The wedding that once upon a time, might never have been allowed
May 18, 2018 7:34 AM   Subscribe

Don't Even Try to Escape the Media's Royal Wedding Feeding Frenzy Once upon a time, a prince would never have been allowed to marry a divorced biracial American actress. Happily, times have changed, and people around the world are celebrating that something like this can finally happen.

Anyone remember the book “Knit Your Own Royal Wedding” when Kate and William got married?
posted by jenfullmoon (336 comments total) 63 users marked this as a favorite
 
This is lovely! Thank you for putting it together!
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 7:44 AM on May 18, 2018 [10 favorites]


Once upon a time, a prince would never have been allowed to marry a divorced biracial American actress.

Madame Naberius is seriously into British Royal Family stuff these days. The wedding itself is only of tangential interest because she's not approaching it from a celebrity gossip perspective, but from a major jones for British period drama. She went from Downton Abbey to The Crown, and now she's earnestly watching The Royal House of Windsor. All this comes with extensive googling to find out "what was the deal with that creepy Peter Townsend guy," or, "seriously, did Prince Philip really do that?" or "wait, whose uncle is that again?" and so on.

So I'm pretty steeped (for an American at least) in 20th century British royal history these days. And the pattern of pitfalls that has dogged the royal family for generations now seems pretty clear. If you just let them marry who they want, you can spare yourselves a whole boatload (and we're talking like Triple E container ships here) of trouble down the road. Fortunately, they seem to have finally figured that out.

Of course I wonder if William would have been allowed the latitude that has been granted a younger brother who's getting farther from the throne all the time.
posted by Naberius at 7:49 AM on May 18, 2018 [17 favorites]


We've been invited to a tea being held by my daughter's boyfriend's British parents and I am excited because Spectacle! Tea! Finger sandwiches! Scones!

My daughter and I are going to make fascinators tonight!
posted by cooker girl at 7:54 AM on May 18, 2018 [17 favorites]


I don't really care about this that much, but the thing I found super novel, not having followed all this stuff, was discovering today that she's my age. Kate and Megan are both actually older than both of the boys... and Megan is roughly the same age that Diana was when she died. I'm not super invested in this but that says a TON about how much culture has changed just in my lifetime, with both Megan and I having been born the same year Diana and Charles got married when Diana was only 20. Looking back with 2018 eyes, I'm like--oh my god, she was a baby, how was that ever seen as romantic.
posted by Sequence at 7:54 AM on May 18, 2018 [65 favorites]


Mod note: Couple things removed. Y'all it is totally understandable if you don't give a hot turd about royals or weddings or royal weddings but go ahead and give this thread a pass in that case and let the folks who feel like having a non-grar chat about it do that.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:57 AM on May 18, 2018 [89 favorites]


I was watching BBC News when the royal baby was born. Hilariously, all the comments from the public came from American college girls. I've noticed this happening on CNN, too. Any news related to the royals inevitably includes "word on the street" segments with Americans explaining very sincerely, "It's just so exciting to be here, when all this is going on! It's so historic."
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:02 AM on May 18, 2018


Uhhh that wasn't meant to be a dig at American college girls, I was one myself.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:03 AM on May 18, 2018 [6 favorites]


Looking back with 2018 eyes, I'm like--oh my god, she was a baby, how was that ever seen as romantic

I remember those days, and yeah, we all managed to get ourselves lost in the fairy tale stuff, I guess. It's only now in hindsight that it seems obvious that it was all headed for disaster. Indeed we just watched the episode of The Royal House of Windsor that talks about the 1970s fears that Charles was taking the same route as David/Edward VIII. Charles loved Camilla, but he couldn't marry her, so he spent years basically just being the world's most eligible playboy. The way the documentary presents it now, it was largely the death of Louis Mountbatten at the hands of IRA terrorists that kind of put him in a funk, and Diana appeared at that point.

They now frame it as Charles being torn between love and duty, and seeing what happened to his great uncle when he chose love, Charles put his head down and did his duty. Then all the talking heads talk about what a terrible choice he made in Diana, how they were obviously incompatible and it was always going to end badly. But nobody thought that at the time. Everyone was all about how wonderful she was and how she was reinvigorating the institution of the royal family. If people had a clue how flawed it all was, nobody was saying so.

(To be clear, not that the tragic flaw was anything wrong with Diana, but that Charles was clearly and irretrievably in love with someone else that protocol said he couldn't have.)
posted by Naberius at 8:04 AM on May 18, 2018 [27 favorites]


Thank you for this! I will devour all of the links and drag my butt out of bed at early o'clock.

I watched Charles, Andrew, Edward and William's weddings and I think this will be the last big Windsor one until ... George/Charlotte/Louis, right? I'm not sure if Eugenie's will be televised live and I think Louise and James will be too far removed from the throne by the time they choose to marry.
posted by kimberussell at 8:05 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


I am stupid-excited for this, but in my defense, as a liturgist, royal weddings and papal funerals are my jam. They're the only things I get up at ridiculously early hours to watch live!

They've asked the presiding Episcopal bishop from the US, who's also the first African-American to head the ECUSA, Michael Curry, to give the sermon. I'm excited because a) Curry is a Chicagoan and b) he was first elevated to the episcopate as bishop of North Carolina the same year I started seminary down there (consecrated at Duke Chapel, even), so I heard him preach several times and met him a few times. He's a good preacher! And a good choice for an American to preach at such a major event, being the first African-American leader of the ECUSA, a notable proponent of same-sex marriage, a leading voice on racial equality and reconciliation (especially on the Christian left). Choosing Curry is a strong political statement, not just from Harry and Meghan, but from the Archbishop of Canterbury who suggested him as preacher.

Anyway, it should be a good sermon! He preaches a good homily. And it'll be quite something to see a black, gay-marriage-supporting bishop hangin' with the Archbishop of Canterbury and peaching to the "pale, male, and stale" old guard of the British aristocracy/church leadership/political world! That's a big time statement that the future is progressive.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:14 AM on May 18, 2018 [86 favorites]


We're hosting neighbor/friends to watch the televised proceedings, and I will be making Pimms cups. I am pretty excited about that. Spouse and the friends always rock tiaras when we watch "The Crown" or "Victoria", so that part is already in order.
posted by sandettie light vessel automatic at 8:16 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


I am indulging in this and making a British inspired breakfast tomorrow with cheap champagne. I can’t decide if I will watch the PBS broadcast or the parody HBO broadcast.

Looking forward to seeing Meghan’s mom as well.
posted by girlmightlive at 8:17 AM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


This is so not my thing, which is funny in a way because I am a devoted watcher of things like "The Crown." I guess my fascination with the royal family on comes into play once it is distant enough to be called history.

But despite it being not my thing, I can't help but be happy to see so many other people get so happy about it. For some, this is their Super Bowl/Infinity War/other big fandom thing, to which I can only say - Rock on. The "pregame" coverage begins here at 2am my time, with "kickoff" at 5am and I plan to be happily asleep - maybe I'll be willing to pay attention to the significance of this moment in about 30-50 years, but tomorrow is not that day.
posted by nubs at 8:22 AM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


Biracial? The royals already claim Ethiopian descent.
posted by ocschwar at 8:25 AM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


I went for a predawn walk along our typical suburban Long island street here just as the live coverage of William and Kate's wedding was getting started in April 2011 - and I was amazed (and very amused) to see the blue light of furtively flickering tv screens in dozens of front rooms up and down my road.

(I thought it was delightful...a hitherto entirely unsuspected cabal of monarchists....)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 8:26 AM on May 18, 2018 [11 favorites]


Confusing Meghan Markle with Angela Merkel? You're Not Alone!

(My contribution to this clickbaitathon)
posted by chavenet at 8:32 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


The Root commentary on Meghan Markle's tabloid-dramatic white relatives: Is It Safe to Admit I’m Just Happy It’s the White Side of Meghan Markle’s Family Acting a Damn Fool?
"It’s not every day you get to marry a prince, and to have a whole [white] side of your family showing their whole, entire ass to the whole, entire world and attempting to drag you down to their level cannot be easy to watch or tolerate."
posted by nicebookrack at 8:32 AM on May 18, 2018 [35 favorites]


Can anyone explain to me why Markle's father withdrew? I understand that he hired photographers to take staged pics of him reading a book on English history or whatever, but -- I mean, that's what all of these people do, isn't it? Stage something to look relevant and then have professional photographers record it?
posted by tzikeh at 8:32 AM on May 18, 2018


"a hitherto entirely unsuspected cabal of monarchists...."

The most delightful thing about the British royal family is that as an American, you can enjoy all the pomp and circumstance, in a language you understand, from a country you share history with, with the smug superiority that comes from knowing you had a revolution to stop your tax dollars from paying for any of it. My love for them can be completely uncomplicated because I have already rejected royalism! If I were British I'd be so damn conflicted all the time.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:34 AM on May 18, 2018 [29 favorites]


Oh man, they televised Prince Edward's wedding? I'm glad I didn't know -- I had SUCH a crush on him in the 80s.
posted by JanetLand at 8:35 AM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


"Can anyone explain to me why Markle's father withdrew?"

He legit had a heart attack -- maybe caused by the stress of the whole thing, or maybe because his heart hasn't been in great shape for a few years -- and underwent heart surgery Wednesday.

The Monday withdrawal and Tuesday "no wait I'm coming" was him being a drama queen about the paparazzi pictures. But the final withdrawal on Wednesday was for the heart attack & surgery.

(I guess we should call him a drama king, the actual Queen is much less dramatic than this guy!)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:37 AM on May 18, 2018 [11 favorites]


I hope my fellow Americans are enjoying this thing, because it's put on pretty much entirely for their benefit.
posted by Optamystic at 8:37 AM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


How much of Disney's revenues are attributable to royal weddings?
posted by clawsoon at 8:39 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


It has been obvious since even before she started dating Harry that Meghan and her father('s side of the family) were not and had not been close. I think it's a fairly simple case of a deadbeat dad (and his family) who wants to capitalize on his daughter's success and fame. You cannot view the father's behavior separate from (the awful) half sister, Stephanie Grant and all the other family out to embarrass Meghan (and line their pockets). I am truly sorry he had a heart attack, and I hope he makes a full recovery so he can attempt to repair his relationship with his daughter privately instead of through TMZ.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 8:41 AM on May 18, 2018 [17 favorites]


I feel like Diana’s pain bought this freedom for her sons. I hope she knows that somehow.
posted by bq at 8:44 AM on May 18, 2018 [55 favorites]


Remember—should you encounter Her Majesty in the banquet line, the proper address is "Hey, Queen!"
posted by octobersurprise at 8:45 AM on May 18, 2018 [13 favorites]


I'm getting up at 6:00am Eastern to watch this at my friend's house and she is making a "British breakfast casserole" and mimosas and I could not be more excited. My husband says, "this is such a weird aspect of your personality." Whateverrrrrrr.

I don't see it linked above but The New York Times Royal Wedding FAQ is an absolute treasure. Highlight:
24. Why is this wedding important?
It is not important.
posted by something something at 8:56 AM on May 18, 2018 [37 favorites]


This shit is why I am a republican.

(Also a centre-left Scottish green. Not that kind of Republican ...!)
posted by cstross at 8:56 AM on May 18, 2018 [20 favorites]


I'm working freelance at a major American cable network, which means I'm fucking surrounded by the marketing materials for the media frenzy surrounding this. Literally a giant poster for them right behind me as I type this.

Good for them, I'm ready to be past the hoopla.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:57 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


Game Of Scones
posted by clawsoon at 8:59 AM on May 18, 2018 [18 favorites]


Eyebrows McGee: Choosing Curry is a strong political statement

Yes, but it's still a goddamn Jesus Infomercial. In a country that is majority no-religion/atheist, and where Anglicans/episcopalians barely outstrip Catholics and Muslims but have legally entrenched privilege.

Disestablish the Church of England.

Disestablish the Monarchy.

(* FX: wanders off to find something to chew on that'll reduce the amount of dental enamel he's splintering *)
posted by cstross at 8:59 AM on May 18, 2018 [29 favorites]


PS: Here is ALL the royal wedding news you need, in one place. Honest.
posted by cstross at 9:01 AM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


"a hitherto entirely unsuspected cabal of monarchists...."

There's a case to be made for systems of government where the tasks and trappings of political theater are given to one person, and the task of actually getting shit done are given to someone else. In particular because it lets introverts step forward and take the latter job. When one person has to do both, the job goes primarily to narcissists.
posted by ocschwar at 9:01 AM on May 18, 2018 [33 favorites]


> something something:
"The New York Times Royal Wedding FAQ is an absolute treasure."

QFT.

Note: Also, there is always the chance that Prince Philip will say something completely inappropriate.

ALWAYS.
posted by chavenet at 9:04 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


I'm really bored with the Who Gives A Fuck comments on fb, twitter, etc. To demonstrate your lack of giving a fuck, try not commenting or protesting. The British royals have a product: spectacle. They shine at it, they are really, genuinely excellent. The wedding will be all tradition, spectacle, fabulous outfits, hats, weird objects attached to women's heads and called fascinators, and the absolutely worst commentary the US media can dredge up. I'll set an alarm because of course I want to see some of it. I have a schedule conflict so can't devote my day to it.

The article I really want to read is about the tea towels, cookie tins, tea mugs/ pots, tea tins, etc., being flogged with pictures of the lovely couple. If I had silly amounts of disposable cash, I would go buy trunkloads of tat.

I'm anti-monarchy, but if one has a monarchy, amateur over-produced theatricals are the best use for them.
posted by theora55 at 9:08 AM on May 18, 2018 [45 favorites]


Well, I'm for antidisestablishmentarianism!

