To wipe away your tears of joy...

The low-battery light flickered on my rented cell-phone. Strange, I thought I had charged it the night before. The guests were arriving and I was trying to tweet but the phone kept getting slower and slower. Despite being plugged into the wall the phone powered off completely. Frustrated I gave up on tweeting. I was disappointed in not being able to share in the event with other royal bloggers. But I had no choice, the phone was dead. It would be several hours before I would get a replacement.

I did not have a plan for the day. Sure I'd thought of going to Hyde Park, or potentially taking a spot at the Mall. While there were screens set up in Hyde Park, in the Mall I would have had to wait to find out what Kate's dress looked like. So I stayed put in the hotel. Not wanting to miss a moment I ate a bag of crisps for my breakfast.

"To wipe away your tears of joy"

Once they had been pronounced man and wife I decided to head out. My hotel wasn't far from Buckingham Palace and as I was walking towards it, a girl was handing out samples of Kleenex. As she handed it to me, she said:

 'To wipe away your tears of joy'.

I'm not sure I would go that far. She had probably been handing these samples out all morning and there was little inflection in her voice, her tone was bored as she said the phrase and the incongruity of it stuck with me.

Maybe she was bored to tears?

As I headed towards Buckingham Palace, the crowd of people got thicker. With people in front and behind, personal space was now non-existent. Not a place to be if you're claustrophobic. Complete gridlock. I turned around and tried a different approach, walking along a street where the foreign dignitaries cars were parked.  People were gathered around a few of the cars, looking in the windows, presumably watching the ceremony with the driver.

I kept walking. There were people everywhere, along with police wearing florescent yellow vests. Every so often I would find myself in a sea of people slowly moving forward, direction unknown. I started to envy Kate, if only for the fact that she would never have to get stuck walking in a crowd this size ever again. But no one was pushing or shoving, everyone was calmly making their way towards the same direction. Occasionally the crowds would disperse and I could breathe again. I looked at my surroundings.  Somehow I had made it to Hyde Park.The ceremony was over and people were leaving. I spotted the tents where the official programmes were being sold.

I went to London and all I got to show for it was....

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

The Royal Wedding Report for Sunday May 8, 2011

After months of speculation surrounding the ceremony, on April 29th Prince William and Catherine Middleton finally became husband and wife. The momentous occasion was filled with beautiful music and memorable moments. From Catherine's dress, to the ceremony, to the atmosphere in London, on this episode a recap of the royal wedding day.

You can listen to the episode here:

The Royal Wedding Report - Recap

Publications mentioned

London Evening Standard Friday April 29, 2011

The Sun Friday April 29, 2011

Hello! Canada - Special Double Issue - The Royal Wedding

Hello! Royal Wedding Special Commemorative Edition

British GQ - Cover story - Prince harry is Walking with the Wounded

From My Royal Collection

Kate and Wills Up the Aisle by Alison Jackson

Websites mentioned

For more details on Kate's dress and the ceremony go to the Official Royal Wedding Website


Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report for Sunday May 15th, 2011 at 9:00PM ET (North America).

The topic will be: Royal Wedding Dress Designers

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

How long have you been out here for?

'How long have you been out here for?' A reporter asked, as she shoved a microphone into the face of a woman wearing a union jack hat with a homemade banner attached to the railings. Clearly enjoying the attention the woman smiled, giving the same answer she probably gave to all reporters who came by. 

Other reporters and camera crews were doing similar things to anyone with a creatively decorated sign or tent. Cameras were set up on scaffolds surrounding the Victoria memorial. Those that weren't were in the green media studios set up to cover the event outside Buckingham Palace. Groups of people stood behind those studios, waving signs and cheering to get on TV. Occasionally the crowd would be rewarded with a smile and a wave from the on-air personality.

Just off to the side of these studios, behind gates, stood huge satellite dishes and news caravans that hummed. Walking along Constitution Hill, Green Park, a peaceful retreat from the hoopla. Shaded, cool and quiet it didn't seem as though it was in the same area. Walking back towards Buckingham Palace, it was warm outside and I wished I'd left my coat back at the hotel. Except that it could, and did, turn cool at times.

