I won't set my alarm for it, but will turn on the TV (should I say Telly to get in the spirit of the moment) if I wake up in time. For Charles and Diana I had to wake up to wake up my daughter who went to watch with her grandmother across the street, and I went back to bed.
But who doesn't love pageantry...so I will watch some, perhaps in the other bedroom that has a TV.
I heard of one school where many of the women teachers and administrators are coming in to school early, wearing hats and gloves, to have a tea party while watching. They even ordered some fancy tea cups,saucers and plates. What fun! (If I watch, I shall be in jammies under my quilt.)

I watched Charles and Diana's wedding, but I don't plan to watch this one. I don't know why I'm not interested, but I am not. This young couple just doesn't seem to engage my attention. I wish them every happiness in their lives together, of course.

Rosefolly

Vee -You would be astounded by how much airplay the wedding is getting over here. They've discussed everything but whether William wears boxers or briefs (that's men's underwear styles BTW). Or maybe I just missed that Entertainment(?) Tonight episode. :) It's gotten pretty old. I must say, though, that I find it interesting that Blair and Brown were excluded from the guest list. Has that caused a brouhaha over there?

I won't watch real-time, but I'm sure we'll all have plenty of chances to see endless replays of the high points.

RE: The Evil Empire business -- I gotta admit it's nice to see some other country taking the heat for a change. It's usually the U.S. that's being scourged ... sometimes rightfully so.

The wedding will be happening at 1 or 2 o'clock in the middle of the night, U.S. west coast time, so I will not be watching it live. I will catch the highlights later, I am sure. I really am interested mainly in the design of the wedding dress and not much else.

I watched Charles & Diana's wedding. That dress! Diana was tall and statuesque enough to carry it off. But the horrors it inspired for the next decade or more was enough to make a generation of copycat brides look like they were wearing poofy bedspreads with gigantic ruffly pillows attached to their upper arms. For some reason this look had the greatest appeal to short, dumpy women - the very ones who looked most ridiculous in that style. Here's hoping that Kate's dress will be memorable in a less bedclothes-ish way. She seems to have quite good taste, in spite of the hat/fascinator things she seems compelled to wear sometimes. It's probably her relative maturity.

The Royal Wedding is very big media coverage in Texas. And quite a few people have (in all seriousness) asked me if I received an invitation.... Sweet, but umm. No.

I will be decorating my office a bit (Union Jack bunting my bro sent me), along with offering some English recipe scones, strawberry jam and cream...

But there is no way I am getting up at the crack of dawm (or even before that) to watch it. That is what TIVO is for. :-)

I do wish people (not you - the people to whom Vee referred) would not generalize the world's issue just to make a personal statement. The world is *so* much more complicated than that.

Sigh.

But back to the nuptials: I am quite looking forward to the highlights tho'.

A bit of Facebook fun that's making the rounds:

What is your royal wedding guest name? Start with either Lord or Lady. Your first name is one of your grandparents' names. Your surname is the name of your first pet, double-barreled with the name of the street on which you grew up.

Mine is Lady Maude Pascal-Monona. What's yours?

Which reminds me: We named Pascal (a cat) after a story or book. There were four kittens in the story named Pascal, Rascal, Muffin(?) and Mittens. Anybody know what story that is from?

I am definitely looking forward to the wedding. I got up early for Charles and Diana back in the day, but this time I've set the DVR to start taping BBC America sometime around 3 a.m. EST(technology is wonderful). Once the kids are off to school I will toss household chores to the wind, plunk myself down with my coffee, and watch the whole thing.

I do wish them both the best of everything -- personally, I can't think of anything worse than living a very public life in a media fishbowl, but I think they're both quite a bit more grown-up and media savvy than Charles and Diana ever were. Catherine seems refreshingly stable and normal, and William seems to have a deep appreciation of those qualities, so I'm hopeful *vbg*.

Lady Sophie Mittens-Standish, here, looking forward to the wedding (and especially the dress!).

Has everyone seen the T-mobile spoof wedding procession video? It was making the rounds on Facebook, too. I thought it was joyful, silly, and good fun without being offensive (at least IMO - what do you think, Vee?) and the look-a-likes were very good!

Here is a link that might be useful: Royal Wedding

And Vee, I forgot to mention, I loved the title you gave this thread.

I'm another who will watch the news programs later in the day.

And thanks so much, Vee, for the recipe. Just what I need--more chocolate and more calories. World Market carries McVitie Rich Tea Biscuits, too, so that's no problem.

Lady Delilah here--no pets for me and no street name on our farm.

Carolyn - You could be Lady Delilah Petless-Noroda. :)

Good grief! If I played that game I'd be Lady Bella Dido-Love. Or Lady Elizabeth Cleo-Love; Cleo and Dido were a pair of cats Rouan and I had when we were very young, and Elizabeth was the name of our other grandmother.

