Some called it the wedding of the year, others the decade, even others the wedding that will save the Royals. I called it my chance to rub elbows with the aristocracy. I’d purchased my top hat and morning jacket by the time William called to tell me that I apparently was now uninvited because Harry wanted to be the only ginger in attendance. Wills apologized and explained that Harry heard Pip, Kate’s sister, likes red heads and didn’t want any competition for the night. With my hopes of attending the wedding dashed by the younger prince I now had to decide if I would watch on TV or brave the crowds and watch in person. I chose the commoner route, bought my train ticket to London, laced up my trainers, packed a camelback, grabbed my camera, and set out for what was still going to be to be a once in a life time experience.
I was unwilling to sleep on the sleep on the sidewalk or pay for a London hotel room, meaning my morning started plenty early. I woke at 5am to get the 5:53 train into London Paddington. I expected the train to be full and rowdy but it was surprisingly empty. I was afraid the forecasted rain had put people off attending. This turned out to be untrue as more people joined at each stop until arriving at Paddington just before 8am. From there I took the tube to Green Park where I was expecting to walk out to the mall. After getting out into Green Park police informed everyone the mall was already at capacity and closed to further entrants. We were urged to stay in the park and take advantage of the movie screens that had been set up for viewing. Not willing to settle for watching the ceremony on TV (I could have slept in and done that from Cheltenham!) I decided to try for the mall anyways. Looking back I am very glad I didn’t do as I was told this time.
I left Green Park, walked around the back of Buckingham Palace, past the Goring hotel where the Middleton’s were, and to St. James Park. At this point crowds prevented me from going any further. I was content to be in position to see people leaving Buckingham or the Goring. If you are looking at Buckingham I was directly to the left and a couple people off the barriers keeping people out of the street. It was still only 9, meaning I had at least 90 minutes until people started leaving Buckingham or the Goring. Being a festive atmosphere everyone was particularly friendly and talkative while waiting for the action to start. We couldn’t see too much as the cars left Buckingham because they went around the other side of the Queen Victory monument. We did however have front row spots for Pip, the flower girls, and pageboys, as well as Kate with her Dad. I got a great picture of Kate as her car passed by. At the time I was convinced it was the best picture I would get all day.
With Kate having passed and the ceremony underway the crowds started to get restless. Kids were hungry, those drinking needed the facilities, and older people were having trouble with the swell of the crowd. As people started to move two of the people I had been talking to, James and Charlotte, and myself decided to try for a spot further down the mall and out into the roundabout. With the ceremony being broadcast over loudspeakers in the parks and on the mall there were audible cheers when the two said I do and when they were pronounced husband and wife. The crowd also joined in signing a few of the hymns. Most vocally Jerusalem and God Save the Queen. Not knowing the words to either of these songs it was fun to just watch the British people around me sign out for Queen and Country. Most countries are not as outwardly patriotic as Americans and perhaps none are more reserved about it than the British so it was really good to see them let loose a little and embrace a piece of their countries history. As the ceremony ended the crowd began to push forward again, sensing the approaching carriages and procession. Because of out movement during the down time and push of the crowd we now found ourselves on the left side of the roundabout probably 15 people from the road. My height advantage was effectively neutralized by the free cardboard periscopes being handed out, people who planned ahead and brought crates to stand on, and everyone having a camera in the air hoping for a picture.
The balcony appearance and everyone hoped, kiss, were the only major things left. With the realization that the barricades in front of us were permanent and therefore wouldn’t allow us access to the road we gave up our already good location in hopes of getting a better one. To the dismay of many people still trying to push forward for a view of the balcony we backtracked to where the permanent barricades ended and the temporary ones started. We logically, and correctly deduced this would be where they would start to let people onto the roundabout. Our gamble and guessing paid off as we were let into the street! We were a couple people hind the line of police walking the crowd in from the left side of the roundabout. Being in the middle of a crowd that size with so much open space in front of us gave me a little feeling of what it must have been like to go down the parade route itself with everyone watching you. The sheer number of people was amazing to see, and they could be seen in every direction. We got to probably within 10-15 feet of the fence line before backing up a little bit so the fence wouldn’t be in our pictures. While sound in theory the crowd push forward when they appeared put the fence back in our pictures. Thankfully I was tall enough to overcome but I felt bad for James and Charlotte who had to space fence posts between the royals. Then came the kiss, not once but twice! There was the loudest cheering of the day, flag waving, and even tears in the eyes of some. This was proof to me that the British do indeed love their country and monarchy. They just aren’t always as outward about their expressions as us Americans. The waving and posing continued a few more minutes before the fly over. With their last waves everyone disappeared inside to begin the parties. The British reserve almost immediately returned in the form of a female voice over the loudspeaker system, asking us to clear the street and return to the pavement (Brit speak for sidewalk). There was a collective groan and ignoring of the request. Many, myself included, responding by popping open a bottle of champagne to celebrate. We toasted William and Kate as well as each other while we soaked in the atmosphere.
We continued to sip our champagne and snap pictures as we walked the parade route in reverse. People were splashing in the fountains, posing for pictures with strangers, and doing TV interviews in a number of different languages. We even stopped by the TV broadcasting both were I got in the background of the live CNN shot. They can blame Anderson Cooper for having an unmistakably shaped and colored head for that. He was easy to pick out. We continued down the mall, passed the Horse Guards, through Whitehall, turning right at Big Ben, and finally came to Westminster Abby. The bells were still chiming their triumphant song of happiness and the crowds were still gathered celebrating and taking pictures.
By this point it was nearing 3, our packed snacks and drink had long since run out and we needed to refuel. We stopped at a Slug and Lettuce for some drinks and appetizers. Shortly thereafter I was persuaded to skip my train home so that we could continue celebrating over dinner. After learning I had never been to Wagamams James and Charlotte quickly agreed on that for dinner. It turned out to be a delicious little chain of Asian cuisine, fast and friendly service. One more stop at another south bank pub completed our night in Central London. We caught the tube back to James’ in Hammersmith for a nightcap at his local (local is Brit speak for neighborhood bar) and some sleep. It was a great finish to an amazing day.
We like to throw big parties in the states and do so for much less important occasions. The British however have one up on us when it comes to throwing parties like this. Their rich history combined with a sense of pageantry and tradition that goes along with a Royal wedding is unlike anything I have ever seen. It trumps any state occasion I’ve ever seen in the US. I’m confident I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. And since I hear Harry struck out with Pip I don’t think I’ll see anything like this again while I’m here!
I need an honest opinion here: better or worse than UW Whitewater Homecoming? Shoot me straight here, Deej.
ReplyDelete