Who doesn't love a big fat Royal Wedding? Over here I'd say it garnered mild interest as a celebrity item, like Kit Harington and Rose Leslie. Meghan Markle isn't that well known here either, mostly for her role on Suits, which has been a relatively successful show on a cable network. She doesn't have Kardashian level exposure, thank heavens.

I'm disappointed to hear you aren't likely to be on the guest list, Vee. I'd want to read your description of the proceedings. You are more deserving of an invitation than any DC VIP.

I think it's great! I don't know a thing about Meghan Markle, but she and Harry look good together.

I liked Harry's remark that the Corgis have barked at him all his life, but they just wagged their tails at Meghan.

There was a lot of excitement in the media here. It might give a boost to the sales of women's magazines. They have taken a dive over the years and one publishing firm made a huge mistake and faces a massive bill for defamation of actress Rebel Wilson.

I haven't seen Suits as I only get Free to Air TV programs. From what I have heard, Meghan is being referenced here more as a latter day Grace Kelly than another Mrs. Simpson.

Good luck to the happy couple.

... happy news - Amen to that, Sheri!

Couldn't agree more Sheri and Kathy bad news ad nauseam here also. I know nothing of MM's background but Harry's childhood was ripped away from him after the death of his Mother and every foot wrongly placed has been watched/photographed/chewed over since he was a teenager. He needs what we take for granted . .. as normal a life as possible.

Re the guest list. It is well-known that HM Queen developed a close relationship with the Obama's; Michelle in particular when over here for private visits to London. It would be good to see them here again although there are a mere 500 others to squeeze in and protocol might demand other players.

Here's a little Boston tid bit about Ms. Markle. Apparently she's related to the first colonial settlers of Nantucket. http://www.bostonmagazine.com/arts-entertainment/2017/11/27/meghan-markle-nantucket/

I have never watched "Suits" and had never heard of Meghan until now. Much is being made on TV about her background and education and interests. A few facts: she is older than Harry. She is divorced. She is bi-racial, of an African-American mother and a White father and that couple are divorced. She went to a Catholic school in Los Angeles.

I think they make a beautiful couple and I am so relieved that the Queen and Prince Philip are approving of this match. She is far, far more fortunate than Princess Diana.

News reports say that she will, in time, be baptised in the Anglican Church of England and will, of course, become a British citizen. The wedding will not be in the huge Westminster Cathedral, but in a smaller, 600 year old Gothic "chapel" at Windsor. It is planned for May, after Kate gives birth to her third child in April. Her ring contains some stones which were in Princess Diana's original ring.

How refreshing to have good news for a change!

Just a small correction as it is easy to get confused but Westminster Cathedral is the main RC church in London. Westminster Abbey (a Royal Peculiar) is the church usually favoured for big Royal religious 'Events' and always Coronations, although St Paul's Cathedral (the one designed by Christopher Wren to replace the building lost during the Fire of London) was used for the last few weddings as it holds far more people. St Paul's is in the City of London (the old 'Square Mile') and the Abbey is, as it's name suggest, in the City of Westminster.

Just heard on the radio that St George's Windsor still contains many of the so-called relics of its patron saint because Edward VI, son of Henry VIII, despite being a fervent Protestant couldn't bring himself to have the statues etc destroyed because of the significance of the building. The same went for Oliver Cromwell, another church desecrator who needed somewhere to show-off his new-found pomp.

And that's quite enough from me!

Royal Peculiar

Vee - That is very interesting about Westminster Abbey being a Royal Peculiar. I'd never heard of that before.

I seem to recall that Agatha Christie used the difference between Westminster Cathedral and the Abbey as a clue in one of her mysteries.

I am not saying which!

To put this on a book-related footing we could have The Prince and the Showgirl by Terrance Rattigan plus the film with Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe when MM drove the production team mad by being hours late on set every day . . . and a follow up to that story by Colin Clark The Prince the Showgirl and Me later made into yet another movie My Week with Marilyn. Colin Clark was the son of Kenneth Clark (remember the TV series Civilization) from the very wealthy family originally of Scottish cotton spinners and producers of miles of sewing thread. Colin had a job as a lowly gofer on the film set and was instructed to take MM somewhere for a few days as tempers were becoming very frayed. Luckily his parents owned a nearby castle with which to impress the star.

yoyo, no euros here in the UK. We are still using good old fashioned pounds.

Received a letter yesterday with a stamp bearing a picture of Windsor Castle. Was this MY invitation? No chance!

Ah, what a disappointment, Vee. And after you had just polished your tiara.

I know Carolyn. I'll have to save it for the Christmas bling season.