Growing up, I was told it was the longest word in the English language, and it always sounded awesome, but it took until I was thirty something before I learned what it means!
posted by GregorWill at 9:12 AM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


I'm also looking forward to The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor blog weighing in on whatever jewels come out of the vault. Meghan's headpiece speculation here.
posted by kimberussell at 9:13 AM on May 18, 2018 [9 favorites]


I would LOVE if she wore some of DIana's pieces or even had a new thing made that incorporated the Queen, Diana, and her mom's things. BUT a traditional tiara would also be nice, whether we've seen it before or not.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 9:19 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


I wonder if anyone watches this live from California.
posted by ZeusHumms at 9:21 AM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


theora55, this link's for you!
From Personalized Marmite to Ugly-Ass Flags: Here Are the Wildest Souvenirs I Found at the Royal Wedding
posted by nicebookrack at 9:23 AM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


The graphic for the NYTimes FAQ could use some unicorns, but is really over the top in a way that I hope indicates sarcasm.

nicebookrack, thank you, it's.., I'm, so.. thank you
posted by theora55 at 9:24 AM on May 18, 2018 [6 favorites]


I swear 100% up and down that I did not know there was a royal wedding pending until I checked in on a bass musicians BBS this morning and saw one the most active topic was "BEST BASS FOR ROYAL WEDDING?: Like most of you, I'll be sitting in front of my TV on Saturday, lapping up every detail of the royal wedding, and dutifully playing along on my practice rig. [...] Which bass is more suitable for the occasion?"

I'm not linking because after the first dozen posts the thread descends into comments that would get people banned if they said 'em on MeFi; you can find it if you want it. But the early consensus answer was a Hofner Violin Bass. Thanks to being played by Paul McCartney on many Beatles classics, it is like the Royal Family a signature of Britishness. And like the Royal Family, it originated in Germany.
posted by ardgedee at 9:26 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


There's something about this type of pageantry that I find fascinating. And I say this as someone who dislikes pretty much everything the Royal family represents. But I'm a sucker for these types of events. I don't know that I'll be waking up at 4 a.m. to watch this but I will rewatch the entire thing later in the day.
posted by Fizz at 9:29 AM on May 18, 2018 [6 favorites]


> ardgedee:
"BEST BASS FOR ROYAL WEDDING?"

Bass ale, surely.
posted by chavenet at 9:33 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


There's a case to be made for systems of government where the tasks and trappings of political theater are given to one person, and the task of actually getting shit done are given to someone else. In particular because it lets introverts step forward and take the latter job. When one person has to do both, the job goes primarily to narcissists.

England also does this with mayors which I found hilarious when living there. The mayors are trotted out at ceremonies in ridiculous gear just for pomp of it. It was awesome and silly.
posted by srboisvert at 9:35 AM on May 18, 2018 [7 favorites]


What fun!
posted by infini at 9:35 AM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


Like Punxsutawney Phil!!
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 9:35 AM on May 18, 2018 [9 favorites]


I was watching BBC News when the royal baby was born. Hilariously, all the comments from the public came from American college girls. I've noticed this happening on CNN, too. Any news related to the royals inevitably includes "word on the street" segments with Americans explaining very sincerely, "It's just so exciting to be here, when all this is going on! It's so historic."

I visited London in May of 2011, about a month after the William/Kate wedding. One of the places I visited was Westminister Chapel, where they had a simple audio guide for a self-guided tour. In one of the main rooms, they also had a bunch of docents standing around for people in the public to walk over to and ask questions. I was good with the audio guide, but happened to overhear the questions different conversations between tourists and docents. And I was very amused to hear that the things the docents were pointing out fell into two camps, depending on the nationality of the tourist:

FOR THE BRITISH VISITORS: "Oh, yes, King John's tomb is just behind the nave over there, if you go out this passagway and turn left....and King Edward II is just over there, and..."

FOR THE AMERICAN VISITORS: "Oh, yes, Kate came up the aisle this way and the service was performed right here, and Elton John sat in that pew there and Madonna was just behind him, and...."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:37 AM on May 18, 2018 [23 favorites]


For people who jump in without reading the thread, there has been a mod note about not shitting in the thread.

Flag Early
and
Flag Often
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 9:39 AM on May 18, 2018 [12 favorites]


I hope my fellow Americans are enjoying this thing, because it's put on pretty much entirely for their benefit.

The hottest take I got on this wedding was from an old, actual bone deep Monarchist who was upset someone so far down the line of secession was getting this much attention when a small st. James chapel wedding and a few photos would suffice. I mentioned it was mostly for the non-British audience, and mostly Americans, and he said he didn’t see why they should cater to people who abaonded the institution.
posted by The Whelk at 9:42 AM on May 18, 2018 [32 favorites]


I mentioned it was mostly for the non-British audience, and mostly Americans, and he said he didn’t see why they should cater to people who abaonded the institution.

Tommy Lascelles, surely.
posted by octobersurprise at 9:46 AM on May 18, 2018 [16 favorites]


> Well, I'm for antidisestablishmentarianism! ... it took until I was thirty something before I learned what it means!

The fun thing about this word is that it's built out of so many compounded prefixes and suffixes, you can barely see the root word in it! So let's break it down quickly and figure out what it means: "Anti-" means against, "-Ism" is belief, "Dis-" means not, "-Arian" means white racist, "E-" means electronic, "-Ment" denotes the result of an action, and "-Lish" means approximate to or resembling. And of course this leaves the root word "stab", meaning to pierce repeatedly with a sharp object.

From this we can conclude that the word antidisestablishmentarianism means the belief of being against the opposition to assault Nazis, whether in person or online. The English language is wonderful!
posted by ardgedee at 9:47 AM on May 18, 2018 [21 favorites]


OK, that china is gorgeous.

I'm just happy that I have a matching all white plain Correlle set for 8 that I picked up at Goodwill 15 years ago (I think it's the most I've ever spent at a thrift shop for anything—$48 for cups, plates, saucers, bowls, a serving plate and a gravy boat), but a nice set of china is a pleasure to look at.

I got up at 4 in the morning to watch Charles and Di's wedding on CNN when I was 12. I really wanted to see the dress. I have a rocks glass from that time that I got at uni in the early 90s, though now I don't recall how. Perhaps I'll have a Pimm's cup in it tomorrow!
posted by droplet at 9:50 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


> a "British breakfast casserole"

What is wrong with you people?
posted by Leon at 9:53 AM on May 18, 2018 [9 favorites]


Would you prefer a Utah breakfast casserole?
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 9:54 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


Unsure. But I know what goes in a British breakfast, and I know what casserole means. That is not a good combination.

(How do you casserole eggs?)
posted by Leon at 9:55 AM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


"BEST BASS FOR ROYAL WEDDING?"

Bass ale, surely.

Largemouth.
posted by Daily Alice at 9:56 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


I will report back re: casserole contents.
posted by something something at 9:58 AM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


I was just going to toast up some English Muffins and call it good, but now I'm thinking I should up my game.
posted by kimberussell at 9:59 AM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


Baking eggs is the least weird part of a breakfast casserole from any locale.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 10:00 AM on May 18, 2018 [11 favorites]


(How do you casserole eggs?)

*summons all of her Minnesotan-ness* Have you heard of hot dish?
posted by jillithd at 10:02 AM on May 18, 2018 [18 favorites]


Disclaimer: I make no claims for that recipe. It was the first result for "eggs + hot dish".
posted by jillithd at 10:03 AM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


Scramble them and layer with cheese and/or potatoes, duh. (Also Minnesotan)
posted by Autumnheart at 10:07 AM on May 18, 2018 [6 favorites]


The elderflower-lemon wedding cake (previously) actually sounds delicious to me, and I might want it badly enough to try baking it. I live out West and will not be sacrificing my sweet, precious rest for live coverage, but I'll probably watch the Will Ferrell/Molly Shannon special on HBO.

I might also consult that "Drink Like a Royal" post, I love fancy excuses for alcoholism.
posted by grandiloquiet at 10:15 AM on May 18, 2018 [9 favorites]


"The New York Times Royal Wedding FAQ is an absolute treasure."

QFT.

Just watch out for the pink.

Is it my imagination, or does Charlotte look exactly like Elizabeth II at the same age?

Love this thread, thank you!
posted by Melismata at 10:15 AM on May 18, 2018 [6 favorites]


Anyway, it should be a good sermon! He preaches a good homily.

I know he won't, but I'd love to see him wander away from the pulpit while he's speaking, as he is wont to do.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:18 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


oh my stars I just realised I don't have a proper tiara to wear with my flannel pyjamas tomorrow morning
but I have rhinestones, glitter, & a hot glue gun
so I think I've got this
posted by Mary Ellen Carter at 10:24 AM on May 18, 2018 [21 favorites]


I'm going to be stuck at a car dealership at 9 a.m. waiting for my car to be serviced, but that means I'll be sitting in the lounge with CNN, and I'm really hoping there will be plenty of royal wedding coverage left to watch. This will be way more interesting than college game day and ESPN from the last service appointment.
posted by gladly at 10:32 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


Like Punxsutawney Phil!!
Punxsutawney Madge?
posted by theora55 at 10:33 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


The formatting on this is making me crazy, but Full Order of Service for the wedding for those interested.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:35 AM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


I might also consult that "Drink Like a Royal" post, I love fancy excuses for alcoholism.

The royals' preferred tipples are so. BORING. I was certainly not surprised, but I was disappointed. Gin, gin, Stella/Guinness, a couple heinous frouffy whatever's-behind-the-bar concoctions, more gin. Meghan's the only one with any taste at all when it comes to adult beverages!
posted by halation at 10:56 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


It took my wife 13 minutes to go from "hey if we're up anyway do we want to watch this?" to planning a breakfast menu for the occasion. The change really happened when she remembered our toddler has a corgi dress she can wear while we watch.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:58 AM on May 18, 2018 [52 favorites]


I have yet to inform my spouse that tomorrow they will wake up to me watching royal wedding coverage while i drink an entirely too sweet pear apple cider in bed.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 11:05 AM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


Also, for people who feel like they need to snark on people who like this sort of thing. Let us enjoy things, it's even ok to enjoy frivolous things, especially when we live in a time where young children are being murdered in their schools. Sometimes I need to let my brain see something happy. A beautiful dress, a bunch of pageantry, a cup of tea while I watch something that lets me turn my brain off for a few minutes.

I realize that the Royal family as a whole is not without problems and those should be addressed, but also, let me enjoy this nice thing. I'm not calling out anyone specific in this thread, but if someone says some dumb shit to you about your watching the Royal wedding. Fuck that.
posted by Fizz at 11:09 AM on May 18, 2018 [38 favorites]


The change really happened when she remembered our toddler has a corgi dress she can wear while we watch.

...

I have never wanted a corgi dress so bad in my life. That sounds adorable.

Lemon elderflower cake sounds DIVINE. I have never wanted a piece of cake so bad in my life.

George is just a few days older than my kid and I remember when he wore those adorable sailboat overalls which I coveted for a HOT SECOND until I realized they were > $100 for something my infant child would grow out of in two days and do the unspeakable bodily fluids things that small humans do to clothing.

I still want that cake, though.
posted by jillithd at 11:10 AM on May 18, 2018 [7 favorites]


The change really happened when she remembered our toddler has a corgi dress she can wear while we watch.

I initially read this as you having a dress for your corgi, and honestly I recommend that you get a corgi and a dress for it and then send me pictures. You can keep the toddler too.
posted by middleclasstool at 11:11 AM on May 18, 2018 [15 favorites]


All we wanted to know at work when it was announced was whether the wedding would be on a weekday and, if so, would we get a day off. But because it's on a Saturday - and Cup Final Saturday at that - nobody cares.
posted by essexjan at 11:12 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


A toddler in a corgi dress and a corgi in a toddler dress!!



...........I don't know what that means.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 11:12 AM on May 18, 2018 [10 favorites]


I feel like I need to know more about this corgi dress. Is it a dress that makes your toddler look like a corgi? A dress with corgis on it?
posted by skycrashesdown at 11:13 AM on May 18, 2018 [9 favorites]


The cake recipe is, of course, not public, but this looks simple and delicious if anyone's feeling inspired. I'd suggest going with St. Germain, but elderflower cordial from IKEA would work, too.
posted by halation at 11:13 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


The corgi might be in a dress made for a toddler, because a dress to make a corgi look like a toddler might be somewhat horrifying. A dress covered in images of toddlers seems hard to pull off, even for a corgi.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 11:14 AM on May 18, 2018 [7 favorites]


That NYT FAQ linked to above is very handy. Oddest fact I learned was that Ben Mulroney's kids (grandchildren of former Prime Minister of Canada, Brian Mulroney) will be involved in wedding which I guess is nice. While I don't have much interest in the wedding per se, I do think the cake sounds pretty tasty.
posted by Ashwagandha at 11:15 AM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


George is just a few days older than my kid and I remember when he wore those adorable sailboat overalls which I coveted for a HOT SECOND until I realized they were > $100 for something my infant child would grow out of in two days

My mother-in-law follows Princess Charlotte's fashion fairly closely and sometimes we reap the rewards in the form of "inspired by what she's wearing but not *quite* as expensive.*" Like I think they were really into Spanish baby clothes at one point, so we got a bunch of those. She's also the source of the corgi outfit, which I'm just realizing is a onesie, not a dress.

*They're still stupid expensive.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:16 AM on May 18, 2018 [12 favorites]


Sadly it is not a dress but a onesie with corgis on the collar. The Queen's last corgi died (she decided not to get any more because she doesn't want the doggies to outlive her which I think is very thoughtful) and my mom decided, inexplicably but correctly, that her granddaughter should have something to mark the occasion.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 11:17 AM on May 18, 2018 [35 favorites]


She keeps saying "I think Kate's such a smart shopper".
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 11:18 AM on May 18, 2018 [20 favorites]


Still the best royal wedding homage, in my opinion. Fashion+impersonators+dancing, fun!
posted by olopua at 11:19 AM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


I was picturing something with an all-over corgi print and then I found this and I think I might need a skirt made out of one of these now.