There was an enormous amount of people, though not as many as there would be this time tomorrow. Nothing was happening. Maybe they were here for the same reason I was. Not to stake a claim on the pavement but to observe, take pictures and like me, savor the moment of just being there.

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

Whatever you do, don't go to sleep!

'What ever you do, DON'T go to sleep!'

My husband's warning came into my head as I started to doze off in the hotel room. Just five more minutes I thought to myself. It was 10AM London time, 5AM back home. I had barely slept on the flight. No wonder I was tired. At least I had survived the underground. Mainly thanks to the kindness of strangers, something I would rely on many times through this trip.

But I hadn't come to London to sleep. I sat up, grabbed my cell phone and camera and headed out the door. My hotel was near enough to Buckingham Palace, about a 15 minute walk. I didn't need a map to find it. I only needed to look down the road to see the royal standard flapping in the wind.

As I walked along the sidewalk, multiple souvenir shops caught my eye. William and Kate on every conceivable item imaginable. There were knockoffs of Kate's ring, knockoff commemorative coins, hats, magnets, and condoms. Yes, condoms - holy buzz killer!

Heading further along I found a tea shop selling William and Kate tea bags, then the Buckingham Palace shop. Utopia for those searching for the tasteful items. The store was small and crowded and I hugged my purse close to my body lest I knock over something tastefully expensive.  I made a mental note to come back when it was less crowded.

A few blocks down the road I finally arrived at Buckingham Palace. The Queen's Royal Standard on the flagpole. Beyond the imposing black gates an immaculate gravel forecourt. And there was the famous balcony. By this time the next day, the newly married William and Kate would share a kiss for the world to see.

By the looks of it, I wasn't the only one imagining the same thing.

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

I'm in London, baby!

"What is the purpose of your visit?" 

Steeling myself for the suspicious look and potential interrogation, I replied, "I'm here for the royal wedding."

The customs agent smiled and stamped my passport.

Hmm, very different reaction to the one I received when I went to New York for Jerramy Fine's book signing.

Obviously in this instance, customs wasn't going to ask me what the resolution to William and Kate's particular situation would be. This agent wasn't chewing gum either, nor did she have a moustache.

So I'd arrived in London. What began as a crazy idea was now a reality. What on earth was I thinking? Jet-lagged and unfamiliar with my surroundings I regrouped for a moment before braving the underground. I had been dreading this part. Back home a map filled with a labyrinth of multicolored tube lines had filled me with anxiety. I had gotten lost on the New York subway system, how would I ever manage this one?

But I had to get to my hotel. So I asked a ticket agent what the easiest way to get to Victoria station was. As he gave me directions he asked where I was from.

"Canada! One of my relatives is a government minister" he said proudly, writing the surname of his kin on the back of a receipt for me. Presumably so I could share in his pride when I returned home. I stuffed the paper into my purse, took a deep breath and headed for the gates.

There was no way of knowing where I would end up.

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

All about the dress

You already know that Catherine Middleton's wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. But did you know Kate reportedly held her secret meetings with the designer in Henry VIII's favorite palace? Or that the workers who did the embroidery had to wash their hands every 30 minutes to keep the lace clean?

If you want to see the dress in real life, you may get the chance. A Clarence House spokeswoman says the Duchess of Cambridge is "considering a number of options" for putting the dress on public display.

And if you want to get married in a dress like Kate's, that's possible, too. Low-priced designers are racing to create copies.

Photo source: The British Monarchy

Text © World of Royalty

A modern dream dress

Elizabeth Emanuel, who designed Princess Diana's wedding dress, praises Catherine Middleton's dress:

Women go for stylish hats at royal wedding

From simple, elegant to elaborate hats enhanced with nets, lace and feathers - women made style statements with hats and other headgear in various shapes and shades at the Westminster Abbey where royal couple Kate Middleton and Prince Williams exchanged wedding vows Friday.

