queen of people's hearts

8/6/2019 Queen of People's Hearts

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Queen of People’s Hearts

By: Caroline Creeden

I am taking a break from my normal duties as being sports writer here at Gatorati to talk

about that event which fascinated me and another two billion people last month. Unless

you have been living under a rock for the past six months, you are sure to have heardabout the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

I watched, enthralled and captivated by the event. My eyes focused on the television asmy heart raced seeing the future Queen of England wave to the crowd of people who had

gathered to watch her journey to Westminster Abbey for her wedding.

Why the royal wedding has fascinated so any people is a question I am unable to answer.Perhaps, its the pomp and pageantry the British monarchy pride themselves on during

ceremony. The need to watch the late Princess Diana’s son all grown up so many years

after her death. Maybe it was to catch a glimpse of Prince Harry. Or maybe because after

all the destruction and hate that has filled the world, people want to watch two people inlove getting married. A joyous occasion, tears shed as the couple express their love for

one another in front of their family and friends—and the two billion watching ontelevision.

Many—like myself—work up early to watch the wedding and everything coming

beforehand. The five months of excitement from waiting for April 29th to come to an endafter the couple’s engagement was announced in November of last year.

In Britain, people lined the streets of the procession as members of the royal family madetheir way down the mall and to Westminster Abbey. An image very similar to an event

thirty years previous when Prince William’s mother, Lady Diana Spencer, made her wayto St. Paul’s Cathedral in a horse drawn carriage to marry Prince Charles. People hadcheered for their new Princess as the twenty-year-old Diana made her way out of the

carriage, her dresses

twenty-foot train followingher.

A year later Prince

William was born,immediately thrown into

the spotlight. Fame he

never wanted and workedto avoid. He grew up

watching his parents argue

and fight, watching hismother lock herself in the

bathroom, crying as he

pushed tissues under the

door. The young Prince



vowed never to marry for any reason but love. He would not put anyone through what his

mother faced when she married a man who did not love her and flaunted his affair with

the woman he began loving before he had met Diana.

Prince William met Kate Middleton when they were both studying at St. Andrews in

Scotland. They began a relationship in 2002 without the media following them, as it had been with his parents. They seemed genuinely in love with one another, not in the

relationship to please Britain or produce an heir. By 2005 the relationship had gone

public and the press hounded Middleton. It seemed like a repeat of late Princess. Pressfollowing her and making it impossible for her to have a private moment. The

overexposure that led to Diana’s early death.

No doubt, when Prince William made his way down the mall waving to the gatheredcrowd he thought of the last time he came down this street for an enormous event at

Westminster Abbey—his mother’s funeral.

Prince William was only fifteen when his mother died in 1997 following a car crash inParis as paparazzi were following her vehicle into a tunnel. He walked the street

alongside his brother, Prince Harry, his maternal uncle, father, and grandfather. His handsclasped and head down he followed the casket of his mother in silence. The streets were

silent. Only the occasional sound of grief or shout of Diana was heard.

Can anyone ever forget that image of two young boys watching their mothers casket past by them?



That long walk to Westminster Abbey must have been an emotional time of the youngPrinces’ life. His parents divorce a year earlier and now his mother’s tragic death. For a

young man already in an unwanted spotlight, it certainly was not lessening. Getting over

a parents death is difficult enough in privacy, let alone with the world watching.

Fourteen years later, a balder, older Prince William walked up to Westminster Abbey

beside his brother. Identical to their appearance at the Abbey years previous during thatdark day. Both looked at the crowd and waved, smiling. Prince William walked into the

Abbey for a joyous occasion for the first time. The Abbey will always be a reminder to

Prince William of the women he loved. His mother and his wife.

The wedding to Middleton will ease the memory of those dark days in 1997. The pain of

his mother’s death will never leave him, but the sight of the Abbey will be more bearable

with this happy occasion.

We watched his mother’s wedding in 1981 and her funeral sixteen years later. And now,

we watch the Prince who’s life has been shaped by tragic events and who billionswatched grow up, marry.

Once Prince William and Prince Harry had entered the Abbey, they greeted members of

the church and those proceeding over the wedding. They both looked incredibly like their mother as they shook hands and spoke to the men.

Both men walked down the aisle slowly, as they had done when they were childrenfollowing their mother’s casket. Both dressed in military uniform, they entered a private

part of the Abbey to calm the nerves before the bride arrived.

Outside the crowd buzzed with excitement as the countdown began. Only twenty minutes

until the bride would arrive and the world would see her as a commoner for the last time.

Members of the royal family arrived in their cars, slowly entering the Abbey for the

service. The groom’s father, Prince Charles arrived with his wife the Duchess of

Cornwall.

The Queen’s car arrived shortly after her sons. Her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh,

removed himself from the car followed by Her Majesty the Queen. She wore “an Angela

Kelly designed single crepe wool primrose dress with hand sown beading at the neck inthe shape of sunrays. Matching double crepe wool tailored primrose coat,” as described

by the official royal wedding website. Her hat was an Angela Kelly designed matching

crepe hat with hand made silk roses and matching apricot colored leaves. A hat thatreminded many—including myself—of a piece of cake.

Minutes later under a large, white tent in front of the Goring Hotel, Kate Middleton

entered a Rolls Royce for her journey to the Abbey and her first steps to becoming a



Princess.

Under the tent, no one could see exactly was Middleton was wearing. At precisely 10:55am in London, Middleton’s car began moving towards the mall; Middleton waved to the

crowd with her left hand the car bouquet in her right.