In less derail-y commenting, my parents just got back from a trip to London which they'd inadvertently timed to somewhat overlap with the wedding frenzy. They brought my aunt decorative cookies with the couple's faces on them in icing.
posted by skycrashesdown at 11:19 AM on May 18, 2018 [6 favorites]


OMG, that corgi collar is perfectly quaint and adorable. Get that kid a tiara and a cuppa!
posted by jillithd at 11:20 AM on May 18, 2018 [7 favorites]


I maybe just teared up at baby's onesie.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 11:20 AM on May 18, 2018 [7 favorites]


> I maybe just teared up at baby's onesie

It's a wedding! Cry at everything!
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:22 AM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


I'm really bored with the Who Gives A Fuck comments on fb, twitter, etc. To demonstrate your lack of giving a fuck, try not commenting or protesting.

But...but...how else to signal that We're Not Like Those Other Silly Frivolous Girls or Those Other Daffy Americans? (It's the kind of mentality that gives us "I'm not a tourist, I'm a traveler!")

Back in my starry-eyed teen years I watched the Charles and Diana wedding - on the West Coast it was, I believe, at midnight because the UK is eight hours ahead. Now, I'm old and jaded and need my sleep. But I'm still avidly wondering about the dress and jewelry Meghan will wear so I plan to at least peek at the streaming. Another thing is that, back in the 80's, if you missed an event that was that. But now, I'm sure the Meghan/Harry wedding will be immortalized on YouTube just like the Will and Kate one. So there is no FOMO here.

It is hard to believe that Harry's mother was only 20 at her marriage! To me, now, that's way way too young! How times have changed - both Kate and Meghan are older than their royal husbands, the shitty old racists who carp about Meghan's background are being smacked down, a liberal African-American bishop who favors LGBT marriage rights is officiating! And the cute-as-a-button royal kidlets seem to have a much more relaxed and loving childhood. I think Diana and her unhappy marriage, her love for her children, her determination to live her own life, helped make all this possible.

And the comments upthread about how it would be nice if America could have a family that was responsible for just doing the pageantry and ritual stuff, instead of off-loading that onto politicians, especially the First Family, are right on. Maybe we could elect more boring but competent safe pairs of hands (like Angela Merkel) who could just do the business of governing.

Jenfullmoon, thank you so much for pulling together such a great post!
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 11:30 AM on May 18, 2018 [34 favorites]


How is discussion about CORGI FABRIC a derail in a British monarchy thread?
posted by cooker girl at 11:33 AM on May 18, 2018 [21 favorites]


Also Boden is a British Company so it's even more relevant! And they let you pick your title so all of the kraken's packages come address to Lt. Commander Firstname Lastname. She's good at reconnaissance but really struggles with following orders.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 11:36 AM on May 18, 2018 [17 favorites]


I'm fairly indifferent to this all but the fact that the Queen doesn't have any more corgis makes me feel really sad for her :(
posted by supermedusa at 11:38 AM on May 18, 2018 [18 favorites]


I find myself wondering if Meghan will influence/sell out fashion in the long term in the way that Kate does. Does anyone have any articles about that sort of thing so far? I know the Kate history (from the runway piece on down) but I must have missed write ups about Meghan (or they didn't happen? which seems odd bc her style is SO GOOD).

Also : a woman who probably secretly wished her son would marry an american
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 11:39 AM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


MMegan Markle’s new coat has completely sold out March 2018
posted by plonkee at 11:41 AM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


The queen has a couple corgis, just no more descendants from the ““original royal” line given to her by, I think, her father.

Also I just realized that Meghan is the same age Diana was when she died.
posted by girlmightlive at 11:42 AM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


The queen has a couple corgis, just no more descendants from the ““original royal” line

They're not corgis, actually, they're dorgis! (Apparently Princess Margaret's dachsund had a passionate and illicit fling with one of the Queen's corgis at some point.) But really, anytime you breed a corgi with another dog, you basically end up with undercover corgis...
posted by halation at 11:47 AM on May 18, 2018 [12 favorites]


I am delighted to learn from the Full Order of Service that Bulgaroktonos linked above that, in the various musical interludes throughout the ceremony, the trumpet will be played by Mr. David Blackadder. (He lives!)
posted by Kat Allison at 11:48 AM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


If we're moving on to royal dogs (I support this move), it's always worth remembering the inscription over where Queen Victoria's dog Dash is buried:

Here lies
DASH
The favourite spaniel of Her Majesty Queen Victoria
In his 10th year
His attachment was without selfishness
His playfulness without malice
His fidelity without deceit
READER
If you would be beloved and die regretted
Profit by the example of
DASH

posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:51 AM on May 18, 2018 [59 favorites]


That inscription, while doubtless accurate, owes a lot to the first stanza of Lord Byron's remembrance of a very good boy.
posted by The Gaffer at 11:55 AM on May 18, 2018 [12 favorites]


I just got back from the grocery, and now I begin the cooking phase of our Great British Princessing. I'm making bangers and mash, bubble and squeak, spotted dick, and lemon curd roly poly. Also meringue for Eton mess if I have time. Because everyone around me needs to experience British boarding school food on this, the most sparkly day of the year.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 12:00 PM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


I was in London last week and of course there is royal wedding kitsch everywhere and it’s all so awful and I also sort of wanted it all.
posted by maxsparber at 12:06 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


I told my mom I mentioned her and the corgi onesie in this thread and now she is excited to be a Metafilter star. Also I told her I was planning to wear a tiara tomorrow and now she's going to wear the tiara I wore at my wedding.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 12:19 PM on May 18, 2018 [24 favorites]


Harry is two places further out of the line of succession than his uncle Andrew was - one, because he's a generation further removed from the Queen, and the other, because William and Kate have three children, not two. At one point, he was third in line, IIRC. Plus, he's wildly popular. Why not televise his wedding?

I don't think William would have been allowed to marry Meghan, but the fact that he was allowed to marry Kate, who was essentially a nice, upper-middle-class ordinary British girl was a huge departure. So was the fact that they openly lived together - as did his uncle Edward and his wife, Sophie.

(Why do I know this?)

I am thrilled beyond belief that Bishop Curry is preaching. I'm thrilled that a liberal, progressive, African-American leader has such a prominent place in the ceremony - and I'm even more thrilled that the current president wasn't even invited. A lovely, subtle reminder that the United States is more than its current leadership would indicate.

Also, I wonder, if one reaches a certain age, is one just allowed to wear a tiara, regardless of marital status? Sort of like you start being called "Madame" rather than "Mademoiselle?" Asking for a friend.
posted by dancing_angel at 12:26 PM on May 18, 2018 [23 favorites]


Beware the Royal Order of Sartorial Splendour - its a rabbit hole of a time suck. Where did the past hour or two go?
posted by infini at 12:30 PM on May 18, 2018 [6 favorites]


I am one of these years going to properly internalize how to spell her name. I swear I know it, but I wrote my earlier comment before coffee. The silliness of this to me is like--it isn't my silliness, but as the world persists in being crap in a lot of ways, I'm very in favor of enjoying what you enjoy when you can enjoy it, and I really love seeing people get nerdy about whatever their thing happens to be. Is that weird? I don't like fashion that much and I'm even--I'm going to be shot for this--pretty "eh" about dogs, but this is all very cute.
posted by Sequence at 12:33 PM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


dancing angel asked: Also, I wonder, if one reaches a certain age, is one just allowed to wear a tiara, regardless of marital status? Sort of like you start being called "Madame" rather than "Mademoiselle?" Asking for a friend.

Oh girl, I have a collection of them. I've written here before about wearing them to the grocery store, to school board meetings, hell, I've worn them to work. I mean, I don't wear the foot tall tiara to daytime events, because that would be gauche, but yes honey, wear your tiara proudly anywhere you want to wear a tiara. Right now, I'm wearing a 3 inch "diamond" encrusted number with dangly bits from the 1920s. It's gorgeous. And it goes so well with my kitchen apron as I peel potatoes. ;)
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 12:35 PM on May 18, 2018 [26 favorites]


I'm pretty sure it was a thread just like this which led to the Cavaliers finally beating the Roundheads. People just wanted to peel their potatoes in their tiaras.
posted by clawsoon at 12:38 PM on May 18, 2018 [9 favorites]


At one point, he was third in line, IIRC.

He was in fact third in line behind Charles and William for nearly three decades (1984-2013)! That is, from Harry's birth until Prince George's birth.
posted by andrewesque at 12:42 PM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


For the other Minnesotans in the thread, Brit's Pub in downtown Minneapolis is having a viewing party, and warns that they expect a standing-room-only crowd, and will turn away people at the door if needed.
posted by ZeusHumms at 12:45 PM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


Right now, I'm wearing a 3 inch "diamond" encrusted number with dangly bits from the 1920s. It's gorgeous. And it goes so well with my kitchen apron as I peel potatoes
ooooh, pictures, pleeeeaaseeee.
posted by theora55 at 12:49 PM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


I'm just glad the Queen survived that assassination attempt by Reggie Jackson back in '88.
posted by Chrysostom at 12:55 PM on May 18, 2018 [10 favorites]


Would my spouse stop by Claire's while they're picking up their glasses at the mall? Just like, pick the first tiara and go...?
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 1:03 PM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


IF THEY LOVE YOU THEY WOULD
posted by cooker girl at 1:07 PM on May 18, 2018 [10 favorites]


(wonders where her tiny tiara from Walt Disney World got to....)
posted by kimberussell at 1:08 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


A tidbit I saw from Popbitch this week: Charles and Diana's wedding day was the 14th time they'd met.
posted by threetwentytwo at 1:10 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


undercover corgis...

Okay so #2 on that list is not a vallhund/corgi mix; that's just a plain old vallhund named Misty who is *very* fuzzy in that photo because she had recently (IIRC) been living mostly-outside in Canada.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 1:14 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


Pez dispensers
posted by theora55 at 1:24 PM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


posted by theora55 : ooooh, pictures, pleeeeaaseeee.

Here ya go. Please ignore the dusty shelf, I forgot I lived in the dust bowl and had windows open.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 1:27 PM on May 18, 2018 [19 favorites]


Thank you, SASP, that's a lovely tiara and perfect for dinner prep.
posted by theora55 at 1:46 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


the Cavaliers finally beating the Roundheads

I’m afraid that only happened in your imagination.
posted by Segundus at 2:02 PM on May 18, 2018


For those interested in the fashion angle, let me recommend one of my favorite blogs, Go Fug Yourself. I think they do a nice job balancing their obvious affection for the British royal family with acknowledging the problems of the monarchy, and provide great context and history for the fashion choices of the royal women (and sometimes men).

From the blog: here's a roundup of all the designers Markle has worn since getting engaged, here's informed speculation about the wedding dress, and here's a link to the last ten years of royal wedding gowns. The writers live-blogged Will and Kate's wedding but are in Windsor for Harry and Meghan, promising to post updates from their Instagram.
posted by stellaluna at 2:04 PM on May 18, 2018 [19 favorites]


awww I'm glad the queen's got some dorgis for company
posted by supermedusa at 2:16 PM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


I’m afraid that only happened in your imagination.

I've only made it to 1687.
posted by clawsoon at 2:48 PM on May 18, 2018


Okay, so we're ready! I'll be watching the wedding with my mom starting at 2 a.m. Mountain and we're planning on finding whatever the dorkiest coverage is on broadcast TV. We're especially interested in crowd coverage, tiny children as wedding attendants, and hats in general.

+ We're doing tea with crumpets from a local organic bakery (brownies and lemon-blueberry cupcakes! yum!)
+ Our non-corgi dogs will be honorary corgis for the day.
+ I was inspired by all of you being so festive (yay!), so I just ran out to the dollar store to pick up cheap plastic headbands, wedding tulle, and flowers to make our own fascinators, which will go wonderfully with t-shirts and yoga pants.

Yay! Yay yay yay!
posted by mochapickle at 3:00 PM on May 18, 2018 [16 favorites]


Another Go Fug Yourself plug: under their real names, the bloggers wrote the genuinely great romance novel The Royal We (on sale for $3!), which is highly enjoyable both in its own right and as a thinly-veiled fictionalized William/Kate romance with the serial numbers filed off.
posted by nicebookrack at 3:35 PM on May 18, 2018 [18 favorites]


Also : a woman who probably secretly wished her son would marry an american
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today!

I caught that Northwestern sweatshirt! Heh.
posted by droplet at 3:48 PM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


Seconding The Royal We. I hope they do a sequel for Harry -- I MEAN FREDDIE.
posted by kimberussell at 3:49 PM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


They're not corgis, actually, they're dorgis! (Apparently Princess Margaret's dachsund had a passionate and illicit fling with one of the Queen's corgis at some point.)

This deserves to be a major storyline in the final season of The Crown.
posted by daybeforetheday at 3:57 PM on May 18, 2018 [22 favorites]


A third Go Fug Yourself plug: I've been friends with one of the fug girls since college, and they are both hoopy froods.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:57 PM on May 18, 2018 [21 favorites]


Thanks, jenfullmoon, for an excellent post. I won't be watching it on TV as I have an almost pathological dislike of Nicholas Witchell, but will follow on social media - most likely here on MetaFilter as the humour and positiveness are good and the derails are being dealt with well.

As the ever-wonderful fizz rightly says: "Also, for people who feel like they need to snark on people who like this sort of thing. Let us enjoy things, it's even ok to enjoy frivolous things, especially when we live in a time where young children are being murdered in their schools. Sometimes I need to let my brain see something happy. A beautiful dress, a bunch of pageantry, a cup of tea while I watch something that lets me turn my brain off for a few minutes."