Simply not going to happen. I'd much rather be Rosefolly.

LOL @ sarah!

I will settle in to watch tonight - for us the show starts at the very respectable time of 7:30pm and finishes at about 11pm.
I love a 'proper' wedding with music and a walk up the aisle - sadly (IMHO) missing from many garden type weddings these days.

This wedding has re-ignited republican debate in Australia but there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm for a break from the UK. I think William and Catherine are thought to be very likeable and 'normal'. I think Diana did a great job of bringing her boys up in as ordinary a way as possible, and it shows in the way William can relate to people.

Lady Isabel Rainee Arthur.

I was up just in time (nearly 5:30am here) to turn on the television and see "the kiss" on the balcony. From what I could see of the dress, it appears as tasteful as I thought it might be. The new Duchess of Cambridge is bearing out to be a woman of exquisite taste, I think. SOME people I know, though, remarked that it is not memorable enough - they preferred the rumpled-bed, fat pillow look of Diana's famous dress. In other words, Kate's dress did not make them gasp - grumblers with unfulfilled expectations, they are, IMO.

The wedding-guest name game is fun, but it does not quite work for me. I am Lady Iva Inky-S.W. 9th Street. It does not have quite the right cachet.

I thought the dress was great. And her mother looked wonderful. It all looked and sounded very good - except for the music, which I thought was more suited to a funeral; though the Walton Crown Imperial which they exited to is good. Wales played a good, large part, with Hugh Edwards commentating for the BBC and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, marrying them. The Welsh Guards, too, were out in force. I watched for about 2 hours and enjoyed it all.

As to why Blair and Brown were not invited, one of the newspapers has suggested that it was Prince Charles's doing because he has always disliked the Labour Party.....Hm.

Dido

I woke up in time to see them exchange their vows. Then back to bed and to sleep for me. The dress is elegant. I so love things that can be described by "classic" or "classy".

Lady Veronica Tepon-Westmoreland

I didn't get up for it (which I rather wish I had now), but have been looking at the photos and media coverage. How lovely! And it didn't rain. :-)

In honor of the Royal Wedding, I baked scones last night and took them to the office along with the butter, jam, and cream to eat them with. A big hit, I must say. I had completely forgotten how delicious English recipe scones were. (Not as sweet as the scones I seem to find over here.)

Lady Vera Ceaser-Grove

I set my alarm clock for 3:30 a.m. and watched the entire event until 9:30 with my English BF. It was fun watching it with a Brit and getting his perspective. He has loaned me a Union Jack to wear today, just for fun.

I thought Kate's and Pippa's dresses were exquisite. We found CNN news station had the least "chatter". I wanted to hear the bells peal, not a lot of useless nattering from reporters. Some of the hats were a bit over the top, but then, this was a once in a century event.

Vee, no need to get your knickers in a knot over Hot Topics forum. Many of the folks there, including myself, are quite low key, and try to present rational points of view. I've been frequenting Hot Topics for years, and it is not meant to be a "tame" forum. We have Canadians, Brits, Aussies, Israelis,and others from all over the world who post there.

Postscript: I forgot to say that I rather like my new name: "Ashworth Princess Manor-Ridge."

I just finished watching everything I taped from the wee hours of the morning - lovely wedding, lovely bride, and I loved her dress! It was very elegant and restrained. Her sister's dress was lovely as well. Aside from Beatrice's very odd hat and Eugenie's unfortunate dress (I think I have them straight), I thought all the Royals looked very nice. Some of the hats were ... ummm ... unusual? Some looked downright dangerous and I hoped Victoria Beckham was being very careful when she turned her head.

I also enjoyed watching the littlest bridesmaids cover their ears while the church bells rang and the crowds cheered.

I know there are many people who objected to the idea of / cost of all the pomp and circumstance, but I thought it was wonderful to have such a celebration of something HAPPY for a change.

Vee, your post made me laugh so hard I spilled my tea, which I was drinking this afternoon after sleeping most of the day after working all night. I wish the best for the young couple, they seem nice enough. The dress was IMHO wonderful and I hope it puts an end to the horrors I have been seeing in recent years.

I hadn't really thought about the wedding much - one of my co-workers had a party this AM starting at 330! I was working,and we have many TVs in the outpatient areas of the hospital, uninhabited by said patients outside of business hours, and little parties were breaking out everywhere. And our little hospital was relatively quiet and drama-free last night so many of us enjoyed a short respite from our cares and even got to know some people we work with but don't normally have much contact with. It was quite fun although the men were mostly very grumpy about with it, with a couple of notable exceptions. One well-liked good-natured aide brought in some foodstuffs for our refreshment, and even served us! A spot of good clean fun in our dull work-a-day.