Most of the women guests came in knee-length dresses in neutral to bright shades like blues, pinks, yellows and greens that boasted of elegant cuts and styles and they matched it with hats and other headgear.

Singer-turned fashion designer Victoria Beckham, who was one amongst the first guests to arrive at Westminster Abbey with her footballer husband David, wore a navy blue dress, which she designed herself. She acessorised it with an elegant Philip Treacy pillbox hat and a pair of Christian Louboutin stilettos customised in collaboration with Louboutin himself, reports telegraph .

Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry's on-off girlfriend, came dressed in a wide-neck turquoise two-piece knee-length outfit with a bow on the back. Instead of a hat, she wore a flat cap with a net covering half her face.

Kate's mother, Carol, chose to attend her daughter's wedding in a sky blue wool crepe coat dress and hat by Jane Corbett, while Kate's only sister Pippa, wore a mermaid fitted scoopy pretty cowl-neck white gown by American standards sans any hat.

Queen Elizabeth came in a bright yellow crepe wool primerose dress beaded at the neck and with a matching hat with silk roses and the entire outfit was by designer Angela Kelly.

Prime Minister David Cameron's wife, Samantha Cameron, known for her good fashion sense, wore a teal sheath dress with elaborate pleats by Burberry, but she was one of the few guests who left her head bare.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's wife, Miriam Gonzalez Duantez, wore the most eye-popping headwear, a huge flower-shaped hat in bright oranage that she teamed with a metallic and grey dress with black dots.

The Queen's granddaughters were not far behind - Princess Eugenie wore an aqua-blue knee length dreas and a boat shaped hat decorated with white feathers, while her sister Beatrice chose a summery pale peach dress and her headgear was quite unusual -- it was like a ribbon bow with several layers.

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, socialite and friend of Prince Charles, sported a British designer Stephen Jonesan creation at the wedding. She wore a bright royal blue dress and accessorised it with a matching boat-shaped pillbox hat with a flower in the middle.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The Royal Wedding Cake- The Full Details

The wedding cake had a strong British floral theme, using elements of the Joseph Lambeth technique. It was a multi-tiered traditional fruit cake decorated with cream and white icing. The Lambeth technique is based on a style of decorating that was popular in England where chefs and decorators would use a lot of intricate piping to create 3-D scrollwork, leaves, flowers, and other decoration.

The method is still popular today and is frequently used by wedding cake designers and decorators to create ornate wedding cakes. The cake designer Fiona Cairns was chosen in February 2011 to create the wedding cake. Furthermore, McVitie's created a special cake from chocolate biscuit for the reception at Buckingham Palace. The chocolate biscuit cake was made from a Royal Family recipe and was specially requested by Prince William.

The sugar flowers are elaborate and the whole design is very ornate - but still tasteful, thanks to sticking to a colour scheme of white and cream. It is a traditional fruit cake made by Fiona Cairns and her team.

The eight-tiered cake has around 900 sugar paste flowers. The details of the room are mirrored on one tier of the cake, with the roses, acorns, ivy leaves, apple blossom and bridal rose from the wall's garlands all used.

Seventeen different blooms and foliage have also been used for their symbolism. Along the cake’s base ran ivy leaves, symbolising marriage, and the bottom three tiers were decorated with piped lace work and daisies, meaning innocence, sweet William, and lavender.

There was also cascading orange and apple blossom, honeysuckle, acorns with oak leaves - meaning strength and endurance - and bridal rose, which symbolises happiness, and myrtle.

Lily of the valley - representing sweetness and humility - covered the sixth tier which also had an artistic interpretation of the couple’s cipher - their initials intertwined below a coronet.

The four flowers of the home nations - English rose, Scottish thistle, Welsh daffodil and Irish shamrock - were featured on the penultimate tier and the top was covered with lace with a garland of lily of the valley and heather on top - no model of the happy couple!


More about cake designs? Click here

More Details of The Royal Wedding- Bits and Pieces

Bridal dress

The bridal dress was designed by English designer Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen. It was made of satin and featured a lace applique bodice and skirt. Middleton wore her hair down, with her veil held in place by a tiara, loaned by the Queen. The lace, detailing a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock, was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace.