For those who object to this event, either with good reason or just boringly, miserably and/or sanctimoniously, there's a thread over on MetaTalk where Royal Wedding grievances can be aired. You folks can do your thing over there; toodle pip...
posted by Wordshore at 4:04 PM on May 18, 2018 [9 favorites]


I desperately want a Freddie sequel for The Royal We SO BAD. I really recommend The Royal We, it's great by itself and not just as an alt-universe Will and Kate in which Kate is an American twin whose dad invented the Coucherator. (I am not making that up.)

Dorgis crack me up. I love corgis so hard, I'm sad they're all gone, but I'm glad she's got SOMETHING. I still want clarification/photos on this corgi dress thing, though.

I'm still undecided if I will get up at 4 a.m. I am going to Maker Faire tomorrow and that's gonna be at least a 3-4 hour, multiple vehicles/public transport trip for me (FFS) starting way too early for me as is. I know my mom's recording it but I'm not seeing her till at least next weekend.

"24. Why is this wedding important?
It is not important."

"Indeed we just watched the episode of The Royal House of Windsor that talks about the 1970s fears that Charles was taking the same route as David/Edward VIII. Charles loved Camilla, but he couldn't marry her, so he spent years basically just being the world's most eligible playboy. The way the documentary presents it now, it was largely the death of Louis Mountbatten at the hands of IRA terrorists that kind of put him in a funk, and Diana appeared at that point.
They now frame it as Charles being torn between love and duty, and seeing what happened to his great uncle when he chose love, Charles put his head down and did his duty. Then all the talking heads talk about what a terrible choice he made in Diana, how they were obviously incompatible and it was always going to end badly. "

I actually think it's at least a little important. Look at Charles. Dude was forced to find someone who was either a straight up virgin or at least virginal looking, and preferably noble-ish. Guess how big of a pool he had to shop in even in the seventies? NOT VERY. He didn't have a whole lot of other options besides Diana if he had to fulfill that requirement. Camilla obviously wasn't virginal, and according to the biography of Prince Charles I just finished, she was off and on dating Parker Bowles around the same time anyway. That book claims that if Dickie Mountbatten had still been alive, he would have headed this shit off at the pass to avoid obvious disaster.

After the obvious disasters and divorces in his generation, William and Harry are so fortunate (as someone said above, Diana's pain bought this for her sons, big time) that they are being permitted to marry commoners at all. The Prince and Queen have learned that you just can't force those standards any more. The grandsons don't have to marry virgins. William slowly worked his way in marrying a commoner. Harry marrying a biracial American actress divorcee who has some publicly shitty relatives is HUUUUUUUUUGE. And the Firm like her! They are being nice to her and welcoming her in! This is amazing progress for this family!

That, folks, is why it's important a bit. Love won out in this family. We're not reliving the Charles and Di marital nightmares again. This is impressive.
posted by jenfullmoon at 4:05 PM on May 18, 2018 [47 favorites]


I came for the comments, and stayed for ALL THINGS TIARAS.

Thank you for sharing the picture of yours, AgentSockPuppet! I am deeply covetous now. Gorgeous! I have long firmly believed that there is never a wrong time to wear a tiara. Heh. Overall, there is just something about the delicious frisson that happens when a tiara is placed upon one's head, isn't there? Glorious fun. Always good to know other aficionados!

Here's mine, if anyone has interest. :)
posted by Amor Bellator at 4:15 PM on May 18, 2018 [14 favorites]


Eyebrows McGee, please tell your Fug friend that Not-Harry Freddie needs his own book!!
posted by nicebookrack at 4:18 PM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


Timing didn't line up and I didn't ask for my tiara on time, but this means that next week I can order an etsy knock off for all future tiara needs!
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 4:28 PM on May 18, 2018 [7 favorites]


WAIT. Eyebrows is friends with a Fug girl? Can you invite her here to be our best friend? (Or my best friend, at least. I can give you my email address.)
posted by something something at 4:30 PM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


Even if you're not into regular celebrity fashion, if you're a fan of the Windsors or really any of the other royal families out there, the Friday Royals Roundup on Go Fug Yourself is great reading.

Eyebrows: please tell your friend that Princess Anne, detective and Princess Charlotte, tiny scientist, bring me joy every week!
posted by kimberussell at 4:34 PM on May 18, 2018 [11 favorites]


Yeah any Americans with their mouths open to snark about the wedding, much less the monarchy, can have a look at the current White House and Congress and close their traps for some lengthy, quiet reflection.

I am indulging in this and making a British inspired breakfast tomorrow with cheap champagne.

What an Absolutely Fabulous idea, sweetie darling!
posted by Celsius1414 at 4:36 PM on May 18, 2018 [11 favorites]


You rang??
posted by Sweetie Darling at 4:51 PM on May 18, 2018 [21 favorites]


This is the breakfast I'm making.
posted by girlmightlive at 5:01 PM on May 18, 2018 [2 favorites]


We're doing tea with crumpets from a local organic bakery (brownies and lemon-blueberry cupcakes! yum!)

This sentence gradually broke my brain.

"Tea and crumpets! Yum!"

"Wait, are they describing brownies and and cupcakes as crumpets? Those aren't crumpets..."

"Since the brownies and cupcakes aren't crumpets are they the tea? I was picturing tea the beverage..."

"Are they having tea (the beverage) and crumpets, brownies and cupcakes? Or are they having crumpets, brownies and cupcakes FOR tea (with or without tea the beverage). Or do they call brownies and cupcakes crumpets for some reason and they're having those with tea (the beverage) and no actual crumpets?"

*brain explodes* ☕️

Cultural linguistic differences are fun! 🇨🇦
posted by Secret Sparrow at 5:34 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


We've already established that I'm wearing dollar store flowers on my head at 2 a.m. and pretending my lhasapoo is a corgi.

I'm totally happy with saying cupcakes are my crumpets.
posted by mochapickle at 5:40 PM on May 18, 2018 [11 favorites]


Cultural linguistic differences are fun! 🇨🇦

You may be interested in this book.
posted by Chrysostom at 5:44 PM on May 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


I was just going to toast up some English Muffins and call it good, but now I'm thinking I should up my game.

There is no such thing as English Muffins in England.

[I am having English Muffins for wedding breakfast tomorrow]
posted by srboisvert at 5:50 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


My mom who, bless her heart, can never remember which holidays we have up here in Canada, thought the reason we have a long weekend was b/c of the Royal Wedding and not Victoria Day. (Tbh, it is slightly six of one, half dozen of the other if you think about it.)
posted by Kitteh at 6:04 PM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


There is no such thing as English Muffins in England.

Evidence suggests otherwise, unless you are referring to the English not bothering to specify their own muffins, in which case carry on!
posted by Celsius1414 at 6:06 PM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


I had no idea that so many MeFians are also members of Fug Nation! This would make the coolest Venn diagram, wouldn't it?
posted by Lynsey at 6:11 PM on May 18, 2018 [9 favorites]


Do we think my 15lb cat will pretend to be a corgi tomorrow??? I mean, he has v short legs.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 6:20 PM on May 18, 2018 [24 favorites]


That is the cutest goddamn cat. I love him, and I love you for bringing that delightful creature into my life.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 6:27 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


Yay for all the tiaras. I hereby declare,as weekly leader of the Traveling Tiara Sisterhood, that you are all honorary Crown Crones, and entitled to wear your tiaras at any time, for any reason, including no reason at all. This privileged status naturally conveys to any corgis, or animals or children who are substituting for corgis. Tiaras and jaffa cakes for all!
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 6:40 PM on May 18, 2018 [10 favorites]


I can't find my tiara but I did make a few out of yarn. I may wear that around the aforementioned faire tomorrow.

More links! posted by jenfullmoon at 7:01 PM on May 18, 2018 [15 favorites]


Ok, really considering getting high and staying up all night to anticipate the wedding with Meredith Vieira.
posted by octobersurprise at 7:44 PM on May 18, 2018 [7 favorites]


I am ALL TUNED IN to Meredith right now!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:57 PM on May 18, 2018 [1 favorite]


Also, if there was ever a moment for “a little touch of Harry in the night” this is it.
posted by octobersurprise at 8:07 PM on May 18, 2018 [3 favorites]


Lainey Gossip with her eagle eyes spotted what appears to be Meghan's beagle, Guy, riding in a car with the Queen to Windsor. What a noble looking pup!
posted by acidic at 9:21 PM on May 18, 2018 [19 favorites]


Okay, three hours before broadcasts begin and we just finished the fascinators. In the wake of our crafting frenzy, there are cheap silk petals strewn about the dining room and throughout the house the air is scented with the ozone scent of hot glue.

And they are perfect! One has a giant silk peony (Meghan’s favorite flower!) roughly the size of a terrier, adorned with puffs of tulle. The other has violets and several rows of ruffled ribbons. Both have a lunacy of plastic ferns reaching ever skyward.

They are magnificent. We are ready.
posted by mochapickle at 10:22 PM on May 18, 2018 [20 favorites]


I'm extra excited because this is the first royal wedding taking place while I'm living in England, AND I'm in the same time zone!

Will be making scones soon and plan to drink my tea out of a pretty cup and saucer rather than my usual mug. Heading over to nearby friend's house to watch the actual ceremony on their big tv, and they've promised Pimm's.
posted by champagneminimalist at 11:33 PM on May 18, 2018 [5 favorites]


I would consider allowing the Queen of England to dogsit for me, if I was busy.
posted by medusa at 11:42 PM on May 18, 2018 [8 favorites]


I've got chocolate biscuits, raspberry tarts, a lemon curd roly poly, and a pot of tea. (And a morning tiara.) Bring on the bride!

I've had the BBC running in the background today, and there has been so much Diana. My gods, she looks so young, and so happy on her wedding day. It's so hard to watch, knowing what was coming. I must say, Harry has always been my favorite, I so hope that he and Meghan will be happy.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 12:20 AM on May 19, 2018 [4 favorites]


The Guardian has a good livestream going of the event. It appears that much of the initial (visible) action will take place between 11 and noon

11.25 The Royal Family arrive at the Galilee Porch.
11.32 Doria Ragland arrives at the Royal entrance to the chapel.
11.40 Harry and William will arrive at the West Door, followed by Prince Charles.
11.45 The Foreign Secretary will zipwire in to the North Door.
11.52 The Queen arrives.
11.59 Meghan steps out of her car.

One of those things may not be entirely accurate.
posted by Wordshore at 1:59 AM on May 19, 2018 [9 favorites]


I've got chocolate biscuits, raspberry tarts, a lemon curd roly poly, and a pot of tea.

As an Englishman, I have to say that is the most swipe-rightable text it would be possible to encounter on any dating or matrimonial website on The Internet.
posted by Wordshore at 2:09 AM on May 19, 2018 [35 favorites]


I didn’t plan to watch the wedding but woke up early (probably due to going to bed early) and discovered that it has preempted prime infomercial time on all the national networks, with the odd exception of Fox. Perhaps Rupert Murdoch is a republican in more than one sense of the word.

It was linked near the top of this thread but in case you missed it, the NYT Royal Wedding FAQ is great. Like this thread, it is a mix of (mostly) good natured snark and interesting bits of information. I thought some of the details about citizenship and protocol at official events were interesting.

The interest in this and the British monarchy in general makes me wonder if a significant part of this country thinks the American revolution was a mistake.
posted by TedW at 3:11 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Just done a quick poll check of the residents of this courtyard, here in rural England.

- 3 English, one watching it on TV, one (me) following on social media, one sitting outside smoking and not into it.
- 2 Welsh; one watching it on TV, the other has gone shopping.
- 1 Korean; has either gone out or is asleep (not disturbing people just for this survey).
- 1 American (Chicago); not watching, instead continuing a long-running frustration about why oven gloves/mitts in the UK are stupidly joined or connected in an impractical manner (she has a point).
- 1 Chile/1 Spanish. He (the former) is out, she (the latter) is watching it on TV.
posted by Wordshore at 3:14 AM on May 19, 2018 [8 favorites]


The interest in this and the British monarchy in general makes me wonder if a significant part of this country thinks the American revolution was a mistake.

I think a lot of Americans (myself included) are really into the monarchy partially because it's not actually our monarchy / system of government. It's a lot easier, and this shades into discussion happening on the Metatalk thread, to unabashedly enjoy the pageantry and spectacle and soap opera quality of it all when we don't have to consider the very real political and financial implications of the monarchy as an actual system of government in a way that Britons (and in a slightly different way Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, Jamaicans, etc.) do.
posted by andrewesque at 3:17 AM on May 19, 2018 [11 favorites]


Also, some royals are arriving!
posted by andrewesque at 3:18 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


I'm just here for Queen Serena, really.
posted by threetwentytwo at 3:19 AM on May 19, 2018 [7 favorites]


The interest in this and the British monarchy in general makes me wonder if a significant part of this country thinks the American revolution was a mistake.

I’m just here for the hats.
posted by octobersurprise at 3:24 AM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


The interest in this and the British monarchy in general makes me wonder if a significant part of this country thinks the American revolution was a mistake.

You are, of course, welcome back at any time. A name change from 'the USA' will be required for geographic identification: West Cornwall seems appropriate. You'll also have to leave Texas - apart from Austin - behind. Not negotiable.

Back to the wedding; good positioning of TV cameras. And Prince Andrew looks identical to how he's looked since age about 17. Also, hats.
posted by Wordshore at 3:25 AM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


I’m impressed by people getting up in the middle of the night and preparing food for this! I could never do that, I’m only watching this because I’m home and I’m elsewhere in Europe so it’s day time here too. I’m watching the BBC live footage on the website and I have to say I’m impressed that they’ve been doing a pretty decent job with the pre-ceremony coverage and interviews, it’s relaxed and lighthearted and obviously all self-celebratory but they have also also been highlighting the significant novelties about this wedding and talking to people about what it means to them. They’ve been talking to people working in the charities that Harry and Meghan have been visiting and supporting across the world. They’ve been talking to guests about the significance of Meghan’s background and her outspokenness about racial and feminist issues and the positive impact it has and the stupidity of racist reactions. It’s a rather refreshing change already from past coverage of royal family events. The fact no politicians were invited also makes it all feel a lot easier to take in.

