The Royal Wedding

[ILL Tonkso 1,236]

Is anyone else looking forward to the 29th!? Prince William and Kate Middleton are finally getting married at Westminster Abbey. Around 2 billion people worldwide are expected to watch. I have my Union Flag bunting up ready

Nice to have some GOOD news!!

[Meg 368]

I'm looking forward to it but for a different reason than you are. After the wedding, I won't have to heard about the wedding plans anymore.

I wish them well and hope they have a long happy life. I guess the wedding itself counts as news (succession of the crown and all that). But the type of cakes they will have and the identity of her dress designer are not, imho, news.

Still, you have a point: it is nice to celebrate something positive instead of talking about war and disasters all the time. It's just that I've already heard too many details. I know it's asking too much to let them be and have a little peace and quiet. But I find myself wishing the world would just leave them alone with each other.

[Easy Bakes 253]

It not over yet?

[ILL Tonkso 1,236]

Yes I have heard the US media is going nuts over it, apparantly it makes the British reception look positively non-chalant.

[Meg 368]

Yes I have heard the US media is going nuts over it, apparantly it makes the British reception look positively non-chalant.

I can't watch a newscast without hearing about some inane detail that is none of my business in the first place.

I guess they are the current "light side" of the news. but, sheesh, leave them alone already.

[ILL Tonkso 1,236]

I am upset at how some of our newscasts are reporting it, this is something of major cultural importance to the UK and it is being treated by many as a cheap bit of fun and an excuse to sell crap to the rest of the world. Also, the extremist islamic group who want to stop the wedding by marching outside of Westminster Abbey can sod off.

[Easy Bakes 253]

What i want to know is are they going to just skip Charles and

go right to Willaim as King.

  Edited April 19, 2011 by Easy Bakes  

[Meg 368]

What i want to know is are they going to just skip Charles and

go right to Willaim as King.

I've heard that a lot of people want to do that. but, short of changing the rules or bumping Charles off, how can they do that?

Poor Charles has had basically a wasted life. Who knows what he could have done if he had been allowed to develop his own abilities and talents like the rest of us?

[Easy Bakes 253]

What i want to know is are they going to just skip Charles and

go right to William as King.

I've heard that a lot of people want to do that. but, short of changing the rules or bumping Charles off, how can they do that?

Poor Charles has had basically a wasted life. Who knows what he could have done if he had been allowed to develop his own abilities and talents like the rest of us?

He could probably just turn it down in favor of his son. Couple of ceremonies and its done.

[Meg 368]

He could probably just turn it down in favor of his son. Couple of ceremonies and its done.

"Hey, I've waited my whole life for this but, oh well, never mind. Here, junior, you take it."

I dunno . . . how often does that happen?

[Easy Bakes 253]

He could probably just turn it down in favor of his son. Couple of ceremonies and its done.

"Hey, I've waited my whole life for this but, oh well, never mind. Here, junior, you take it."

I dunno . . . how often does that happen?

Im sure it s happened before.

isnt Chuck in his 60s? why would he want the headache now

every one leaves him be at this point.

[beebs 129]

Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, but that was a different situation. and while it was his choice, it really wasn't much of a choice.

[Duke87 1,070]

Yawn. Celebrity weddings are not news. They are tabloid material for the consumption of unintelligent people.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

There is absolutely no chance that Charles will chuck it, even if he dies in the coronation ceremony. The royal family is still quite conscious of the results of an American gold digger derailing the train. Every time any of them see or talk to the Duke of Edinburgh, they must remember that he is a scion of the family that introduced Wally to Edward. He has a lot of baggage, and his son has to claim it. The Milford-Havens (Battenburgs) really messed things up, including ruining the life of a perfectly happy Duke of York.

If Charles is smart, he will become King George VII. It is his choice, the same as the pope can have any name he wants. Kings named Charles haven't done very well on the English throne.

William can be either William V, or George (x). After the second Elizabethan era, it seems natural for there to be a Georgian dynasty. We really don't need another mess like the one that followed good Queen Bess.

The taint on the seat of Edinburgh will be removed soon. I believe I heard that Prince Harry has been named the Viscount of Edinburgh, which will make him Duke by succession. Phillip couldn't exit soon enough to suit me. I am pretty sure the Queen will outlive him. (Tomorrow's the Queen's real birthday, by the way. She is 85.) Phillip is several years her senior.

So, Charles isn't as old as you think, perhaps. But if the Queen lives as long as her mother, then Charles may never sit on the throne due to the activities of the grim reaper.

Back to the happy couple. William and Katherine are very lucky. I am sure William is looking at the errors of his father, and wants to settle his family quickly. If Charles had married Camilla when they were first serious, the Diana mess would never have occurred. I hope the soon-to-be-wed's will have a happy life on assignment with the RAF.

