People all over yesterday’s bunting-clad world sat down to tea and crumpets in celebration of the wedding of the century. It was one of those days where you’ll remember exactly where you were and who you were with… I know I won’t be forgetting it in a hurry; I had been excited for weeks!
Normally, I’d be the cynical type and wonder what all the fuss was about, but yesterday morning I tuned in like everybody else and gasped and clapped at the morning’s build up and the afternoon celebrations. I didn’t even enjoy it because I’m a romantic or a royalist. The only thing I could put it down to was something I’ve never really felt before… patriotism.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not an out and out royalist, but I do feel as though we could all do with being a little more proud of our heritage and traditions. I am not saying that we’re perfect but you have to admit, it’s pretty damn great to be British. As Hugh Grant so perfectly points out for us in Love Actually, ‘We may be a small country, but we’re a great one, too. The country of Shakespeare, Churchill, the Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter. David Beckham’s right foot. David Beckham’s left foot, come to that… ‘. I think we could all learn something from this faux prime minister.
Yes, we normally have crap summers, but our winters are the cosiest around. Yes, we drink tea all day, yes we have bad teeth and yes we are traditionally rather pale. But we have churned out some of the best music, films, charities and food in the world! I think those flags in Regent Street should be a permanent fixture as a symbol of our appreciation of, well, ourselves.
I just think that for all the trouble that has been going on in the world from unending disputes to devastating natural disasters, I think yesterday, for one whole day, it was forgotten and people were allowed not to worry. And if a royal wedding is what it takes to bring a smile to the face of Brits across the country and the world over then I say ‘Bring on the Coronation!’
The beauty of this wedding though is that she is a ‘commoner’ marrying the Prince. You have to think though; her parents must be absolutely beside themselves! When they dropped her at St Andrews at the turn of the millennium, they were hoping that she would get a 2:1 to land a good job après university. Instead, she got royal.
Lucky cow.
Now, girls… William might have been snapped up, but the dream isn’t over. Harry is still up for grabs and it just so happens I’m heading to Mahiki next week in the hope of meeting him if anyone’s interested? Yah?
I’ll meet you at the back of the queue…
Hats off to the happy couple!
The London Ladybird 