So just want to add my thanks to jenfullmoon for putting together such a nice list of links for this post and to other commenters for the sheer guilt-free (or almost guilt-free...) enjoyment displayed here. For the record I’m not a Brit, I’m also not American, I’m pretty much on the far left of the political spectrum and typically have zero interest in the royal family, or celebs, but I think if there’s any sense in keeping an ancient institution like that then the mix of traditional pomp and charity work and moving on a little with the times in presenting itself to the world is not such a bad use of it. (Also considering the boost it gives to the British tourist industry, and fashion industry, and china and tea industry from the looks of it!). I’m not a fan of wedding ceremonies either but this is in another category and the sheer eye candy of it is quite nice to enjoy.

Public non-political celebrations like these are meant for sheer enjoyment. Political commitment and action is not incompatible with that.
posted by bitteschoen at 3:31 AM on May 19, 2018 [12 favorites]


We are up and partying here! Huzzah! It’s a tough time to be an American, and what’s more American than appropriating something fun from another country?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:35 AM on May 19, 2018 [20 favorites]


Good morning, all! I have my Disney tiara in, and my honorary corgis on my lap. Harry's looking a bit nervous!
posted by kimberussell at 3:36 AM on May 19, 2018 [8 favorites]


MetaFilter: I’m just here for the hats.
posted by Wordshore at 3:38 AM on May 19, 2018 [7 favorites]


William and Harry:
“So, what do you think, bro?”
“I think you’re getting married, bro.”
posted by octobersurprise at 3:53 AM on May 19, 2018 [6 favorites]


I am not up because of the wedding. I woke up because I needed to wee. However, I'm awake now so am going to wait a few to see some pics.

I love the high falutin'-ness of the thing. And I like how Will, Kate, Harry, and now Meghan have brought out mental health as a thing that needs to be and should be discussed.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 3:54 AM on May 19, 2018 [8 favorites]


That is a beautiful wedding dress!!
posted by Pendragon at 4:10 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


The fact no politicians were invited also makes it all feel a lot easier to take in.

I spotted John Major
posted by infini at 4:11 AM on May 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


My Miss-Got-Up-to-Wee self burst into tears when Meghan was walking up the steps into the church. That train, tho!
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 4:11 AM on May 19, 2018 [8 favorites]


Glad I risked the TV - no Nicholas Witchell; instead it's Huw Edwards and others doing a more reasoned commentary. Good camera angles across the footage, the inner parts of Windsor Castle brush up well, and it's extremely pleasing not to have the distraction of politicians being invited (though did I see John Major in passing?). The Queen is the Queen, and the chapel has a pretty damned impressive array of stained glass.

I feel slightly defensive about Harry as we've bumped into each other a few times (once when I was, um, in relations with a member of the aristocracy and we both found ourselves trying to find something to eat in an unfamiliar stately home in the middle of the night). And we share the same birth day of the year (though he's a lot younger than me). He also seemed genuine.
posted by Wordshore at 4:11 AM on May 19, 2018 [31 favorites]


Why did everyone laugh when Harry said "I will"?
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:15 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


I think they were laughing at the crowds outside cheering.
posted by girlmightlive at 4:18 AM on May 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


IMPORTANT UPDATE: The British casserole has English muffins in it.
posted by something something at 4:20 AM on May 19, 2018 [7 favorites]


I made do with a strawberry shortcake and a pot of English breakfast tea.
posted by research monkey at 4:25 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


Bishop Michael Curry : most animated speaker in a Royal Wedding ever!!
posted by Pendragon at 4:26 AM on May 19, 2018 [9 favorites]


I'm not sure any of these people were ready for Bishop Curry.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 4:27 AM on May 19, 2018 [22 favorites]


This is one heck of a wedding sermon. I wish the Anglican church was more like this.

Was that Elton John, looking startled in pink sunglasses, in the audience just then?
posted by Wordshore at 4:28 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


Yep, that was Sir Elton. Yes, no one was ready for Bishop Curry. Lots of royals stifling giggles.
posted by stillmoving at 4:29 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


First mention of Instagram by a preacher at a British Royal Wedding: CHECK.
posted by Wordshore at 4:30 AM on May 19, 2018 [9 favorites]


Zara Tindall looks like a woman who's beeing kicked in the spleen, being that pregnant is not comfortable.

I like how the choir, who listen to tons of sermons, are enjoying this more than anyone else.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:31 AM on May 19, 2018 [6 favorites]


Also, love his messages of brotherly love and service to ending poverty!
posted by stillmoving at 4:32 AM on May 19, 2018 [10 favorites]


I'm not religious and even I enjoyed that sermon.
posted by Pendragon at 4:32 AM on May 19, 2018 [14 favorites]


Yeah, the choir's reactions were lovely - Elton John looked as though he needed smelling salts? Why would he of all people disapprove of the big theatrical flourish god only knows!
posted by Jody Tresidder at 4:33 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Is Philip still awake?
posted by pracowity at 4:34 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


I was an Episcopal for a few years. Our priest was NOT like Bishop Curry.

The tiara is Queen Mary's Diamond Bandeau. (SLTweet)
posted by kimberussell at 4:34 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Wow everybody in this choir looks fabulous
posted by research monkey at 4:35 AM on May 19, 2018 [7 favorites]


I really wanted more audience shots when he asked them to raise their hands if they came here in a car. I'll just have to imagine the bewilderment.
posted by lwb at 4:35 AM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


I have no words for that speech
posted by unliteral at 4:36 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Meghan the Magnificent walks herself down the aisle to collect her prize. Forgets the words to the hymn and has to improvise. Amal, keeper of another trophy, looks on from the choir.

In the words of Nancy Astor: I married beneath me. All women do.

Harry wipes away a tear and blows his nose. I hope he knows how lucky he is.
posted by Elizabeth the Thirteenth at 4:37 AM on May 19, 2018 [24 favorites]


Aw, her poor mom! Looks like she wants to let loose and weep but knows she's not allowed to!
posted by stillmoving at 4:39 AM on May 19, 2018 [7 favorites]


That sermon, WOW.
posted by bitteschoen at 4:40 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


I tear up whenever the camera is on her mom.
posted by research monkey at 4:41 AM on May 19, 2018 [13 favorites]


Right; we've reached the Welsh rugby song stage of the wedding, so the end must be close.
posted by Wordshore at 4:50 AM on May 19, 2018 [6 favorites]


Loved that soaring descant
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 4:52 AM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


I love the contrast between the stuffy ones and the ones enjoying this incredible display of emotion in the crowd. That preacher, though. I'm an atheist myself but that was really wonderful. And the choir. And Meghan's mum, all I can think is that she's all 'holy shit, what has my daughter got herself into?'.

I went and saw Deadpool 2 so I wouldn't get stuck watching this but I'm glad I got home in time to see the juicy bits. During the choral bits I was kind of hearing 'holy shit balls', I have to say.
posted by h00py at 4:53 AM on May 19, 2018 [10 favorites]


Paddington joined us for the occasion and I took a picture of him in my tiara (here) and now the kraken keeps taking it off him and putting it back on (only of course she's not very dexterous so actually she waves it in his direction and says "elp, elp" until I do it for her).
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 5:00 AM on May 19, 2018 [17 favorites]


They laughed because Harry was so eager, not measured.

My favourite part is "Jesus didn't get an honorary doctorate for dying." That American preacher is wonderful. Even as an atheist, I could listen to him for hours. Thanks for the heads up (can't remember who said) that he normally wanders away from the lectern. He really shook up the staid British ceremony, beautifully.
posted by b33j at 5:03 AM on May 19, 2018 [17 favorites]


I really appreciate that every tine I see Doria Ragland and Prince Charles anywhere near each other, he’s attending to her. I hope she has some support people around for herself during all the events today, a friend or something. What an overwhelming experience this must be for her.
posted by palomar at 5:09 AM on May 19, 2018 [32 favorites]


Ha, H00py, I didn't read your post before saying the same thing.
posted by b33j at 5:12 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


So many horses; that's my idea of a parade. Harry and William grew up with all this ceremony and always being in the public eye; they're awfully good at it. I didn't get up early enough to see arrivals, will have to look for photos later so I can admire all the head toppings. Now I have to go to the Maine State Democratic Convention, which will feature far less finery and no horsies. Nor any scones, crumpets, etc.
posted by theora55 at 5:27 AM on May 19, 2018 [10 favorites]


That was the most woke thing I have ever seen near a royal. Bishop Curry, black choir, black soloist, and the Queens chaplain is a black woman. This was a sjw dream for a royal wedding. I cannot wait to see what good Harry and Meghan get up to.

Now, I'm going to sugar crash and nap. This was great fun. Thanks to all the tiara sisterhood who stayed up both here and twitter.
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 5:27 AM on May 19, 2018 [24 favorites]


Nth-ing that wholly riveting sermon by Bishop Curry, and not being near ready for it!! I am still powerfully affected by the entirety of it, down to my core. That beautiful man was speaking TRUTH TO POWER with every word. It acutely frustrated and saddened me when the cameras panned the observers during, seeing the distraction and boredom on so many faces. Ugh.

What I really came here to say, is that I dearly and desperately need to get my hands on a full transcript, and video of that sermon. Like, feeling as though I could fly out of my skin until I have it, urgency. Yes, it is that important to me, judge me as you will.
posted by Amor Bellator at 5:27 AM on May 19, 2018 [9 favorites]


I think the wedding went very nicely.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 5:34 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


Amor Bellator: That beautiful man was speaking TRUTH TO POWER with every word. It acutely frustrated and saddened me when the cameras panned the observers during, seeing the distraction and boredom on so many faces. Ugh.

There are some things which European aristocracies got very good at over the centuries. They are all on display today.
posted by clawsoon at 5:38 AM on May 19, 2018 [12 favorites]


Bishop Curry did very well! His message was on point for the very social class who need to hear his message have had it delivered, whether they wanted to hear it or not. It was just the BEST!
Loved the Gospel choir too!
I also think out was great that Meghan’s mother wore braids too. Now I hope Black American women can wear them ANYPLACE without fear at any occasion. ‘Good enough for Windsor, good enough for the office!’
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 5:43 AM on May 19, 2018 [30 favorites]


Cameraman at Guardian Live doing deep necklines and short hemlines now
posted by infini at 5:48 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


Full sermon text.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:53 AM on May 19, 2018 [19 favorites]


I SLEPT THROUGH IT AND I AM SO SAD. I forgot to set my alarm. I suppose I'll catch up with recaps and reviews. ..and maybe even watch parts online later. *waves little British and USA flags*
posted by Elly Vortex at 6:09 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


EYEBROWS, I just screamed on sight of your comment, and woke my poor sixteen year old! I cannot thank you warmly enough for finding and posting that for me, your kind efforts have taken the sharp edges off my intense need to have it. So very grateful to you. Many relieved thanks, again!!!

Big hugs to you, if you accept those. :)))))
posted by Amor Bellator at 6:11 AM on May 19, 2018 [4 favorites]


Woah! I hadn't planned to watch, the weather here is amazing and we had a shellfish lunch to eat. But we ended up eating with the TV on, mainly because of this thread. Thanks, jenfullmoon, I don't know when I'll find the time to explore all the links, but it was a fine wedding, a good contrast to all the evil of our time.
posted by mumimor at 6:14 AM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


Elly, NBC is replaying the entire wedding this morning!
posted by mochapickle at 6:21 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


I really appreciate that every tine I see Doria Ragland and Prince Charles anywhere near each other, he’s attending to her.

I was moved by that as well. God knows she must be utterly verklempt and aware that her entire life has been permanently altered. I’m glad she had someone.
posted by octobersurprise at 6:27 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


A few random tweets:

@KngHnryVIII: Find someone who looks at you the way Amal looks at a cello.

@lomadia: “Oh fucking hell Charles, you said this would only take an hour. Now there’s someone with a large violin.”

@Sipho_Says: White people have never been to church for this long. They think it's almost over? Wait until it's time for the church announcements.

@NYTStyles: We hope the English enjoyed our awesome American wedding.

@pauljenkins: Never again will I feel weird using an iPad while officiating a wedding.
posted by Wordshore at 6:27 AM on May 19, 2018 [12 favorites]


I also think out was great that Meghan’s mother wore braids too.

Dreadlocks, actually! I loved seeing it, too.
posted by girlmightlive at 6:27 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


I could not wake at 4 a.m. I didn't really *sleep* all night, mind you, I just tossed and turned and kept thinking I needed to get up at 4 a.m. and just could not. For hours. FEH.

But thankfully, now they have it online!

Global News has the ceremony online for everyone else to rewatch.

Glad you guys had fun!
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:40 AM on May 19, 2018 [4 favorites]


Re: the cellist... I believe the proper word is “phwoar”, yes?
posted by palomar at 6:41 AM on May 19, 2018 [7 favorites]


I'm waiting until our tea to watch the ceremony, but I just wanted to say: WORDSHORE!!!!!
posted by cooker girl at 7:01 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Look at Serena Williams's beautiful braids and that flawless pink!! The headpiece placement balances the asymmetrical neckline of her dress, AAAHH I love it so much.
posted by nicebookrack at 7:01 AM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


I LOVE LOVE LOVE Meghan's wedding dress (by Clare Keller for Givenchy). So simple and elegant! Word has it that Meghan's favorite wedding dress was the one worn by the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy - a very simple slip dress which a royal bride probably couldn't get away with. But this seems to be on the same wavelength, plus sleeves and a neckline.