  Edited April 20, 2011 by A Nonny Moose  

[Barbarossa 51]

.

  Edited September 8, 2012 by Barbarossa  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Personally, I couldn't care less about this event. If anything, I'm more interested in the Jelly Bean of Kate Middleton. She must be divine, because Jesus does the same thing on toast.

Barbarossa

Don't blame you. The linage and birthplace of your current King (Obama) is more interesting. However, history doesn't spin everything unevenly. Not only is today the Queen's real birthday, it is also Adolf Hitler's.

Want to know the combination of every SS lock in the world? You have every good chance it would be Hitler's birthday.

History blows both evil and good on the same dates, and it does it every year.

  Edited April 20, 2011 by A Nonny Moose  

[Meg 368]

Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, but that was a different situation. and while it was his choice, it really wasn't much of a choice.

Ah, yes. The woman he wanted to marry was politically incorrect for the times so he decided to not be king and marry her instead.

If Charles had married Camilla when they were first serious, the Diana mess would never have occurred.

But isn't Camilla politically incorrect too for some reason? If I recall correctly, she isn't "worthy" of being the mother of the future king. Don't ask me why.

I've heard that Dodi al-Fayed (who died with Diana) wasn't politically correct either and couldn't have been the stepfather to a future king. As my British friends have told me "She never would have been allowed to marry that man".

Is there some reason these people can't marry who they want to marry?

I guess things are improving. Kate Middleton is, after all, a lowly commoner and there isn't too much fuss being made over that. (She must, of course, "catch up" on certain things like having a coat of arms created to represent her family.)

Don't blame you. The linage and birthplace of your current King (Obama) is more interesting.

Obama isn't a King. People like to fuss about his Kenyan father but few mention that his mother was descended from at least 3 people who were on the Mayflower. He has tens of thousands of distant cousins here, most of whom are not aware of it.

[beebs 129]

Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, but that was a different situation. and while it was his choice, it really wasn't much of a choice.

Ah, yes. The woman he wanted to marry was politically incorrect for the times so he decided to not be king and marry her instead.

She was a divorcee. The issue was that it went against something or other with the church of England, not necessarily that it was outrageously taboo (so far as I've been told). And with the monarch being the head of the church, it wouldn't be appropriate. So he was given an ultimatum by the PM to abdicate, or not marry. He chose marriage.

It was potentially a good choice for the monarchy. Apparently, the guy had some ties with Nazi's.

Is there some reason these people can't marry who they want to marry?

I guess things are improving. Kate Middleton is, after all, a lowly commoner and there isn't too much fuss being made over that. (She must, of course, "catch up" on certain things like having a coat of arms created to represent her family.)

I don't think that marrying a "commoner", or Camilla are quite as big an issue as Edward was. Although unusual in the case of Kate, and god-knows-what-the-issue-is with Camilla, neither of them go against the state religion. That was what caused the fuss with Edward.

As the monarchy becomes more attuned to modern times, I think we'll see a lot more marriages based around mutual desire, rather than marriages of convenience that used to be the common practice.

[ILL Tonkso 1,236]

Someone posted this vid on Skyscrapercity recently which demonstrats the benifits this country enjoys thanks to its (constitutional!) Monarchy.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

The only blot on Camilla Shand was that her grandmother was one of the king's paramours at some point. However, she is of better lineage than Katherine. But it doesn't matter. William and Katherine are in love, the Queen approves, and so does Charles (he should, considering). William is avoiding the terrible mistake his father made, and while Katherine may be a commoner, she may turn out to have more in her than people think.

Anyway, as soon as she is married to William, she will be the Duchess of Cambridge, probably HRH the Duchess of Cambridge. So by the end of next week she will have hurdled into the royal kindergarten for new members of the firm. Getting up the heraldry for Katherine and her family depends on what appointments are made after next week.

The College of Heralds probably has it already in (confidential) draft. It is an efficient outfit. I should think a life-peerage (baronetcy) should do for openers for her father. If he deserves anything further it is up to what he does. If I were designing one for Charles it would be a vulgar court fool rampant on the deck of a destroyer.

William is a half-blood Saxe-Coberg-Gotha (Windsor), and with Katherine, they will outbreed some more. Good for the royal line, because it has become somewhat tainted. Wonder how quickly they can turn out an heir and a spare? If its anything like their great-grandparents, they'll get only girls.

I think the Scots will be pleased with Harry when he becomes Duke of Edinburgh. So all will be well with things when the Queen passes, she has done her full duty, and it is up to Charles to make sure nothing goes awry.

