23 May, 2018

THE wedding - and opinions by some Brits

23 May 2018
908

R. Linda:

Okay, I wasn't going to write about the Prince Harry, Meghan Markle wedding, but after being forced to watch most of it by the ladies of the house, I couldn't just stay silent.

To get the clothing choices out of the way first. The dress was largely discussed throughout the whole of the viewing by the women of the house. I was probably the only person in the world who wasn't surprised by THE dress. I thought like Kate's dress, the one Ms. Markle wore was a reflection of her tastes and I expected it would be the boat-necked sheath she wore, so chalk one up for me! And I thought she looked fabulous in it and of course, the expensive bracelet, tiara and earrings not to mention the ring, all set the look off fabulously. I do not know what me wife, mother and mother-in-law expected, maybe a Cinderella special, I dunno.

Speaking of Cinderella, Ms. Markle's be close to that, after all, she has a brother and sister who make great wicked stepsisters and I don't know what her father be about, but to do what he did when it was probably the biggest day of her life, I thought just awful. If he really be sick I feel sorry he wasn't able to make her day but the picture taking . . . why wasn't he thinking?

Courtesy Getty Images - Town and Country Magazine

This morning at a British breakfast we ex-pats have every month there was much discussion on the wedding. I must say the Americans I know were thrilled to the back teeth with the whole day. I can't say that about the British.

A few of me friends from Cornwall had this to say:

"You know most Americans don't know how the British monarchy works. It is filled with institutional and traditional rules that have lasted and been practised for centuries. To me, the wedding was more American than British and I did wonder if Ms. Markle was cognisant of the traditions of a royal wedding and decided rubbish with that, or just ignorant how her twist could make Harry look a fool in front of his Granny. I be sure the Queen knew of all this and approved it but I think as everyone has said already, she did it for Harry's sake because she loves him, and he went along with it because he was in love with Meghan and wanted her to have her day."

"True, but the Queen might have seen it all on paper without truly knowing what it would be like live.  What you see planned out when put into motion can be not what one thought it would be.  Just the look on every Brit's face was like they were taken aback by it all. I say."

A woman from the Cotswolds said:

"Well, that's all fine and good, but to see Americans wearing hats and fascinators, just had me laughing. They looked ridiculous to me who is used to seeing royals dressed to match the hats. There were all kinds of mismatched outfits with the hats the Americans had popped on their heads. I will say Amal Clooney fit the mood, everyone else . . . not so much."

Her friend interjected: "Her hat should have been worn on the other side."

I did not know there was hat etiquette.

Another woman from London said:

"I was fascinated with Oprah Winfrey wandering from seat to seat. I wondered if she had crashed the wedding and no, she was invited but she had no clue what to do. Poor woman, she's one of the most in control women in the world and there she was banging about wondering where to sit! We had several "Where's Oprah now?" shoutouts as the camera panned to other guests and then back to Oprah looking rather lost. Don't get me wrong, I like Oprah, it was just bad luck she wasn't escorted right off."

A gent from Salisbury said:

"I was bloody fascinated with the Episcopal bishop who I was surprised to see acting like a Baptist minister giving a rousing and energetic sermon. I thought he started off very well and suddenly he was hopping around throwing out "y'alls" and I was watching Kate's face looking like she wanted to be anywhere than where she was. Camilla looked stunned, the Queen looked disturbed, Princesses Eugenia and Beatrice were smirking, and Zara Tindall looked absolutely shocked."

Another from Newcastle said:

"Oh wasn't the young pageboy from Canada a charmer with those missing teeth? The American commentators were all saying how excited he was by his expression, but he was YAWNING!

"I thought too, that the songs Stand By Me and That Little Light Of Mine, would have been best played at the reception, certainly not in that beautiful church. That ruined it for me. Too modern, not enough in keeping with the venue."

You may say these people are sticks in the mud, but I do understand what they were seeing from a non-American perspective.

As for me, the wedding took me mind and focus off all the school shootings, bombastic tweets, scandalous behaviour, finger-pointing, and the stock marking acting like a roller coaster.

One more thing, one of the online Irish social media resources has gone a bit bonkers. There is a person who be very upset that Harry and Meghan were gifted the honorary titles of the Baron and Baroness of Kilkeel by Queen Elizabeth. The titles are just titles, it isn't like Harry be going to demand tithes and grab land from those who live in Kilkeel. It's a title in name only, completely ceremonial. So why this person thinks to incite trouble where there be none, I have not a clue. I talked to friends and family back home and none know of any trouble, or descension on this subject, which seems a non-subject. As an Irish Catholic who lived in nearby Newry, located in Northern Ireland the last time I looked, which still be a part of the United Kingdom, I have no reason to be angry about a ceremonial title that means nothing in all reality. It won't change anything and this stirring up trouble where there be none be sad. And, that trouble is being stirred by Americans claiming to be Irish when most are not nor have they ever been to Ireland and fully understand what nationalists and unionists are and what they both stand for. This whole situation be minor politics if it is even that. I wanted me opinion known on this because it be a foolish thing to make trouble where it doesn't take much to fall back to the old ways.

Gabe
Copyright © 2018 All rights reserved

2 comments:

mobit22 said...

Ok. LOL

Dew said...

I liked the dress too. I felt that was the way she would go given her past. I am a Brit and appreciate the etiquette comments but I thought it was refreshing to incorporate both people getting married. That's how it should be. I loved the whole thing and was grateful Beckham didn't speak lol