And Queen Mary's bandeau tiara was a great touch. I think this is one of my very favorite wedding ensembles of all time. Just so clean and unfussy and contemporary! (The contrast with Diana's oh-so-very-80's meringue!) Her veil, meanwhile, was embroidered with all the flora of the Commonwealth plus California poppies for Meghan's state of birth.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 7:23 AM on May 19, 2018 [10 favorites]


Accidentally posted a summary comment over on the gloom thread, rather than here on the party thread (maybe every contentious event needs a separate gloom thread and party thread). But hey; that was fun, and this has been a fun thread. Thanks again to Jenfullmoon to putting in the work on the post, the mods for helping steer it in a positive way, and MeFites from a variety of nations and time zones for entertaining comments here.
posted by Wordshore at 8:16 AM on May 19, 2018 [7 favorites]


When Thing 2 was born 24 years ago, our family joke was that she would marry Prince Harry because she's a huge-hearted, empathetic and ethereal piece of sunshine who has been nothing but a bright light.

But after watching the wedding, I am okay that the Duchess of Sussex is not my daughter. That woman is pretty wonderful.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 8:18 AM on May 19, 2018 [10 favorites]


USers FYI my local PBS station is (re?)-airing BBC's coverage, right now. (11:30 Eastern.) You could check yours.

And you folks. I was one of the eye-rolly ones. However, awake into the early hours as I often am, and skimming MeFi, I read this thread. I then slept through the ceremony, but must hear that sermon.

OK now I'm getting hooked on this BBC rebroadcast.
posted by NorthernLite at 8:47 AM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


I suppose I'll catch up with recaps and reviews.

The royal family has the whole thing on Youtube, well shot, nicely edited with no commentary. It glorious to watch without some honker telling you what to think.
posted by bonehead at 8:54 AM on May 19, 2018 [27 favorites]


An, the dress! Most people got the concept right but not the designer - a simple but severely elegant modest white slip a few bold statement items . In terms of costuming and messaging, it’s a very bold , it’s something no Royal could get away with while being contemporary and iinfussy.. very smart choice for an American marrying the former 3rd in line to the throne. (also, interesting, the opposite of Diana’s dress, which was spun sugar Cinderella completely engulfing her).
posted by The Whelk at 9:16 AM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Also interesting Harry wearing the most severe, simplest version of a dress uniform he could - pretty much all one color, so together they wher basicslly cutouts of black and white.
posted by The Whelk at 9:22 AM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


Evidence suggests otherwise, unless you are referring to the English not bothering to specify their own muffins, in which case carry on!

It is like the way that Canadian Bacon does not exist in Canada.
posted by srboisvert at 9:32 AM on May 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


Also (sorry fashion symbolism is my thing) the mix of an American actress using an English designer for a French fashion house made famous to most people by an European actress turned Hollywood Star (Aubrey Hepburn was the face of Givenecy and quasi personal muse of Hubert de Givenchy for years).is pretty heady if you wanted to read into it.

It’s also, again, amazing P.R work. It’s the kind of image and message handling the institution has gotten so good at in the last decade or two. There are celebrity wranglers who’d give their left eye to be this on target as this all the time.
posted by The Whelk at 9:37 AM on May 19, 2018 [12 favorites]


...pretty heady if you wanted to read into it.

Yessss. That boat-neck immediately made me think of this when they announced it as Givenchy.

Raise your hand if you think Granny had a wee chat with Beatrice and Eugenie about appropriate head wear this go-round. 🤚🏻
posted by romakimmy at 10:12 AM on May 19, 2018 [17 favorites]


Here is Annie the honorary Corgi wearing my homemade fascinator.
posted by mochapickle at 11:48 AM on May 19, 2018 [32 favorites]


So, today is the day I learned I've been mispronouncing Givenchy. (Ok, to be fair, I'm not sure I've ever spoken it aloud, because it's not really come up.)
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 12:28 PM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


No, it's like this
;-)
posted by mumimor at 12:47 PM on May 19, 2018 [4 favorites]


Now I'm wondering if the Duchess of Sussex was reckless in that dress.
posted by weed donkey at 1:19 PM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


Similar, yet different pronunciation issue. So fance. So Fronch.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 1:19 PM on May 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


Annie is fantastic and so is her fascinator.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 1:21 PM on May 19, 2018 [4 favorites]


I just watched the sermon, which was amazing and made me cry a little, and Stand by Me, which was amazing and made me cry a little, and then the vows - and is it just me, or does it look like when they look at each other, they are trading little silent in-jokes the whole time, along with the heart-eyes? That also made me cry a little.
posted by rtha at 1:37 PM on May 19, 2018 [12 favorites]


> Loved that soaring descant

Okay that made me cry a little, too.
posted by rtha at 1:51 PM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Eyebrows McGee, I recall chatting with you last year and you said you were asked to do a bible reading at a wedding and they requested something from the Song of Solomon. I said that was one of the books that doesn't even mention god, and you replied there is some totally NSFW stuff in there.

Anyhow I was reminded of that when the Episcopalian minister did the reading.
posted by adept256 at 2:25 PM on May 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


I said that was one of the books that doesn't even mention god

Song of Solomon is totally just sliding into God's mentions.
posted by cortex at 3:07 PM on May 19, 2018 [6 favorites]


posted by mumimor : No, it's like this ;-)

My French-taking son says yours is correct, and mine sounds like me trying to speak French. (A thing which never goes as well as one might hope. Como Tally Vue, y'all.) ;)
posted by SecretAgentSockpuppet at 3:18 PM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Song of Solomon is totally just sliding into God's mentions.

There's a lot of sliding into in Song of Solomon.
posted by Chrysostom at 3:47 PM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Eep look at these awesome evening looks.
posted by threetwentytwo at 3:52 PM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


I came into this sort assbackwards. I never got around to watching Will & Kate's wedding and made no plans to watch this one but I was on twitter this morning and it was sort of hard to avoid. Clicked on a live link just in time to see them exchange vows. It was lovely.

Then I watched this New Yorker video comparing the weddings of Diana, Kate, and Meghan and it left me feeling a bit melancholy. I was planning my own wedding when Diana got married so I got up at 2 am to watch. My dress had a hint of her design but my flowers were almost an exact copy. I loved that bouquet so much. My wedding only lasted a couple of years longer than hers. Maybe that bouquet wasn't such a great idea.

I wasn't all that taken with Meghan's dress. I liked the simplicity but not the bracelet length sleeves nor the wide neck. I think Kate's dress was by far the best of the three. Poor Diana! She looks absolutely absurd now and watching her constantly battle with her bangs makes me crazy. She spends so much time touching them or flinging her head aside.

I was also a little disappointed with Harry's uniform. I much preferred the one he wore to William's wedding. I guess I like all the pomp and circumstance. I missed the footmen in the gold-encrusted uniforms.

One thing I absolutely swooned over was the floral decorations on St. Georges'. So perfect inside and out. So lovely as a frame for those church entrance photos. Oh if only one could have an army of volunteers and the thousands of dollars it would cost to pull that off. Not that I'm getting married again. But I wouldn't mind seeing my front porch swathed in greenery and white roses.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:44 PM on May 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


Oh man, I understand opinions differ, but I LOVED her dress. Her and Kate looks will both endure through time in a way Diana's hasn't but also, I love how different Meghan's dress was from Kate's. I think it's very Jackie O and Audrey Hepburn while also being modern. And then that veil/train/tiara combo, my god, the dress was the foundation that held those parts. I just keep staring at how uncomplicatedly beautiful her whole look was today.

I'm equally on the opposite side on the dress uniforms. I far prefer Harry's although I think William's will endure longer, as it should, since he will be king. That's the other thing - the feel of the weddings were entirely different because no matter how close William and Harry have always been, their roles are incredibly different. Harry was allowed far more personal touches and going off the script than William was or will be afforded. For that reason I suppose they are a bit hard to compare.

And while we're on clothes - THE PAGE BOYS AND FLOWER GIRLS (although I've seen them also called bridesmaids). Prince George - hating the pomp & circumstance as usual, bless him - in that tiny replica of his father & uncle's jackets and the maids in matching Givenchy (WITH POCKETS!) and Princess Charlotte hamming it up as usual. I was hoping for a peek of Prince Louis in a tiny little suit, but I also understand not bringing him out quite yet.

Anyway, I guess I'm saying I'm so ready for the full historical fashion run down.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 4:58 PM on May 19, 2018 [9 favorites]


I'm just not a big fan of bracelet-length sleeves. They always look awkward to me. Mid rm (a few inches below the elbow) is fine but bracelet length looks like the sleeves are not long enough as though the bride is wearing someone else's dress. I din't like the neckline because I thought it also looked awkward. It's great on Audrey Hepburn wearing a casual dress but that type of neckline tends to shift around and not sit properly. It's called a boatneck on a more casual dress, I don't know what you call it on a wedding dress.

And since I am being really nit-picky, I would have liked a bit more substance to the train. It looks fine in the pictures but all that symbolic embroidery is lost. I still remember Sara Fergusan's train fondly. It was shorter than Diana's but it was embroidered in color and I thought it was spectacular looking. I imagine seeing Meghan's dress in a museum somewhere in a 100 years or 500 years and I think one would be a bit underwhelmed. I like a bit more splendor in my Royal Wedding attire.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 5:23 PM on May 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


Oh and see, I think on display is where it will look the best because it'll hopefully be lit to enhance the finer details (that do come out beautifully in a lot of a shots and i bet looked spectacular in the room). I also love a good bracelet length heh - like the neckline I think it gives that great hint of skin while also being a bit demure. I think this just comes down to a fundamental difference of opinion of formal wear :).

I did just learn that HRH picked William's uniform for his wedding and Harry got a choice of three, so I suppose again the differences in the roles come in to play.

I LOVE Meghan's reception look by Stella McCartney. I hope we see more of the reception dresses tomorrow.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 6:41 PM on May 19, 2018 [6 favorites]


“I will” was funny because it’s supposed to be “I do,” and ever the actress, she followed his lead with her “I will.” Plus, his brother’s name is Will so he looked around.

Oh Mah Gawd, thank you Meghan and Harry for the gospel choir and some people of color, and the priest who quoted MLK. And mom's hair. And supporting the charity who provides menstrual supplies to girls in impoverished countries.

And — I’ve never said this before, but Prince Charles, you took good care of Meghan's mom and Meghan. Classy, dude. King-like. Sorry your mom has to pass on before you get your turn.

/donate feminine supplies and diapers to your local shelter. Most American social programs DO NOT cover these necessaries.
posted by beckybakeroo at 6:51 PM on May 19, 2018 [16 favorites]


It's actually "I will" at that part. They were using Common Worship as the structure for the liturgy, which has I will at that point, but the older Church of England Book of Common Prayer (1662) does as well, as does the American Episcopal Church's Book of Common Prayer.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 7:08 PM on May 19, 2018 [14 favorites]


Wow! THAT was a wedding! I had absolutely no interest in it beforehand, didn't find either one of them particularly interesting or appealing, and am a bitter old cynic about weddings. But then it was all over the internets how great it was and after about the 20th headline I succumbed. I'm so glad I did! It was exactly what my crusty old heart needed. WELL DONE!
posted by HotToddy at 7:13 PM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


Turned on the TV at 3:30 in the morning due in part to insomnia and immediately got sucked in by the fascinators -- Camilla, you go, girl! -- plus the pomp and circumstance plus the brave Doria Ragland plus the a bit too long winded Bishop Curry name checking Teilard de Chardin plus Karen Gibson's grace in directing the Kingdom Choir in Stand by Me for God's sake !

What was not to like ?

Not to mention the fact of paying attention to something along with 1.9 billion other individuals at the same time.

To quote Dick Proennke, you can't beat that.

Truly.
posted by y2karl at 8:05 PM on May 19, 2018 [6 favorites]


Oh Mah Gawd, thank you Meghan and Harry for the gospel choir

Tina Brown tweeted that the choir suggestion came from Charles (he's scooping up a lot of great press this week).
posted by grandiloquiet at 9:06 PM on May 19, 2018 [7 favorites]


Side note, totally impressed Prince Phillip walked w/o a cane just 6 weeks after hip surgery at age NINETY-SIX.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:17 PM on May 19, 2018 [12 favorites]


I liked that the after party dress was cut exactly the opposite of the wedding dress: high, modest turtleneck but no sleeves vs revealing neckline but long sleeves.
posted by carmicha at 9:26 PM on May 19, 2018 [6 favorites]


(Gosh. Now I want a bespoke fascinator crafted by the clearly-talented mochapickle. )
posted by Amor Bellator at 10:04 PM on May 19, 2018 [4 favorites]


I am so happy for celebrity weddings that popularize wedding gowns and formal gowns with sleeves, because I HATE wearing sleeveless stuff. Make sleeves fashionable again!
posted by nicebookrack at 10:43 PM on May 19, 2018 [11 favorites]


"It's hard to defend a royal wedding as anything other than a lark. But it's not hard to understand why for a lot of people, this one was more pleasurable — and perhaps more moving — than they expected."
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:53 PM on May 19, 2018 [6 favorites]


From mefi's own Linda_Holmes, no less. A good take, I think.
posted by rtha at 11:06 PM on May 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


A few months ago, Robert Llewelyn's "Fully Charged" channel got a chance to review the electric "concept zero" E Type Jaguar that Harry and Megham used to drive away on their honeymoon on the trip from their first to their second wedding receptions.

That choice of vehicle is a perfect mixture of tradition and future innovation - of history and change. Also, for me, a reminder about how masterful the wedding was from a PR perspective. What is also interesting is how some of that PR - originating from one part of the British establishment - has been so subversive towards other parts: like those supporting forceful deportation of long-time immigrants or breaking of trading ties with our neighbours because they are foreign.
posted by rongorongo at 11:07 PM on May 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


Oprah Winfrey, Queen of America, Attends the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Wearing what experts are calling "a church hat that would raise the dead," Oprah, the Queen of America, arrived at St. George's Chapel sans Stedman but with all the love I have in my heart.
Diana, Meghan, and Kate: How Their Royal Wedding Gowns Compare

How Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Picked the 19-Year-Old Royal Wedding Cellist

A Black Preacher Gave a Word, and 4 Other Blackity-Black Moments From the #RoyalWedding
Meghan Markle brought all the black she wanted to her royal wedding to Prince Harry, my second favorite gingy ever (Malcolm X being the first), now sixth in line to the British throne.