I wonder if Charles will make Camilla the Duchess of Richmond (de facto Queen)? When he gets the throne he is automatically the Duke. This little left-over from the Wars of the Roses actually defines the Monarchy. Once the succession occurs, Charles is free to grant the Principality of Wales to William.

You're right, I am a Royalist. Well, why not? Watching their antics is generally great fun and theatre.

[Meg 368]

Someone posted this vid on Skyscrapercity recently which demonstrats the benifits this country enjoys thanks to its (constitutional!) Monarchy.

And for those who don't understand how things work, there is this handy video.

[blade2k5 1,523]

Is anyone else looking forward to the 29th!? Prince William and Kate Middleton are finally getting married at Westminster Abbey. Around 2 billion people worldwide are expected to watch. I have my Union Flag bunting up ready

Nice to have some GOOD news!!

Not really. To me, this is a non-event.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Is anyone else looking forward to the 29th!? Prince William and Kate Middleton are finally getting married at Westminster Abbey. Around 2 billion people worldwide are expected to watch. I have my Union Flag bunting up ready

Nice to have some GOOD news!!

Not really. To me, this is a non-event.

Thanks, Meg, for the video on the Empire.

You can have all the non-events you like. I consider it to be a spectacle to take the heat off the election campaign which culminates with the vote here in Canada on May 2nd. Fortunately for me, the polling place is across the street so I can just nip over there and vote for Mr. None of the Above, which is the way I am leaning right now because of the behavior of the school boys running for PM.

We actually have a None of the Above party, called the Green Party of Canada that is running candidates in all ridings (308). The election is 10 days away and I don't know who the Green Party candidate is in this riding. If I don't get a flyer from him/her soon, I'll be forced to call the returning office and ask. The Greens don't have any seats in the last House, and only had one because a member crossed the floor in the previous one. Their chances of getting one this time is pretty slim, but they do garner about 10% of the vote, so there is a fear factor for the other guys. Considering all the action now, my fearless prediction for this kick at the cat is "same old, same old", a conservative minority with the rest howling across the floor.

[ILL Tonkso 1,236]

Is anyone else looking forward to the 29th!? Prince William and Kate Middleton are finally getting married at Westminster Abbey. Around 2 billion people worldwide are expected to watch. I have my Union Flag bunting up ready

Nice to have some GOOD news!!

Not really. To me, this is a non-event.

Meg, you would be surprised how many Brits don't know some of that as some of it isn't even taught in schools anymore! Shocking really. A friend of mine - very switched on, now doing a PhD in BioMedical sciences - asked me 'is Scottish British then?', then again this is the same girl who didn't know she grew up in London (Chesington, south west suburb, within the 32 boroughs).

[Frdm920 50]

...Camilla, neither of them go against the state religion. That was what caused the fuss with Edward...

Actually Camilla is also a divorcee, the main reason she and Charles were allowed to marry is that the monarchy is trying to 'modernise' and also that the British government at the time used European law on human rights to legalise the marriage.

[astronelson 339]

I'll try and watch the coverage by the Chaser. It's bound to be interesting.

[hamsterTK 93]

I saw some hysterical infomercial on TV the other night trying to sell a replica of the royal wedding ring. The voice was this over the top posh london type accent.

[ILL Tonkso 1,236]

Posh london type? So not London at all then lol. Let me guess it was the classic 'recieved pronounciation' (more accurately attributed to some up-his-own-arse barrister in surrey than any londoner).

[Easy Bakes 253]

Posh london type? So not London at all then lol. Let me guess it was the classic 'recieved pronounciation' (more accurately attributed to some up-his-own-arse barrister in surrey than any londoner).

I think he means the Robin Leach voice.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I saw that commercial, of course. If you watch any show these days (I think I was watching Animal Planet), you get bombarded with this crap. The ones I find most reprehensible are the "collectors mint" ones trying to sell you gold-filled or silver-filled fake coinage or paper currency. They make it sound like you are a traitor if you don't want their junk. The unctuous voice over reminds me of a priest talking to the boy soprano about the little operation so he can keep his high voice.

As for the Royal Wedding coverage, for some reason CBC is starting their blather an hour before the BBC feed. One wonders what badinage is going to he handed out during the hour before things get off the ground. The BBC coverage starts at 0300 EDT, which is 0700 CUT (I think). I might sleep all afternoon the day before so I can see if it is worth staying up for the BBC overage. I have a feeling this is going to be several cups of coffee if I want to stay with it.

Apparently, if you want to be civilized about it, there is a repeat (obviously recorded) starting at 1000 EDT. Frankly, Scarlett ...

BBCCA is having a month long convulsion that ends on the 29th.