The bridal train measured 270 cm (110 in), and along with the lace, all other fabrics used in the creation of the dress were sourced from and supplied by British companies. The lace motifs were pinned, "framed up" and applied with stab stitching every 2–3 mm around each one. Workers washed their hands every 30 minutes to keep the lace and threads pristine, and the needles were renewed every three hours, to keep them sharp and clean.



Bridal tiara and veil

The veil is held in place by a Cartier Scroll Tiara, made in 1936 and lent to Miss Middleton by the Queen. It was purchased by the Queen's father, the Duke of York (subsequently King George VI) for his Duchess (later Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother) three weeks before succeeding his brother Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor) as King. Princess Elizabeth (now the Queen) received the tiara from her mother on her 18th birthday.

Designed by Shane Connolly, the bride's shield-shaped wired bouquet contained myrtle, Lily of the Valley, Sweet William and hyacinth.

Groom's uniform

Prince William wore the full dress uniform of the Irish Guards, of which he has been the honorary colonel since February 2011. He chose to wear the peaked hat of the Irish Guards as opposed to the bearskin. As a knight of the Order of the Garter, he wore the Order's blue riband to which was affixed his RAF wings and Golden Jubilee Medal. The uniform was made by the Savile Row tailors Gieves & Hawkes.

Liturgy and bridal vow

Kate did not promise to "obey" her new husband in her vows but instead to "love, comfort, honour and keep" him. The bridal couple are using the the Series One (1966) Book of Common Prayer ceremony.

The Lesson from the New Testament, Romans Chapter 12, verses 1–2 and 9–18, was read by the bride's brother, James Middleton.

The Royal Wedding-The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

On Friday, 29 April 2011, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge married Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey, at 11:00 am BST (UTC+1). William, who is second in the line of succession to Elizabeth II, first met Middleton in 2001, while both were students at the University of St Andrews. Their engagement, which began on 20 October 2010, was announced on 16 November 2010.

Following the wedding, the couple intend to continue residing on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales, where Prince William is based as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot.

Wedding service

The ceremony was to start at 11:00 local time and that the bride arrived at the abbey by car rather than by carriage (the latter is the traditional transport for royal brides.) The route was along The Mall, through Horse Guards Parade, and down Whitehall to the abbey. After the ceremony, the bridal couple returned along the same route by carriage to a reception hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The Prince of Wales is to host a private dinner in the evening.

In a break with royal tradition, the groom had a best man—his brother, Prince Harry—rather than a supporter, while the bride chose her sister, Pippa, as maid of honour. There were four bridesmaids—Lady Louise Windsor, the seven-year old daughter of the Earl and Countess of Wessex; The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, the eight-year old daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley; Grace van Cutsem, the three-year old daughter of the couple's friend Hugh van Cutsem; and Eliza Lopes, the three-year old granddaughter of The Duchess of Cornwall. Two page boys participated: William Lowther-Pinkerton, the ten-year old son of William's private secretary Major Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, and Tom Pettifer, the eight-year old son of Princes William and Harry's former nanny, "Tiggy" Pettifer.

The Dean of Westminster officiated for most of the service, with Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, conducting the marriage ceremony itself and Richard Chartres, the Bishop of London, giving the sermon. It has long been traditional for the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of England's most senior bishop, to officiate at the weddings of England's monarchs and future monarchs, but as Chartres is a close friend of the Prince of Wales, he was invited to take part in the ceremony.

Kate Middleton's wedding dress

Catherine Middleton's much-anticipated wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton, creative director for Alexander McQueen. According to the official royal wedding website, "Miss Middleton worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress."

The dress, made of ivory and white satin gazar, features English lace and French Chantilly lace throughout the bodice and skirt. The bride also wore a veil of ivory silk tulle held in place by a Cartier "halo" tiara borrowed from the Queen.

All of these details came from the official wedding site. Go here to learn more about Kate Middleton's attire, jewelry, and bouquet, as well as the bridesmaids' dresses and page uniforms.