Despite that fact that none of her family beside her mother, Doria Ragland, was present at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, Meghan gave the stuffy Brits more than a little bit of flavor straight from the darker nation of its most successful colony, mostly in the very deliberate choices she made on her stunning wedding day.
posted by kirkaracha at 11:41 PM on May 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


A note about the opening hymn "Lord of All Hopefulness" (see except from ceremony): The words were written by Jan Struther - one of a number of hymns she wrote for children. Struther is best known as the author of Mrs Miniver columns in Punch magazine, which were turned into a film that boosted American support for entering WW2 and, as Churchill said "did more for the war effort than a flotilla of destroyers".

So - there is that up-front symbolism of US/British links: the rather sentimental and idealised version of England that Mrs Miniver - perfect housewife and mother - represents . But there is also deeper significance of that hymn choice: Jan Struther/Joyce Anstruther - was not at all like the character she is best known for: she escaped an aristocratic but troubled marriage, had adulterous affairs, got divorced, emigrated to the states where she married a Jewish American, suffered from severe depression and always declared herself as resolute agnostic (she was distant relative of mine).

To me, "Lord of All Hopefulness", pretty but unchallenging words over a stirring Irish melody, is a fine illustration of the Anglican church's tendency to treat Christianity as something to serve as an inspiration for beautiful ceremony - without getting involved in the details about requiring people to actually engage in believing any of it. It is tempting to submit the opening hymn as a symbol of this aloofness and to contrast it with Michael Curry's heartfelt sermon: repressed Brits, gushy Americans. However - I like to think whoever chose that particular hymn might also have been aware of the particular background of the woman who wrote its words - and of the links between her and some of the themes in Harry and Meghan's lives.
posted by rongorongo at 1:43 AM on May 20, 2018 [15 favorites]


One thing about Meghan's dress -- to me, it was reminiscent of a 14th century cotehardie -- wide neckline and all. I love how everyone is calling it "modern" when it is also a callback to a look almost 700 years old.
posted by litlnemo at 2:44 AM on May 20, 2018 [18 favorites]


> That choice of vehicle [Jaguar E Type electricP is a perfect mixture of tradition and future innovation - of history and change. Also, for me, a reminder about how masterful the wedding was from a PR perspective. What is also interesting is how some of that PR - originating from one part of the British establishment - has been so subversive towards other parts: like those supporting forceful deportation of long-time immigrants or breaking of trading ties with our neighbours because they are foreign.

If you're looking for symbolism, revel in the irony that neither Jaguar nor Rolls Royce are British companies. Jaguar is held by Tata in India, and Rolls Royce by BMW Group in Germany. As far as I can tell there are only two premium marques (of the disproportionately many that were founded in the UK) that both remain extant and are still wholly domestically owned: Aston Martin and McLaren.
posted by ardgedee at 7:47 AM on May 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


Related video:

"Saturday Night Live" Imagined What It Was Like at the Royal Wedding Reception
Harry and Meghan: A Love Story aired on the CW. If you're into that.

And....
Suits star Meghan Markle signs on for long-running, incredibly expensive reality series
posted by jenfullmoon at 7:58 AM on May 20, 2018 [3 favorites]


One thing about Meghan's dress -- to me, it was reminiscent of a 14th century cotehardie -- wide neckline and all. I love how everyone is calling it "modern" when it is also a callback to a look almost 700 years old.

LaineyGossip is with you:

Meghan Markle omg. I loooove this look. I don’t love this dress. But I do love that this look was designed for the moment. On the stairs and at this venue. You don’t choose the west steps without doing it as dramatically as possible. With twins carrying your cathedral length veil. Up a cascading hedgerow. Guinevere styles, right? A maiden. It’s so simple. So evocative of a certain time. A time that this chapel has seen.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:06 AM on May 20, 2018 [8 favorites]


I was highly miffed at Kate, Beatrice and Camilla, though, for their Hyacinth Bucket-ish, eye-rolling antics during the Bishop's remarks. "Oh, good heavens, can you believe it, a preacher speaking above a monotone! With an actual message! How vulgar! Well, you know, those people..." That Philip behaved with more decorum than they did says something.

They didn't even really look at the ceremony but at their programs. Which, just... really? I would think that at this point, Meghan is well aware who in that family is on her side, and I trust that she can take care of herself.

If those snobs didn't care for the proceedings, or the message, or how it was delivered, certainly that's their (ridiculous) prerogative, but my low-class self has gone to many a social function where I was bored out of my skull. However, I knew that I was there to show a loved one support—and behaved accordingly. These three have absolutely no excuse, no matter their opinion on the Bishop or Meghan.

/snit
posted by droplet at 8:21 AM on May 20, 2018 [10 favorites]


He could have omitted a few needless words, all the same. And been a tad less high on himself. But YMMV.
posted by y2karl at 8:32 AM on May 20, 2018 [5 favorites]


YEP. I think the most interesting thing about all this royal- (and royal-adjacent) watching is how unprepared some of these people seem to be in the public eye. I guess they only experience this global avalanche of attention at weddings and funerals, but it doesn't take a genius to see that keeping a polite and attentive expression on your face for a couple of hours is the way to go. You can always bitch about what you don't like later, in private, near a gossip columnist. Compare that carelessness with Meghan Markle's lovesick gaze at Harry during every moment of their every appearance together since their engagement. I'm sure they love each other, but come on. That is some Nancy Reagan jiu-jitsu. (No coincidence -- another actress!)

This also makes me think of how Oprah changed her dress at the last minute because she was worried that it would look too close to white on camera. People who are good at being celebrities think about this stuff before people start carping about it on Twitter. And since popular people and aristocrats are just proto-celebrities, I'm always surprised that they don't have better aptitude for this stuff.*

* I mean, I guess some of them do.
posted by grandiloquiet at 8:45 AM on May 20, 2018 [5 favorites]


The reception sounds fun.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:17 AM on May 20, 2018 [3 favorites]


Kate, though, is very accustomed to being in the public eye. Which makes me think her behavior at the wedding was intentional. I'm not a royal-watcher, but it surprised me that she'd be so unprofessional in front of the cameras.
posted by Mavri at 9:22 AM on May 20, 2018


I'm not a royal-watcher, but it surprised me that she'd be so unprofessional in front of the cameras.


I have my doubts as to Kate’s alleged professionality in front of the cameras; homegirl has a serious aversion to weighing down her hems so she doesn’t flash the photographers in windy situations. Unless there are different etiquette guidelines for UK weddings, I’d fall on the side of that cream yellow being an intentional (tasteless) slight.

I once told somebody, “Alcohol is my public vice, darling. Celebrity gossip websites are my hidden vice.” And I rarely drink anything now, soooooo...
posted by romakimmy at 10:39 AM on May 20, 2018 [4 favorites]


Kate looked bored and irritated in almost every camera shot from when she got out of the car to when they waved Harry and Meghan off.
posted by kimberussell at 10:54 AM on May 20, 2018


And now I feel crummy about writing that because of the new-mom-again thing, but man, Kate...this is your job. At least she wasn't poor Zara.
posted by kimberussell at 11:10 AM on May 20, 2018 [4 favorites]


Kate looked bored and irritated in almost every camera shot

Hi! I too went to my husband's sibling's wedding a few days after giving birth and I'm sure I was making incredible irritated-looking faces all through the ceremony. Mostly I was trying to NOT think about the baby back home, so as not to worry and also not to start lactating in the middle of the vows.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 11:55 AM on May 20, 2018 [15 favorites]


They didn't even really look at the ceremony but at their programs.

Charles and Doria did that during the vows -- very surprising. Maybe they were fighting tears and wanted to keep their heads down.
posted by jgirl at 12:03 PM on May 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


Well I just Control-F'd this thread 'Did she really wear a white dress to another woman's wedding?' and there weren't any results so I guess that's not a thing anyone's talking about.

I was resolutely ignoring the whole shebang and then I came across a photo of Megan's mother in her civvies, and the woman looks just like a very good friend of mine, and I was gobsmacked enough to look at ALL THE PICTURES and it seems to have been quite lovely.

I'll be anti-monarchist again tomorrow but that wedding was amazing on a lot of different levels. And different on some amazing levels.
posted by glasseyes at 2:05 PM on May 20, 2018 [4 favorites]


on having skimmed over the thread: guess I should have C-F'd 'Kate.'
posted by glasseyes at 2:11 PM on May 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


A couple more observations: Zara Tindall (Anne's daughter) gaping like a fish at Michael Curry's sermon had me laughing. It brought home how different British and American culture really is! And sermons for British royalty must be real drone-fests ordinarily, at least to judge by the reactions of the audience.

I remember Diana had to have special shoes made with a teeny, tiny heel so she wouldn't tower over her husband. But at 5'10", she had the height to carry off her big poofy 80's dress. Duchess Kate is also 5'10" - they must be intent on stamping out Grandma's petite genes - I guess all the better to wear elaborate sweeping outfits with? Meghan Markle looks to be about 5'6" or so, of average height, but still probably not enough to offset an 80's taffeta extravaganza! I just <3 Megan's beautiful sleek dress.

Diana had the big cascading bouquet, but both Kate's and Meghan's seem kind of...restrained, but I think Meghan's bouquet was perfect for her outfit but Kate's looked kind of chintzy. Maybe it's the effort of holding a bouquet for hours that makes royal brides opt for smaller ones.

Diana wore ivory, appropriate for a blonde, and brunettes Kate and Meghan wore pure white.

I remember this came up in an Ask thread a while back - how short hair, like Diana's, was mainstream for young women in the 80's. Now I think most young women have long hair that can be pulled back/up for special occasions. Short hair is very out of fashion.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 2:48 PM on May 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


Kate just had a baby, she wrangled the kids ahead of time (there are some hilarious pictures of her "get over here!" mom face) and the wedding isn't just a couple hours. It has been weeks. I think we can cut her a little slack.

There are a lot of opinions about her outfit - this is the third time she's publicly worn this coat - some say she did it to send a jerky message and some say she did it so she wasn't selling out shops on Meghan's day. She might have done it to better blend for the kids part or she planned to wear another and you know - even if you're the wife of the future king - sometimes kids wipe stuff on you or it rubs against stitches or she just wasn't going to wear the foundation garments necessary to pull it off. We have no idea. An interesting point is that Pippa - Kate's sister - wore a white dress to Kate's wedding so maybe there's something going on we're not getting.

Regardless, the British paparazzi is going overboard with trying to put it out like these two grown women are bitchy frenemies, purposefully inflating every eye dart and lip curl. We can resist the urge to buy into it. They are two women doing very hard jobs that are tied to performing femininity through their marriages and families in incredibly specific ways. The sexism is so baked in that maybe here we can resist it just a little bit.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 2:50 PM on May 20, 2018 [25 favorites]


Zara is very beautiful.

I'm not so sure that she was dubious of the bishop. I think she was very physically uncomfortable and knew she was being widely watched while feeling that way.
posted by jgirl at 2:56 PM on May 20, 2018 [4 favorites]


I didn't see Gabriel Macht (from Suits) during the wedding or in the after coverage, so I went looking to see if he attended. He did, and for those who are curious about men's suits, there's an interesting piece in The Star about him getting his suit made for the wedding. (And here's a link including a photo of him and what he actually wore.)

As for the royal behaviour during the sermon and the ceremony, to me it seemed as if Charles and Camilla were somehow embarrassed by all that talk about love and devotion. Both of them knew they were in the wrong during most of their relationship. I also had to laugh when the officiant was doing the "until death" portion of the speech and he seemed to give the side-eye to Charles and a steady glance at Meaghan.

I too was trying to figure out if Kate wore white. In the church, (where the lighting made all of the colours look a bit different than they actually were) it seemed to be a pale yellow, but I think it was white in reality. That seemed disrespectful to me, but then again, I'm far from an expert on royal wedding etiquette. My mother, however was very shocked that the Queen would sport purple accents at a wedding, since purple tends to be a mourning colour for the British royalty.
posted by sardonyx at 3:13 PM on May 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


It seems every time someone writes about the (Alexander McQueen) coat they use a different name to describe it. This is apparently the fourth time she's worn it, not third, but in all 4 appearances it looks yellow/cream/white depending on lighting. Even in the bright sunlight you can tell it's not stark white because of how it is set off from Charlotte's maid/flower girl dress.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 3:37 PM on May 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


The Mirror reckons Zara was just needing to wee which... Many of us can sympathise with!
posted by threetwentytwo at 3:37 PM on May 20, 2018 [1 favorite]


Briefly returns as one of my librarian heroes has gone viral with this tweet...

@samanthahalf: You know what would be great? The BBC should televise someone's wedding every Saturday. "And here's Kerry, arriving at the registry office in her father's mondeo. Unfortunately her sister is unable to attend today due to what Rachel said about our Steve at Julie's christening."
posted by Wordshore at 3:44 PM on May 20, 2018 [20 favorites]


The people talking about Camilla, Kate, etc. being disrespectful baffle me. This is like the Yanny vs Laurel thing, but for facial expressions.

I cannot for the life of me understand how people don't see that mostly (and particularly during bishop Curry's sermon) people looked moved, when they just didn't look like they're in church and doing their best to appear stone-faced or vaguely pious (aside from the obligatory occasional whispering and tittering). I mean, to me one of the things that was wonderful about that sermon was to see the way it affected me reflected in so many faces.

I looked at most of the service, and to me it seemed that most people with very few exceptions looked ... normal? Occasionally very moved? I mean, I'm not from the UK, but I lived there for quite a few years and this wedding was very ... English wedding-y, just with way more pomp.

