My take on the royal wedding
Here’s a fun one!
Many may wonder why a doctor is writing about the royal
wedding. Here’s why:
Most of my patients do not realize that I am British by
birth and spent the formative years of my life singing God save our gracious Queen! Now I am literally an African–American Brit but the interest in the
royalty is indelibly ingrained in my brain. (I even went to London for William and Kate's wedding.)
Secondly, it was after all so beautiful ….. happy and
glorious (oops, starting to sound like the national anthem again!) These are things we all need these days.
So, as someone with a perspective from both sides of the
Atlantic ocean, kindly allow me to voice my opinion.
It was nice to see an occasion without cell phones and
selfies for a change. Although Camilla did manage to distract herself with the
program (and us with her hat)!
Meghan looked fantastic and she comported herself regally
albeit in isolation.
The dress was, as Harry said, ‘Amazing’ it could not have
been more beautiful and the ‘Queen Mary tiara’ my word! I would pay for a touch
of that exquisite piece of jewelry.
I have never really been interested in going to see the
crown jewels but I might change my mind
and join that long line now.
The chapel at Windsor was such a good choice it was so much
more cozy than Westminster Abbey and it was a good excuse to keep the number of
invitations down but I can tell you as a Brit that chapel has never seen
anything like it!
Tut tut ! a choir with braids, a woman without a hat on,
people singing “stand by me” in the Queen’s church? oh well, at least there was no drumming.
Speaking of music it was impeccable from start to finish. I
loved all the choices and that 19 year old cellist was incredible and so poised
(a little too much expression for the royal taste but no matter). Both choirs
were pitch perfect.
The wedding itself went off without a hitch but yes there
were some wrinkles. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t mention them right?
The first was Doria, the mother of the bride. As a mother my
heart ached for her through out the ceremony. She was so alone, I think she had
to mentally go somewhere else.
As a mother I can only imagine how she felt, she had no one
to lean on. No one even talked to her as she sat and watched her daughter go
through the incredible spectacle.
Did no one there feel a little compassion for her? No one to talk to and she certainly didn’t have a shoulder to cry on. (Doria call me
next time!)
Despite being in a strange place with even stranger people
Doria conducted herself with immense dignity as she watched her daughter’s pomp
and circumstance and held back the tears, knowing that cameras were trained on
her every expression. By golly, she could have been royal herself.
I would have just let the tears flow. I give her credit, no
gaudy make up or trying to upstage anyone, just a quite self assurance. I hope
her daughter is a chip off the old block, she is going to need to be.
Yes, poor Meghan with only one family member at her wedding.
Outside of the glitz and glamour of royalty at the end of the day, there is
some loneliness there but now she has Harry and hopefully she can create a new
family.
It truly is a fairy tale, for a child of such a dysfunctional
family (girl I feel your pain!), to end up in the British royal family is a
miracle that could only happen…. in America!
I give Meghan credit though. The English would have invited them just to save face, in
spite of the fact that their behavior was making her unhappy. Good for you Meghan
for sticking to your guns!
While I am at it let’s talk about the preacher, oops! He was
supposed to be Episcopalian but obviously he is rather far removed from the Church of
England. No one saw him coming.
Something tells me the gentry are still shuddering. I’ve
heard his sermon described by the British as ‘rousing’ a gentle way of saying a
little too animated.
His theme was love, if he mentioned it once, he said it a
thousand times. Or as they say in the States….I wish I had a nickel every time
he said the word.
But his point is well taken, the people of the world
desperately need to heal. And let’s hope that love can do that, Lord knows we
need it. Ten more young lives lost in Texas to gun violence just the day
before.
I’m not sure what all the talk about fire was about but I can
tell you it was a little too much for the British, they don’t
do a lot of talking in church and never, ever shout!
I was pleased that he spoke ad lib, why does the Archbishop
of Canterbury have to read from an elaborate document even when he has said the
same words a million times?
I will end here, suffice to say, it was a great spectacle
and for an hour, a billion people world-wide could focus on something beautiful
and positive. We, unlike the royal family allowed ourselves to exhale and
smile.
Congratulations to the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex, I
loved every minute of it!
I wish we could celebrate something so grandly apolitical every month, its
refreshing.
But before I get carried away, let’s just pray for a peaceful
week ………….
(comments welcome, please forward).
