The Royal Wedding - Your Opinion

[Tjerk12]

I am not sensitive for personality cult. Being an anarchist I should despite royalty. But strangely I don't. Their symbol function is not bad at all. They don't need to use their elbows to achieve respect. They just have it. I wrote once a letter to our Dutch Queen and she answered! A lot better than local authorities who seem to be untouchable.
But I did not watch the wedding. I had better things to do.

 

[topdog]

Well, I for one, have been looking forward to the event and had a great time watching events unfold on TV from my sofa here in the US. I was in London for Charles and Diana's wedding, and that felt like the whole city became one big street party. So I could easily imagine the excitement in the crowds yesterday.

I was listening to Vanessa Feltz on local BBC London as she described events for the radio audience, and at one point she was fighting back tears as William and Harry arrived. She wasn't the only one. I think that people of a certain age (and who are fond of the Royal family) feel a bit of a personal connection. For example, as old as I am, there has never been anyone else on the British throne other than Elizabeth. She has just always been there. Diana and I were both moving through our twenties about the same time - starting out eager and hopeful, and ending the decade with many illusions dismantled. When Diana died, it was a huge shock - and my heart and prayers went out for the boys.

So yesterday, to see the boys grown and happy was warm emotional moment. Also encouraging was to see that out of the whole Charles / Diana mess, the family has emerged wiser, less tradition-bound and stable. No one gave two hoots that Kate was a "commoner" or that the couple lived together for years. She was a good partner for Wills and that's what matters - not position or virginity. Charles is also now with the person he should have had to begin with.

Anyway - I'm not trying to change anyone's mind; just put up another point of view.

And jeansGuyOZ, I'm totally with you on Harry's paternity. Regardless, as far as the Queen, Charles, and William are concerned - he is family. Which, of course, is understandable. I don't expect it to ever become an issue, unless something happens to William and Harry comes in line to the throne. In that case, the Duke of York (or his daughters) could challenge him, and that could be ugly.

 

[tomba]

Well I thought it was utterly lovely...

I could shop after 11am with no fear of queues, with like-minded republicans who gave not a flying f**k about any of our Royals.

I heard on the news that 25m watched it....which meant 36m of us didn't. Yaaaay!!!

 

[dave]

The wedding is not really that important.

 

[Behrluvr]

You mean it's over? Yay!

And I'm afraid I wouldn't be interested in "Hitler Harry", even if I thought he genuinely did have royal blood, which I somehow doubt. William has a bald patch just like Charles. Harry looks nothing like Charles, but he is the spitting image of his father.

http://anonym.to/?http://www.sxolsout.org.uk/index_files/Harry_Hewitt.jpg

From left to right: Prince Charles, Prince Harry, James Hewitt.

Harry sure does look like James Hewitt!

 

[tomba]

To the lefties who want to see the back of them, well they have no power, they are now just figureheads, and the character of the country would change without them.

Actually, X, that's wrong. It's a general assumption that the Queen's role is purely ceremonial. It isn't. Just ask the Australians, whose Government was dismissed from under them in the 1970s.

If she wanted to, she could dismiss Parliament at Westminster tomorrow and would not need anyone's permission to do it. She would probably wave bye-bye to the entire institution of Monarchy if she did because the country would be in uproar, but the point is, she can.

What makes it murkier than it needs be is the fact that we have no written constitution which clearly defines her role and powers.

http://anonym.to/?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Australian_constitutional_crisis

http://anonym.to/?http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article6329207.ece

 

[topdog]

Harry sure does look like James Hewitt!

And it's not just his looks - their expressions are also identical.

 

[fosse97]

Viva Revolution

I, as an American, am confused by certain American's obsession with the Royal Brits. Did we not fight a revolution to get these people out of our lives?

 

[brmstn69]

WTF! Royal wedding moment...

Maybe that kiss was so short because they were anxious to get to better things...



"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may fellate the groom...":rofl:

 

[JonnyFantastico]

ROFL! No matter why Will's god daughter (the flower girl) was so petrified! )

As for me, I want to be the sandwich in a three-way between Prince Harry and Kate's brother, James.

Wait... that's not about the wedding at all, right? Oh, well; it will be quite the occasion to me. They're effin' hot.

 

[hardcandyfloss]

Maybe that kiss was so short because they were anxious to get to better things...



"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may fellate the groom...":rofl:

LOL.

 

[howardjk]

It didn't seem very important to me. I watched a few minutes and later in the day looked at the pictures of the dress (seemed lovely to me) and the whacked out hats worn by the female guests (many horrid creations). In contrast, I remember being enthralled by Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953 when I was all of eleven.