I'll assume that most of the people complaining are not from the UK - in my experience, this is what a lot of people look like when they are moved! My (English) ex-mother-in-law would look slightly embarassed, my (English) ex would exchange uncomfortable glances with whoever was near, my (English) friend H. looks positively distressed, my friend M. eye-rolls and goes red, my friend E. = embarassed, blustery if possible, unless she's drunk, in which case she'll start crying, etc.

Still, if I'm wrong, this would explain a lot about my marriage to above-mentioned ex...

Oh, and, again, in my experience, very light pastels that may appear almost white in pictures are very much what you are supposed to wear for weddings.

I don't know, I kind of would have expected to see this kind of needling about disrespect in the Daily Mail, but not here.
posted by miorita at 4:09 PM on May 20, 2018 [13 favorites]


With Camilla it was the head down, never looking at the officiants posture that seemed off--like she was hiding behind her hat the whole time. At least, that's what struck me.
posted by sardonyx at 4:16 PM on May 20, 2018 [3 favorites]


Maybe she thought people would dissect every micro expression and the anxiety of that kept her scanning the program. Performative emotion, while maybe feeling emotional, after decades of never getting a sniffle without someone writing about it might have some weird quirks.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 4:50 PM on May 20, 2018 [14 favorites]


When did it become de rigueur to leave a morning coat unbuttoned upon standing like some kind of hooligan? Yes, you don't button evening tailcoats but we're not animals!

Have I become a curmudgeon? Should everyone get off my lawn?
posted by Justinian at 5:40 PM on May 20, 2018 [8 favorites]


You know, Meghan Markle has been the public target of a typically snide and sneaky attack on the grounds of her ethnic background from within the royal family. I don't think it's farfetched to be alert to the possibility of more of the same coming her way.

Doria Ragland though. It may seem trivial but the strength of character it must have taken to wear her hair natural at the wedding - it was twists, not dreads - she must be an absolute rock.
posted by glasseyes at 6:38 PM on May 20, 2018 [8 favorites]


Legit escaped this by a) not having a television and b) reading no news and c) spending all weekend assembling an extremely expensive cat enclosure that all the cats hate and also I put the zipper door on the wrong way around.
posted by turbid dahlia at 7:05 PM on May 20, 2018 [3 favorites]


Doria Ragland though. It may seem trivial but the strength of character it must have taken to wear her hair natural at the wedding - it was twists, not dreads - she must be an absolute rock.

It took strength of character for everything. She had no friend or family member with her. She met the royals without even a rest to recuperate from her flight.

She's an ordinary workaday American who found herself in one of the most singularly rarified situations that can possibly be imagined.
posted by jgirl at 7:50 PM on May 20, 2018 [28 favorites]


Princess Michael is a known racist and a shitty person to boot. Comparing her bullshit to some snickers and looking down at programs is a stretch.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 5:53 AM on May 21, 2018 [4 favorites]


I mean, if we want to talk about the overt racism facing Meghan, we can talk about Katie fuckhead Hopkins.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 5:58 AM on May 21, 2018 [5 favorites]


In a slight derail (but very on theme for the question of royal slights), can anyone tell me whether "Princess Michael" is a slight? I mean, if the Queen liked her, wouldn't she have given her some title that would've enabled her to use her actual name?
posted by grandiloquiet at 7:06 AM on May 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


Princess Michael isn't a slight, just a quirk of titling that happens to only affect her right now.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 7:12 AM on May 21, 2018 [7 favorites]


Frome People: Harry and Meghan's Royal Wedding Flowers Were Turned Into Bouquets for Hospice Patients.

Such awful people, aren't they? The absolute worst. ;)
posted by kimberussell at 7:15 AM on May 21, 2018 [5 favorites]


I loved the wedding, if only for the hats and fascinators (even picked a new word).

Those Windsors can sure put on a show 👒
posted by Kwadeng at 7:17 AM on May 21, 2018 [3 favorites]


All the talk I heard about Meghan’s mom wearing (gasp!) the same colour as the queen becomes even sillier when you look at the official wedding photos and see that everyone and everything is perfectly coordinated down to the bouquets. (Including Catherine’s and Camilla’s outfits!)
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 9:27 AM on May 21, 2018 [5 favorites]


Frome People: Harry and Meghan's Royal Wedding Flowers Were Turned Into Bouquets for Hospice Patients.

Such awful people, aren't they? The absolute worst. ;)

Not to take away from this, but it's pretty common for that kind of thing to happen to royal wedding swag. All of the royals are engaged in charity work in one way or another.
posted by tzikeh at 10:08 AM on May 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


I ended up watching it twice (once when I was awake due to insomnia and a second time with my mom and aunts during breakfast) and then a few hours later we all went to a family wedding, so I sat through three weddings on Saturday. The last one had more than a few cowboy hats and no fascinators.
posted by elsietheeel at 10:22 AM on May 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


Oh yeah, I totally assumed that the Queen and Ms. Ragland both wore green on purpose. It's not like any of those attending are hopping down to Macy's to pick up their dresses.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 11:07 AM on May 21, 2018 [4 favorites]


The New Yorker's write-up, The Profound Presence of Doria Ragland, is lovely:

What we know of the relationship between mother and daughter has an “us against the world” feel to it. After her parents divorced, when she was six, Markle spent weekdays with her mother. Ragland doted on her only child, calling her “Flower.” When Markle became wealthy, she paid for her mother to attend graduate school; in a Mother’s Day post on her blog, she swooned with reverence over Ragland’s resilience. There’s no “Imitation of Life” drama here, in which the mixed-race daughter shuns her darker-skinned mother. Markle clearly delights in what she euphemizes as her mother’s “free spirit.” But they are different women. Markle makes it a point to call herself biracial. She vaguely invokes the “wounds” of American history, but is careful not to frame herself as a race hero. The skin of the mother is honey brown, but the daughter has been cast as ethnically ambiguous. In essays, Markle recalls that, as a child, strangers in the Valley mistook her mother for her nanny. In front of billions, Markle entered one of the oldest halls of whiteness, with the flowers of former colonies sewn onto her veil, and blended in. Ragland stood out.

posted by grandiloquiet at 1:01 PM on May 21, 2018 [12 favorites]


Okay so the internet has been able to tell me why most rando celebrities were invited, but why was the whole Middleton clan there? I mean, I am from a big close family and I would 100% show up to my in-laws family's weddings, but is that how the Royal Family works? Can we expect Doria Ragland at future royal events? Because that would be AWESOME.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:57 PM on May 21, 2018 [4 favorites]


Fire is involved in broadcasting this wedding around the world. And we can text, tweet, email, and otherwise socially engage be socially dysfunctional with one another due to fire.

FIFY, BuzzFeed.
posted by yeahlikethat at 8:36 PM on May 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


Okay so the internet has been able to tell me why most rando celebrities were invited, but why was the whole Middleton clan there? I mean, I am from a big close family and I would 100% show up to my in-laws family's weddings, but is that how the Royal Family works?

Hey, if Fergie was allowed to come, why not the Middletons?
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:41 PM on May 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


Because Fergie was close with Harry and he insisted! But does he, like, hang with Carol?
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:18 PM on May 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


but why was the whole Middleton clan there?

Because they’ve become family, in the most traditional sense of the world. When you marry someone, two families come together and become (sort of) one. The Windsors are considerate, that’s all.

It won’t be the case for Doria Ragland because she felt out of place even at her own daughter’s wedding and didn’t like all the attention. I just don’t see her flying across the pond to hobnob with the UK’s great and powerful.
posted by Kwadeng at 10:54 PM on May 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


I can see Harry being on great terms with the Middleton clan. Kate’s been around a long time and he and Will are best friends. Kate is very close with Pippa and James and her parents. That’s lots of birthday gatherings and festive times and babies and other opportunities to be together and have drinks and laughs with the whole gang. I mean there were hundreds of people at this wedding. The Middleton clan were definitely in there.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 4:07 AM on May 22, 2018 [2 favorites]


Does Kate and her family get extra deference because she will be the future queen?
posted by mmascolino at 6:24 AM on May 22, 2018 [1 favorite]


I've read that Carole Middleton and the Queen have taken a shine to one another. The article was accompanied by a photo of the Queen driving Middleton in a Range Rover.
posted by jgirl at 8:28 AM on May 22, 2018 [1 favorite]


Doria may have issues coming up with the money for UK plane tickets all the time as well, as opposed to living in the same country.

"When you marry someone, two families come together and become (sort of) one. The Windsors are considerate, that’s all."

That's so much nicer than my relatives. I have had to take pains to make sure both sides NEVER mingle together at the same event.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:32 AM on May 22, 2018 [3 favorites]


This adorable little Irish girl was just positive she had been invited to the Royal wedding and did not understand why she was not yet on her way to London.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:57 PM on May 22, 2018 [3 favorites]


The Middleton family prides themselves on being friends/hosts/guests of royalty for almost 100 years now. That, plus Kate, means they'll likely be at a lot of Windsor events.
posted by I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Today! at 5:14 PM on May 22, 2018 [1 favorite]


William once said the Middletons gave him (of dysfunctional stock) the family he never had. The Royals love them because they provide the stability and family values the future King needs.
posted by Kwadeng at 3:29 AM on May 23, 2018


Bored Panda takes the piss *
posted by theora55 at 8:31 AM on May 23, 2018 [1 favorite]


In Meghan Markle, the Royal Family has found someone who can refresh their corporate culture.
posted by jgirl at 8:56 AM on May 23, 2018 [6 favorites]


"Royal Wedding" — A Bad Lip Reading
posted by Atom Eyes at 12:27 PM on May 23, 2018 [5 favorites]


The Duchess Of Sussex’s Coat Of Arms.
posted by Segundus at 8:43 AM on May 25, 2018 [3 favorites]


Caity Weaver, from the cheap seats, reflecting on how weird this is in the NYT.
posted by grandiloquiet at 9:27 AM on May 25, 2018 [3 favorites]


The Duchess Of Sussex’s Coat Of Arms.

Samantha Markle needs to get a life, and soon.

I was wondering about what the coat of arms would be. The quills for writing are a nice touch. She is an outstanding writer (I read the piece in Elle). I don't know what the significance of the songbird must be.

I also wondered what they would do about a curtsy to the monarch at the wedding given that she is not yet a British subject. There was no curtsy, perhaps because it was not a state occasion like William's wedding.
posted by jgirl at 10:08 AM on May 25, 2018


The quills for writing are a nice touch. She is an outstanding writer (I read the piece in Elle). I don't know what the significance of the songbird must be.

"The Supporter relating to The Duchess of Sussex is a songbird with wings elevated as if flying and an open beak, which with the quill represents the power of communication."
posted by elsietheeel at 12:25 PM on May 25, 2018 [2 favorites]


litlnemo: One thing about Meghan's dress -- to me, it was reminiscent of a 14th century cotehardie

I was wondering about the carriages. What century are they a callback to?
posted by clawsoon at 12:41 PM on May 25, 2018


I also wondered what they would do about a curtsy to the monarch at the wedding given that she is not yet a British subject. There was no curtsy, perhaps because it was not a state occasion like William's wedding.

Laineygossip did a (two hour!! but mostly interesting, since Elaine Lui was talking about the gossip journalist experience of watching the ceremony from Windsor) Show Your Work on the wedding. They reported that Markle did curtsy (and oh my gosh that is a thing I just typed in 2018 from the United States wow).
posted by grandiloquiet at 2:24 PM on May 25, 2018 [3 favorites]


They reported that Markle did curtsy (and oh my gosh that is a thing I just typed in 2018 from the United States wow).

Wow, I'll have to watch that part again. I thought they walked out and looked at the Queen, and that was it. Harry did not bow. Certainly nothing like Catherine's wedding curtsy.
posted by jgirl at 6:24 PM on May 25, 2018


I thought Caity Weaver's article was great. I also went to the wedding and my experience and attitude were very similar. It was a beautiful day in the park with thousands of pleasant strangers all hoping to get a three-second glimpse of the royal couple. I had a blast.

Now I'm trying to buy commemorative dishes from the royal shop.
posted by shoesietart at 2:17 PM on May 26, 2018 [3 favorites]


jgirl: this is a couple days late, but Harry did bow. It's just that the camera switched to a wide angle from up top at that exact moment which was possibly the worst angle to capture this, but if you look carefully while it's going you can see that he bowed and Meghan curtsied.
posted by andrewesque at 6:24 AM on May 29, 2018


Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Royal Romance
Marrying into the monarchy is rarely a fairy tale.
posted by jgirl at 6:28 AM on May 30, 2018 [1 favorite]


You should read this, if not least for the term fudge-mergency.
posted by theora55 at 8:40 AM on May 30, 2018


‘British’ commentator who dominated royal wedding coverage exposed as Tommy from New York
Thomas J. Mace-Archer-Mills, ne Thomas Muscatello, grew up an hour north of Albany, N.Y. The Italian American then moved to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for college, where he studied politics and history. Soon, he started to work in real estate and gave himself a hyphenated last name, adding DeLaCroix to the end to give himself a boost in business with French Canadian clients.

And somehow, in 2018, he and his latest, triple-barreled last name appeared in a number of media reports, on TV and radio, offering commentary on the royal wedding. The self-described expert on the British monarchy spoke in a posh British accent and all.

The best part: It seems that until this week, no one quite realized that the 38-year-old is not actually a Brit.

...

The royal family commentator and staunch defender of the British monarchy has appeared in some of Britain's most reputable outlets, including the BBC and the Economist. He also serves as chairman of the British Monarchist Society and Foundation, which he founded in 2012.

But it seems most British viewers and producers didn't pick up on his fake, posh accent, which he allegedly honed during a high school production of “Oliver!” and through visits to Britain.
posted by clawsoon at 8:55 AM on June 2, 2018 [3 favorites]


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