Photo © Press Association. Photo source: The British Monarchy

Text © World of Royalty

Prince William and Kate Middleton's new titles revealed

Buckingham Palace announced at 8am on Friday that the Queen had bestowed the title of Duke of Cambridge on her grandson.

His bride, Miss Middleton, will be known as the Duchess of Cambridge after the royal wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

A dukedom is the highest rank in the British peerage.

They have also been given the Scottish titles of Earl and Countess of Strathearn, which may reflect the fact that they met at St Andrews University.



The couple's third title is a Northern Irish one, Baron and Baroness Carrickfergus.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "The Queen has today been pleased to confer a Dukedom on Prince William of Wales.

"His titles will be Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus.

"Prince William thus becomes His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Miss Catherine Middleton on marriage will become Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge."

Fittingly, the last Duke of Cambridge married a commoner for love just like Prince William.

Prince George, known as the 2nd Duke of Cambridge, was born in 1819. He was a grandson of George III and the only son of Prince Adolphus Frederick, the 1st Duke of Cambridge.

He refused to have an arranged marriage and declared such unions were "doomed to failure".

He became captivated by the actress Sarah Louisa Fairbrother, who was said to be a classic beauty and a graceful dancer. They wed in 1847 when she was already the mother of two of his children and pregnant with his third.

It is customary for members of the Royal family to be offered at least one title by the monarch when they are married.

When the royal wedding was announced last year, it was expected that the second-in-line to the throne would be offered a Dukedom, making his wife a Duchess, and Cambridge was the favourite title.

Other possibilities were said to have included the Duke of Clarence and the Duke of Sussex.

If the Prince had turned down the titles, he would have remained HRH Prince William of Wales.

His wife would likely have been known as HRH Princess William of Wales, rather than HRH Princess Catherine, as she is not a princess in her own right.


Source: www.telegraph.co.uk 

Royal Wedding Souvenir 

Don't miss the wedding!

Want to watch today's royal wedding on your computer? Well, you're in luck, because it will be streamed live on the British monarchy's official YouTube channel.

Marilyn's in London right now, but she'll probably be tweeting during the royal wedding. You can follow her on Twitter at marilynsrylblog.

You can also follow me, your friendly blog babysitter, at worldofroyalty. Happy wedding watching!

Mexican teenager's hunger strike leads to royal wedding trip

A Mexican teenager who went on hunger strike in February in a bid to win an invite to the royal wedding has had her trip to London paid for by a wealthy businessman.

Estibalis Chavez, 19, staged her hunger strike outside the British embassy in Mexico City, in the hope of gaining an invite.

And now a Mexican lobbyist, Octavio Fitch Lazo, has agreed to lend her money for the flight.

Miss Chavez was repeatedly told by British officials that there were no more invitations available, but she refused to be dissuaded.



In a country where crime and poverty are serious concerns, the local press scorned her actions, labelling her "The crazy girl from the embassy".

"At the time I didn't see it as something so drastic and dramatic," she said.

"[People] said I risked my health for something many believe to be frivolous and silly. But, I think that for me, it was the only way to achieve my goal."

Miss Chavez lost 17 pounds during her fast, and painted a portrait of Prince William and his fiance Kate Middleton, which the embassy also refused to deliver.

She was spotted by Mr Lazo, who decided to help her out.

"It moved me to see that no one understood her very well... I think she is right to fight for what she wants," he said.

Miss Chavez has long had an interest in the British Royal Family, having been told by her father that her mother - who died when she was born - had been a big fan of Princess Diana.

She said that she plans to take her painting, in the hope that one of the photographers will be able to present it to the couple, and plans to watch the ceremony from outside Westminster Abbey.

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Update

MADRID --A Mexican girl who staged a 16-day hunger strike in Mexico to get an invitation to the Royal Wedding has been denied entry into Britain.

Estibalis Chavez began painting a portrait of Prince William and Kate Middleton the day she started her hunger strike in Mexico.

Someone in Mexico donated the money to her so she was able to get to Madrid.