A columnist in the Boston Globe brought up a couple of interesting points. She is a native Aussie who is now an American citizen. She pointed out that Kate Middleton is -not- a commoner "just like you and me". Her family is worth millions and she attended the poshest private schools and has always hung out with the upper crust. Also she called the engagement ring "cursed"--from a failed marriage and so on. William must have had dozens of suitable family jewels to choose from. It was his mother's, yes but with such bad karma attached.

 

[neo666]

glad its over now, sort of over. Hopefully now the news can talk about more important things happening in the world and pubs can take down the flags.


Also didnt the queen look really bored during the whole day? I switched to BBC every hour hoping it was over but nope...... Would have gone to work if I could but the old bag wanted a Bank Holiday.
Oh well got pissed instead so......

 

[jw4833]

I personally thought America took the event way too far. It was very overexposed here as if they lived here. In fact, the media had been following this situation ever since they found out that Prince William and Kate had planned the day towards the end of April, and here it was the first of the year, 2011, and yet, they were doing daily play by play like it was happening that weekend. I'm happy for them as a couple, but that's as far as the whole event goes for me...

 

[topdog]

I personally thought America took the event way too far. It was very overexposed... they were doing daily play by play like it was happening that weekend..

Even though I loved the wedding, I totally agree with you about all the media hype leading up to the event. It was so over the top and I completely understand why many were thoroughly turned off by the time the big day came.

...A columnist in the Boston Globe brought up a couple of interesting points... She pointed out that Kate Middleton is -not- a commoner "just like you and me"... Also she called the engagement ring "cursed"--from a failed marriage and so on..

I know it's a distinction that doesn't reverberate much in the US, but being upper class and being rich are two totally different things in the UK. There are many in the privileged class that hardly have a penny - but they still have their title. And many middle-class sports, entertainment, and business people have vast fortunes, but they are still middle class.

There are only two ways to be upper class in Britain:

1. Be born into it
2. Marry into it

(It will be interesting to see how gay marriage factors into this system.)

So rich (especially second or third generation) may rub shoulders with the privileged, but they are still not one of "them".

As for the ring - I don't think that Charles & Dianna would have turned out any different had another jewel been selected. It seems quite a stretch to blame a failed marriage on a ring, no?

 

[gb2000ie]

Well said TopDog - I think much of the world has trouble understanding the concept of nobility that still exists in the UK. Not sure too many people still get the term 'blue blood', or the pejorative 'Nouveau riche'.

As for the ring being to blame for Charles marrying against his will, or that act somehow being transferable through a ring, superstitious nonsense. Wills loved his mother very much, giving something with so much emotional value to your beloved is a really wonderful gesture, I'm sure Kate was very touched by it, and saw it as the gift of love that it was.

B.

 

[Behrluvr]

I, as an American, am confused by certain American's obsession with the Royal Brits. Did we not fight a revolution to get these people out of our lives?

Well, they are out of our lives. We got rid of them over 2 centuries ago. But where is it written we can't be friends? And friends take an interest in each others lives.

Of all the Euros we Americans have the most in common and the most chemistry with the Brits. In spite of that little squabble back in 1776 , we remain good friends.

 

[colliderus]

ROFL! No matter why Will's god daughter (the flower girl) was so petrified! )

As for me, I want to be the sandwich in a three-way between Prince Harry and Kate's brother, James.

Wait... that's not about the wedding at all, right? Oh, well; it will be quite the occasion to me. They're effin' hot.

Prince Harry and Kate's brother, James are said to have left after party together at 3 am with other friends... so orgy maybe?

 

[bluemount]

The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America. They first rejected the authority of the Parliament of Great Britain to govern them from overseas without representation, and then expelled all royal officials - from Wikipedia. The rejection was the authority of the British Parliament (not the Crown as their authority was diminished - Queen Anne was the last British monarch to refuse an Act of Parliament) and non representation but still being taxed. Interesting as if I go to New York I have to pay tax and cannot get it back while if you come to UK and pay VAT you can. Yet I do not get a vote in NYC elections.

 

[hawtsean]

The amount of over-the-top hype from American news (sic) outlets clearly indicates that they are purveyors of sensationalistic crap that has little to do with their society or values. Obviously, real news in the USA and Canada took a back seat while commentators and their networks used much airtime to blat about much of nothing.

I've no bone to pick whatsoever with the Royals, long may they enjoy their stuff - but not at the expense of proper news and commentary on what is important to me, in North America.