the north side of The Mall. 

I must confess - had these three boys all had each others numbers they would have had me camping out over night. Alas I kept that enthusiasm to my mild management. The early morning start seems to have proved just as fruitful. Evan and Andrew could be found by some nice American Campers and in front of a television camera, creating a small nook off the thoroughfare and perfect for our baby reveler Desmond and Mum Amanda when they arrived shortly after 8am. This positioned us about half way down The Mall - closer to the turn to the Horse Guard Corner than Buckingham Palace. 

The morning rituals of coffee and phone calls to home were observed. And news from home headed off a Rugby Game (René's Blues vs Andrew, Evan and I's Highlanders making for a bit of fun amongst the crew), a NZ team playing in the final of the Australian basketball league and of course the Royal Wedding. My sister was on task to give updates. While I was on duty to describe the atmosphere for the family including my four and half year old Princess to soak up.

The day whizzed by with the help of the lovely Great British crowd. We had the ladies from the Midlands, the campers from America (who were delightfully quiet), a Public school couple in Ray Bans and navy, Scottish Aunt and her sweet niece and the spiffiest little man in London AKA Desmond Barlow (Amanda had decked him out in his Wedding kit of waistcoat and tie!). Everyone was in such good spirits. 

One of my favourite additions to our local crowd was a Posh pre-OAP and his lovely gardening wife (I don't know if she actually was a gardener but she didn't seem/look horsey and gardeners are posh too!). Mr Posh had a wireless radio and the pair had bought step ladders to perch on for the proceedings. From their position at the back of our 5 deep group Mr Posh would announce the movements of the Royals as heard on some BBC station (you choose as I would think it would be on BBC1,2,3,4,5,Asian and anything else given the enthusiasm of the press and the wedding hungry/royalist fans!). As he announced the Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate Middleton) leaving the hotel with her father I proudly announced he was my favourite British broadcaster. It seemed to fit the day with his announcements and had us frothing for a glimpse of them. 

Prince William and Prince Harry on the way to the Abbey

 Prince William and Harry, Mini vans, state cars (including NZ1 which all the Brits agreed was a fitting Number Plate but 5PA1N was not) with no guests ,Prince Charles and Camilla, Mrs Middleton and brother James, The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Bridesmaids, Pageboys and then Kate and her very composed Dad.

Anticipation of the dress was brilliant. I went for white and lace and McQueen. And was not disappointed, all be it not quite white! When I saw her come past I was delighted at her choice of simplicity and class. Priceless.  

Kate Middleton and her Dad on the way to the Abbey

We listened eagerly to the proceedings at the Abbey from the load speakers on The Mall. I personally felt I listened more carefully to the words of the service and found them both moving and modern. With some interruption from the Welsh Guard who were preparing themselves to line The Mall, the loud speakers booming out really made us feel like we were part of it. They really planned this event impeccably. The music was stunning, regal, rousing and English. We shared proudly in singing Jerusalem (an old GHS Assembly Classic tune) and God Save the Queen before the return along The Mall of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge together as husband and wife. The horses went at a hell of a speed so I realised that photos just weren't happening from my vantage point. 

The Royal Family

After the happy couple and all the families had whizzed past it was now the mission to get up The Mall to see the infamous balcony kiss. We jostled through crowds and were finally divided about 100m from the gates. Alas we all stood just meters right of the Palace gates. I spent brief moments amongst the chanting crowd of "kiss, kiss, kiss" seeing the family as they appeared and seeing the planes solute over head. For me missing the kiss was nothing on being amongst that huge historic crowd. And sharing it with friends - who I have established are hopeless romantics. 

We went on from the millions of people in town to a delightful garden party in Holland Park hosted by my dear friends Holly and Harvindar. Holly had made cucumber sandwiches and salmon sandwiches. There was Pimms and champagne, and a bbq with plenty of sausages and tomato sauce for all as we poured over photos in the Evening Standard which had miraculously been printed in the time we had been at The Mall to getting to Holland Park (was I in some time warp?!). The sun shone for us. And the entire atmosphere of the day was warm, loving and hopeful.

Sharing the day with Friends

At the end of the day we had a fairytale wedding sealed with a kiss and a day full of happy memories. Definitely something to tell the kids about.

Congratulations William and Catherine. I wish you all the happiness in the world.

Oh and the Blues beat the Highlanders and the Breakers won the Ozzie B'ball League.