But she was denied a Visa into Britain because she couldn't prove she had enough money to support herself while in England.

Source: www2.nbc17.com


Royal Wedding Souvenirs 

Kate Middleton's secret pain: I can't be a mum

The popular princess-in-waiting is devastated that she might never have the children she so desperately yearns for.

Kate Middleton is riddled with anguish after realising she and Prince William may never have the family she's always dreamed of.

She is said to be devastated since being told she can't be a mum, and will have to wait until her late thirties.

While Princess Diana was married at 20 and had produced "an heir and a spare" by the age of 23, Kate, 27, will have to put any hope of motherhood on the backburner until career-driven Wills has fulfilled his desire to become an officer.

With a wait of eight to 10 years before she can even begin trying to have a child, Kate is worried she will miss her chance. Certainly, her "dream family" of several children now seems totally out of the question.



At 26, William has just begun a five-year training course to become a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot. And he has pledged to spend at least three more years with the service after that. With the British Ministry of Defence spending a fortune on his training, William is said to be keen not to waste it.

With reports that the royal family is unlikely to put on a wedding until his training is finished, this means by the time he is free to marry and take on official royal duties in 2017, Kate will be in her late thirties — when a woman's fertility is on the wane.

Source: http://womansday.ninemsn.com.au/celebrity/celebrityheadlines/997423/kate-middletons-secret-pain-i-cant-be-a-mum

Royal Wedding Souvenirs

   

William and Kate, wait for me!

After careful consideration of every ones comments (thank you) on my indecisive post about going to London, I have decided to cross the pond and celebrate the royal wedding with William and Kate. Just in case you're wondering. No, I don't have a ticket to their wedding.

It's a crazy thing to do but it's also a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the royal family doing what they do best - riding on horses and keeping things shiny. Royal weddings do not happen all the time and I don't expect to see a wedding of this scale anytime soon.

I also think that one day, this episode will make a good chapter in my as yet unwritten memoir. Not to mention a pivotal scene in the movie-of-the-week of my life starring the lovely Julia Emma Roberts.

While I'm away in London, probably getting lost on the tube as we speak, the lovely Cinderella from the World of Royalty website, World of Royalty Blog, Royal News Blog and a fabulous contributor to The Kate Middleton Report, will be updating this site and the Kate blog with information from the wedding day.

I shall also attempt to tweet live during the royal wedding and you can follow my royal wedding updates on Twitter at marilynsrylblog

© Marilyn Braun 2011

 Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

A Review of The Movie: William and Kate

Sticklers for detail might have been confused by the opening of William and Kate – the Movie (Channel 5, Sunday), when Prince William’s arrival at St Andrews was introduced by an aerial shot of Christ Church, Oxford. But then, sticklers for detail were never likely to be satisfied by an 87-minute TV movie about the Royal family made for the Lifetime cable network in the US.

This was a St Andrews which its students called ‘school’, where they lived in ‘dorms’. These were rooms with so much dark wood paneling and so many Tudor beams that it would have been no surprise to see Diana Dors pop out in full Hammer Horror costume. And while this movie was ‘based on true events’, it certainly wasn’t based on true hairdos or soft furnishings.



Prince William met Kate Middleton, but Kate had a boyfriend. William didn’t like St Andrews and threatened to leave. But William was thwarted by his father, an enjoyably articulate Prince Charles played with evident relish by Ben Cross. ‘There are always repercussions when one changes one’s mind,’ warned Charles darkly, and the wooden paneling creaked with deeper meaning.

Even when William and Kate properly started going out, they were still so constantly surrounded by their perky gang of university friends that the atmosphere was more like Dawson’s Creek than Clarence House. At the famed fashion show, as Kate strutted down the catwalk in her revealing outfit, the scriptwriter finally let loose with the kind of lightly whipped banter that should have been peppered throughout.

‘She’s hot,’ said William’s blokey mate.

‘She’s hot,’ said William.

‘I just said that,’ chided blokey mate.

‘It’s worth repeating,’ responded William firmly.