Those kittens sound very familiar but I can't place the story and don't have time to search right now.

Lemonhead, you must provide us with the scone recipe!

My name is Lady Margaret Calico-East. I rather like it.

I watched on ABC TV it was 8pm. Aussie time.
I did enjoy seeing all of the fashions, those stupid big hats that were worn by most!! as big as umbrellas'. Imagine sitting behind them!!!

I loved the simple classic design of the Katherine's dress and I think her mother has my vote as the 'best dressed'.

Sarah, I love my new name! There is a side road off a main highway in the southern part of Kentucky that is named Needmore Road. My mother said that my dad would have come up with that had he still been living.

I love the wedding dress, too.

It was indeed a graceful and pretty dress. I thought her sister Pippa's dress was nice, too. I only saw about ten minutes worth of the event, replay the next day, so I didn't see most of the outfits.

I enjoyed the fashions but ...I thought the wedding was going to be on Saturday! That's how much I've paid attention to everything. Loved the fanfare and comments around Eugenie and Beatrice's hats and outfits.

Lady Mildred Murphy Swindon- oooh, sounds regal.

All back down to earth now but still enjoying an extra long public holiday, until Tuesday. And so nice to have a day when news is not dominated by events in Libya, Syria etc.
Sheri, I loved your video and I thought Eugenie/Beatrice - Beatrice/Eugenie whichever's hat might have been an advert for a new design of pretzel.
As Dido says lots of Welsh representation plus 'Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer' Cwm Rhondda and the ring made of Welsh gold.
What slim/slender Middleton women. My DD says they have been on the French 'Dukan Diet', low protien, no carbs etc. She also, from her somewhat smaller London balcony, had the 'flypast' right overhead!
woodnymph, thank you for your concern over my underwear, but at my age it is of a sensible well elasticated design. For this Royal Occasion I allowed myself a teeny-weeny piece of levity and added a small, understated Union Jack motif.

Got up at 4 a.m. US east coast time, watched until I had to leave for school at 7:30 a.m., but when I got to school it was on in the faculty room so we all watched the kiss, which happened 2 minutes before students arrive. I thought it was "brill."
I also recorded it and watched it again yesterday.

oh yes-my wedding name:

Lady Grace Corky-Azalea
or
Lady Clara Tigger-Azalea

The popular topic of critics was the outfits of Eugenie and Beatrice.
IMHO I would have hoped that their mother would have had some input as to what was both attractive and appropriate wear.
The younger daughter's dress was abysmal.

I do love the concept of matching hats though.
We have all gone so far afield of proper dress here that the sight of a wedding attended by such wonderfully outfitted women was really enjoyable.

Remember the 'good old days' when you never were fully dressed without your hat, gloves and purse which matched your shoes ?
Easter morning church service used to be a garden of beautiful outfits and wonderful corsages.
Now it is best jeans and tees.
Yuk.

Easter morning, a garden of outfits, which never again see the inside of the church until the next Easter. The priests call the first Sunday after Easter, "Low Sunday", as the attendance is often the lowest of the year. Especially in comparison to Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.

yoyo, it might have been a good idea if B and E's mother had shown them how to get out of a car elegantly.
Re gloves and hats. Takes me back to school days when both items were de rigeur when on the way to or from school. And what about eating in the street? To be caught with so much as a toffee in your mouth was a punishable offence. In the UK of today most of the country seems to graze on the hoof . . . not a pretty sight. Is it the same in the US?

Re the wedding. I had been puzzled as to the identity of the two grey-habited nuns placed near the young couple. There was speculation that they were really police heavies ready to pounce in case of trouble. I notice the press had dubbed them 'Ninja Nuns' and was sorry to find a far more prosaic reason for their being there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ninja Nuns

Generally these is not a lot of eating in the streets, unless it is in a larger city where the street vendors are prevalent.
Even then, people usually sit on a bench or some other spot and eat.
There really isn't much grazing on the hoof !
Probably the only bad habit we don't have in abundance...LOL.

Re: the nuns, I am fairly certain they were body guards in "clever" disguise. I would hope that there were guards near them of some sort with the way the world is.

You know, I wondered about those nuns ... and I loved the story further down the page with the footage of the verger turning cartwheels in the Abbey once the wedding was done -- talk about relief!

I did think that the Archbishop Of Canterbury had a really bad hair and beard day, he look quite scrappy!!

I like the way some of the clergy clapped the newlyweds as they passed them walking down the aisle.

I thnk the nuns might have been St John's Ambulance or a similar outfit. There must have been some, and in a prominent position, in case of sudden illness amongst the congregation.

Dido

Junek, I thought the same thing. I wanted the Archbishop to get his eyebrows trimmed....

I live in a big city and there is definitely eating on the streets. There are lots of hot dog stands, Italian Ice carts, and the like. Definitely a plus for all the tourists, students, and busy workers who hardly get any lunch hour at all....

