It could be said that I have been somewhat scathing about the Royal Wedding.
Yes, perhaps just a little…
To be honest I was sick of hearing about it, and most definitely sick of seeing things like “Marry Me Instead” T-shirts in Supermarkets. Seriously? How sad! In an attempt to avoid the whole charade we planned a day trekking as a family through some gorgeous forest, a picnic, and not a TV in sight. The radio in the car was ignored in favour of Royal Wedding-free music and I don’t get internet on my mobile unless I’m under a phone tower.
Kieran deciding to go on our adventure dressed like this should have said it all really:
Quite smug that I had managed to avoid all mentions of the event, we drove along, looking forward to our day, when it hit me. The atmosphere. Not exactly eerie, it was more like that safe silence that exists on the street and around and about if you are out on Christmas Morning. In the quiet I pondered. Then I saw this:
And another like, it, and another, and another…
There was no-one in sight, the roads empty, no children playing out and that is when I realised I had completely missed the point. It wasn’t about tacky merchandising, the end of the dreams of many wannabe royal Princesses, or even about Kate &Will (sorry darlings!), but about us as a people, joining together in mutual respect and admiration, having a common thought, and as one “gee-ing” on one who may well at some point be our future King. Does this mean I think the Royal family are all shining examples of perfectness? No, it doesn’t, but it does mean that I need to open my eyes and my mind a bit more and not be so quick to scorn. Not something easy to admit, but a fault I do possess.
So tell me, what did the Royal Wedding mean to you? Were you just caught up in the pomp and fun, the outfits and the ceremony? Or have you realised like me, that the wedding was part of a much bigger event, during which a nation which can tear itself apart over politics, religion, immigration or even the football league tables, largely stood united, as one. I’d love to hear your take!