And so we were whisked off into a romantic world of champagne and private planes, with William looking more like the captain of a winning team on The Apprentice than the heir to the throne. Of course, Wills and Kate had eventually to break up. But even then Kate mourned, lonely on her sofa, in full pearlescent eye make-up.

It was never quite clear why Wills ‘needed space’. But Kate, every inch the Lifetime heroine, pulled herself together at lightning speed and turned into not only a career woman but a charity fundraising ninja. Much, in fact, like Wills’s dear departed mother, and this was where the script really clunked. In the pivotal scene, between Wills and Charles, Wills vowed never to let anyone he loved be as lonely and lost as Charles had let Diana be. It was a different era, said Charles helplessly.

But by this point, we all knew that Kate wouldn’t wait much longer. She would be loved and protected – and, most importantly, proposed to against the backdrop of an African sunset. Unlike the real Royal family, romantic Lifetime movies always come with an all-American happy ending.

Reviewed by Niel Midgley 

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Royal Wedding Souvenirs 

Mr Hugo Burnand Has Been Choosen As Official Royal Wedding Photographer

HRH Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton have selected Hugo Burnand to be their official photographer at their wedding on the 29th April.  Mr Burnand will be take the official photographs at Buckingham Palace following the wedding at Westminster Abbey.

Mr Burnand has photographed Prince William privately before and was the official photographer at the wedding of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall 2005.  He also took the official 60th birthday photograph of The Prince of Wales.

A well known portrait photographer, Hugo Burnand has also photographed Lucien Freud, Lady Thatcher, Victoria Beckham and John Magnier. Mr Burnand regularly works with Conde Nast Publications including House & Garden Magazine and Tatler.



Born in 1963, Hugo is married to Louisa and they have four children. Hugo learnt the basics of photography from his mother Ursy, who used to turn their kitchen at home into a dark room in the evenings and started with his first camera at age of seven.

He attended Harrow School and after spending 10 years travelling through America, France and Ireland as a stable hand and a brief job at Lloyds of London.   Hugo became a photographer's assistant to Julian Calder. Hugo later set up his own studio in Notting Hill.

Source: www.officialroyalwedding2011.org

Royal Wedding Souvenir



 

Her Majesty The Queen gives formal consent to the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton

Her Majesty The Queen gave formal consent to Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s marriage today.

Under the Great Seal of the Realm, The Queen signed a notice of approval which proclaimed, in transcribed calligraphy, consent to the union of "Our Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales, K.G. and Our Trusty and Well-beloved Catherine Elizabeth Middleton".

Tied to the bottom of the approval by gold braiding is a large red wax Great Seal of the Realm.

The law dates back to the 18th Century.

Under the Royal Marriages Act 1772, all descendants of King George II must obtain the Sovereign's agreement before they wed.

The "Instrument of Consent" features decorative artwork chosen by the artist to represent the groom and bride-to-be.

A white lily represents St. Catherine of Siena, whose feast day falls on April 29th and with whom Miss Middleton shares her name.

Beneath it is a Welsh leek surrounded by Prince William's white three-pronged second in line to the throne label and a tiny red escallop from the Spencer family Arms.

There is also a red dragon - the heraldic symbol of Wales, the UK's floral emblems - the rose, thistle and shamrock - and the Garter belt, Prince William's blue and gold Order of the Garter belt, as well as a large gold E for Elizabeth.

The Queen's signature "Elizabeth R" can be seen at the top right of the Instrument of Consent, which is dated "the ninth day of February Two Thousand and Eleven in the Sixtieth year of Our Reign".

It was signed "by The Queen herself, signed with her own hand" at a Privy Council meeting after the Monarch made a formal Declaration of Consent.

It reads: "NOW KNOW YE that We have consented and do by these Presents signify Our Consent to the contracting of Matrimony between Our Most Dearly Beloved Grandson Prince William Arthur Philip Louis of Wales K.G. and Our Trusty and Well-beloved Catherine Elizabeth Middleton."

Source: www.officialroyalwedding2011.org

Royal Wedding Souvenir