The nuns are on staff at the Abbey-they are part-time chaplains there. Katherine's bodyguard was in the front seat of the car on the way there, rocking a fabulous hat! She was seated near the doors once they arrived, and rode in the car that followed the carriage back to BP.
I was surprised at many of my friends, who completely missed the car full of security that pulled out right behind the Aston Martin when William drove Catherine to Clarence House. My friends were so focused on the bride and groom they just didn't see the follow car!

cece, nowadays several of the outriders/postilions are members of the 'protection' squad; they are the ones with the extra-wide shoulders.
Some years ago there was an 'incident' while the Queen was visiting NZ. A group of Maori protesters got through the security and chucked eggs at her as she did a 'wave-past' from an open range-rover. The instant police response was non-existent and the driver actually pulled up! HM made a joke of it in her next speech saying she preferred her eggs served for breakfast. As my DH said at the time, it would never have been allowed to happen had it been a US president in a similar situation.

Here is the recipe for scones that I used. It comes from a National Trust Traditional British Recipes book I bought from the BBC.. Measurements have been converted to US.

(Only to be eaten with a large hat on, a cup of tea, and listening to the English national anthem of course.)

Scones:

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
One half stick butter (I used low fat)
One half cup brown sugar
One half cup raisins
1 egg
One quarter cup milk (again, low fat is fine)
Milk to brush the tops

Preheat oven 450.

In large mixing bowl, sift flour and baking powder and gently combine.
Rub in diced butter w finger tips until like breadcrumbs.
Add sugar and raisins and combine evenly.
Make well in center of mix and slowly add milk and egg (already mixed together)
Stir mix w fork to make smooth dough.
Knead slightly to make ball and put on floured surface.
Roll to about 1 inch thickness and cut into circles w cookie cutter etc.
Put on greased baking tray; brush w milk. Bake 15 mins.

Also works if you add nuts, cranberries etc� (but less English that way!)

Serve warmed up and cut in half, with butter then dollop of strawberry jam, and some type of whipped cream on top.

Yum.

Oh, and DH is a fully trained professional Dignitary Protection person... It's like having my own body guard. :-)

liz, your recipe sounds similar to the one I use, except I leave out the sugar, none of us has a 'sweet tooth' and I find the raisins are enough.
Ideally they are best if eaten straight from the oven; my excuse is that they don't keep well.
Could be difficult to manage with a cup of tea in one hand, a plate in the other and listening (singing?) the National Anthem while standing up . . . although out of the public eye sitting is fine. ;-)

Yes, Vee, it does take coordination to eat the scones with a cup of tea et al. And I agree that the sugar could be left out and the recipe would be fine. And you're absolutely correct: the scones don't keep so you have to eat as many as you can as soon as you can from when you take them out of the oven. (Although hot raisins are *hot*!).../g/

Having been mildly cynical concerning the royal wedding, I surprised myself by becoming completely entranced by this magical occasion. I loved it from start to finish. Catherine was so beautiful in that elegant, beautiful dress. William looked as if he had stepped out of the pages of a fairytale. I know now why Britain clings to its royal family. As someone in London said, it cost the taxpayers a bit of change, but it was worth it.

Vee said: >As my DH said at the time, it would never have been allowed to happen had it been a US president in a similar situation.Probably true. But you may recall that George W. Bush almost got a shoe in the face several years ago in Iraq, I believe. His quick reflexes, not his Secret Service, were what saved him. :)

Vee-I love watching the postilions get off the carriage-you can tell which ones are the police officers. They don't jump off without looking down! I also read an interview with a Bedfordshire police officer who "moonlights" as a member of the Yeoman of the Guard for big state occasions. He was stationed along the main aisle. But I do know that the nuns are really nuns-the tall one's father was interviewed-he said the internet rumors calling them "Ninja Nuns" because they wore trainers instead of more formal shoes had everyone who knew them chuckling. She apparently always wears the trainers.
Do I spend way too much time reading the UK papers online?
Yes.

Thanks for the recipe, Lemonhead. I think I'll make some Mother's Day scones!

I woke my 3 1/2 year old daughter up and we watched the wedding together. She loved it (as did I). I hope she's old enough to remember it. I thought it was neat how they brought trees in to decorate.

Lady Viola Ginger-Milna

Lady Mary Susie-Doubleday
( whew! at least the street name sounds regal ;0)

Hilarious dubbing procedure...
I only wish my dog had a more elegant name !

phaedosia, I think she will remember it. I was five when Elizabeth became Queen in '53. Here in the US, at least in upstate NY, it was celebrated...there was a tremendous parade in Syracuse. I remember attending, and I remember for many years we had an English coin in a special small commemorative wrapper that was tossed from a float.