There are only a few days left until the biggest, most anticipated, royal wedding in 30 years. Prince William of Wales will marry his longtime girlfriend of eight years, Catherine Middleton this Friday, April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. There are an estimated two billion people expected to watch the wedding. Two BILLION people?! Holy Hannah… How is that even possible? Two words for you… The internet. And two more, social media. Are you really all that surprised? Surprised about the fact that an estimated two billion people are planned to tune in via TV and internet or that two billion people care THAT much? If you don’t understand the world wide love for Prince William, soon-to-be Princess Catherine [or Mrs. Wales for those traditional Americans wondering what the heck her new last name will be] and that crazy royal family across the pond in Great Britain, I am going to try and sum it all up for you the way I understand it…
As a little girl, I always loved to join my mom and watch whatever she was watching… Well actually, only when it was something “cool.” I’m not a fan of science fiction or old black and white movies, so when that was the chosen show, I was outta there. However, whenever Princess Diana or anything to do with the royal family was on, I was instantly interested in hearing anything and everything I could. I know what some of you are thinking “Why do you even care?!”
Little girls lives are filled with anything and everything to do with princesses. I think Disney is partially responsible for that, but that’s OK because becoming a princess can become a reality, just ask Catherine Middleton in a few days, she’ll tell you. In this world, if you fall in love with a man who happens to be a prince and you marry him, you instantly become a princess! Just like that! You are now a part of this magical world that every little girl dreams of during those endless hours of playing dress up with her girlfriends.
However, if I learned one thing from watching those Barbara Walters’ interviews with Princess Diana, it was that the royal family was like any other family in this world… Crazy! Except I think their craziness was a bit more crazy due to the ridiculous and sometimes “out of this world” pressure that has been put on them for hundreds of years. If you’re born in, there is no way out. Some of you think… “Imagine how wonderful life would be!”… I think NOT being born into a royal family is its own blessing… [Even though I LOVE watching, dreaming and imagining from a distance]. My favorite fact I have read about Prince William is that he loves riding his motorcycle around London. Why? Because that is the only time when no one knows who he is.
I have read several books over the year about the royal family, Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry. It is an absolutely fascinating story. The secrets and the scandals! Americans cannot get enough of it either, so it is no surprise to me that all three networks in the United States are covering the wedding and millions of alarm clocks will be set for 4:00AM on the East coast and 1:00AM on the West coast.
Part of the buzz may be due in part to Hollywood recently making the movie “The King’s Speech”, based on the true story of King George VI’s [who was Prince William's great grandfather] impromptu ascension to the throne and his quest to find his voice and over come his stammering problem. For the older generations, this was one of the most scandalous times, in recent history of the royal family. In 1936, King George V died and the Prince of Wales, Edward became King Edward VIII. OK, so what was the problem and why did Edward abdicate the throne? Edward was in love with Wallis Simpson, who was an American socialite. A twice – divorced American socialite. There were religious, legal, political and moral issues raised to the idea of King Edward VIII marrying a divorcee. As King, Edward was the nominal head of the Church of England, which did NOT allow divorced people to re-marry if their ex spouses were still alive. [I still believe to this day that the royal family was responsible for the death of Princess Diana on August 31, 1997. Why? Because Prince Charles wanted to marry Camilla Parker-Bowles and he couldn't legally do that so long as Diana was alive...] Edward could not marry Wallis Simpson and remain the King of England. Due to Mrs. Simpson’s two failed marriages, it was widely believed that she was both politically and socially unsuitable as a spouse. The King was not going to give up the love of his life, so he abdicated the throne in 1936 to his little brother, George or ‘Bertie’ as he was commonly called, and then Edward was free to marry Wallis, which is exactly what he did.[to their defense, Edward and Wallis remained married for 35 years until Edward's death in 1972].
A little crazy isn’t it? That’s just one story I wanted to share to give you an idea of WHY this royal wedding really, truly is as special as the media is making it out to be. Marriage after marriage within the royal family has fallen a part, resulting in scandal after scandal. [At this point the Queen I wouldn't be too surprised if she told William, "Oh fuck it! Marry whomever you'd like!" Just kidding! hehe 
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Diana said in interviews that during her engagement period to Charles, she felt that Camilla played a big role in Charles’ life. Imagine how that must have felt?! You going to marry the man YOU love, become Princess of Wales but you know in your heart your Prince isn’t in love with you. No matter what, the fact was, she was marrying the future King and everyone would make her out to be a crazy lunatic before they would admit that Charles’ was a pig that couldn’t keep it in his pants. I remember reading in ‘William and Kate’ by Christopher Andersen one quote from Diana that I will never forget, “I pity any woman who marries into this family.”
When Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, they had only been dating for six months. Charles was twelve years older than Diana. Even though Diana grew up at Park House, the mansion next to the Sandringham estate of the royal family, she hadn’t ever really been around Charles much because of the age difference. There was MUCH pressure from the Queen and everyone else for Charles to marry so he could produce an heir. His heir to the throne. That is exactly what happened. On June 21, 1982, the world welcomed Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, the future King of England.
I could go on and on and on about this family… The history is quite interesting to someone that is interested in that kinda stuff. Whether you could give a shit about this wedding or if you are planning a party at 4:00AM this Friday with your friends, the fact is, the future King of England is marrying ‘commoner’ Catherine, his Princess, the future Queen of England. Eyes are all on her now but I guarantee that she will be OK because William will have it no other way. He blamed the paparazzi for the death of his mother, so you can bet everything you have that you will see things done a whole lot differently than they have been done in the past.
I love this royal wedding because it seems to be a true love story. It began 8 years ago, and like everything, it has had its ups and downs, but one other thing seems true. Catherine seems to be genuinely ready to become a Princess. When Prince Charles married Diana in 1981, he was in love with Camilla. When Prince William marries Catherine this Friday, he is in love with Catherine. I truly believe that if you marry for love amazing things can and will happen, but when you marry someone that you are not in love with awful things can and will happen.
When you are watching Catherine get out of the car next Friday when it pulls up to Westminster Abbey and you see her face, her dress and the veil for the first time, try to imagine for a second what that moment must be like. Imagine how absolutely, ridiculously INSANE it has all got to be… And then say a prayer… say a prayer for Catherine and William. I don’t think I really need to tell you why.
If you are too fascinated with this wedding and the history of the British monarchy, I invite you to comment below and tell me why you love this royal wedding!