This simple expression was Middleton’s

first step in becoming a Princess of the

people. Her waving signified a change in perspective over a monarchy that lost its

greatest asset nearly fourteen years ago.

The car moved slowly down the pat;Union Jack flags waving in every

direction, some printed with the faces of

the Prince and future Princess on them. In

that moment, Kate Middleton belonged toeveryone; every citizen of the United

Kingdom, of the world. She became a part of all of us watching.

With her sister walking towards her on the red carpet leading to the Abbey, Middleton

stepped out of the car and gave the world a view of the dress that millions speculatedabout. The crowds cheered at the sight of their beautiful, veiled Princess.

Sarah Burton for the late Alexander McQueen designed the dress. “The lace

appliqué for the bodice and skirt was

hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court

Palace. The lace design was hand-

engineered (appliquéd) using theCarrickmacross lace-making technique,

which originated in Ireland in the 1820s.

Individual flowers have been hand-cut

from lace and hand-engineered onto ivorysilk tulle to create a unique and organic

design. Hand-cut English lace and French

Chantilly lace has been used throughoutthe bodice and skirt, and has been used

for the underskirt trim. With laces

coming from different sources, much carewas taken to ensure that each flower was

the same colour. The whole process was

overseen and put together by hand by Ms.

Burton and her team. The dress is made



with ivory and white satin gazar. The skirt echoes an opening flower, with white satin

gazar arches and pleats. The train measures two metres 70 centimetres. The ivory satin

bodice, which is narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, draws on the Victoriantradition of corsetry and is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen’s designs. The back is

finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops. The

underskirt is made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace.” Dress design information fromOfficial Royal Wedding Website

As Middleton walked down the aisle towards her Prince, billions watched this youngwoman gracefully take her last steps as a commoner. These steps were hers to take but

we all watched her take them. Like our own child, we watched this girl grow into a

beautiful woman as the cameras flashed in her face.

The long shot of the Abbey filled with tall trees, as Middleton walked down the aisle with

her father and her sister following leading the young children involved in the ceremony,

was one of the greatest shots of the ceremony. The beauty of the Abbey was seen as its

future Queen walked towards her King.

As Middleton reached the alter, her train rested on the steps as everyone in the churchwatched. The future of the monarchy rested the shoulders of this twenty-nine year old

woman. Her actions will determine the survival of the oldest institution in the world.

The ceremony lasted less than ten minutes. Prince William and Kate Middleton becamethe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as crowds around Great Britain and around the

world cheered. As each spoke their vows, cheers could be heard inside the church voiced

by the people outside the Abbey.

The



cheers spreading through the air differered dramaticly from the silent scene fourteen

years ago when Princess Diana’s casket sat still on the marble floor where Prince William

and Kate Middleton stood.

Prince Harry stood beside his brother during the ceremony, as he did during their

mother’s funeral service. Over that time they never left each others side, growing to become friends and protecting each other from the pain and anger caused by their

mother’s death as well as the family difficulties they faced. A friendship Diana would

certainly have been proud of and a day she would have loved to be a part of.

After the couple has spoken their vows and the marriage part of the ceremony had

completed, Prince Harry and Middleton’s father stepped down from their positions beside

their kin. For a moment they both stood on the bottom steps and looked up at their futureKing and Queen. In that moment they knew the future of their country and their place in

it, as the father of

a Queen and the

brother of a King.

The ceremonycontinued as the

Duke and

Duchess of

Cambridge took their seats on the

alter, looking

down upon the people that would

live in their

country and thecurrent monarch.

Music was played; a choir sang classic pieces of British music that was projected onloudspeakers around London. The music played into the homes of those watching,

making the viewer feel as if they were at the Abbey watching the event instead of sitting

on their couch wearing pajamas.

I sat—like billions around the world—watching this massive event on my couch before

getting ready to go to school and facing reality, leaving behind the fairytale of a royal

wedding. I had to watch the complete ceremony later that day with my friends as wecelebrated the royal nuptials and my birthday.

After the ceremony had finished and the official wedding registrar had been signed, theDuke and Duchess of Cambridge walked down the aisle for the first time as a married

couple. The Duchess, now a member of the royal family, smiled the entire way as she

passed guests while the Duke’s face remained serious. He appeared very nervous,

perhaps concentrating on not to step on his new wife’s expensive and historic wedding



gown.

As they emerged from the church, hands joined, a roar arose from the crowd as they sawtheir Prince and Princess for the first time. A happily married couple—the fairytale the

people had waited years for had officially come to be.

Once the Duke and Duchess had taken their place in a1902 State Landauin horse drawn

carriage, they slowly moved back down the path both had taken on their way to the

Abbey on their way to Buckingham Palace.

Slowly, the couple made their way down the street as hundreds of supporters and well-

wishers crowded the sidewalks waving Union flags and cheering at the appearance of the

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Thirty years

previous on a hot

summer day,Prince William’s

mother and father,Prince Charles and

Lady Diana

married at St.

Paul’s Cathedralin London and

rode back to

BuckinghamPalace in the same

carriage that

carried the Dukeand Duchess

Cambridge on a

cool springafternoon. These similarities will no doubt cause fear amongst members of the public

who see to many similarities between Kate Middleton and the late Princess of Wales.

Despite the eerie similarities between the two weddings, the couple’s reaction to oneanother could not have been different. When William’s father married Diana in a lavish

ceremony he kept looking up, as if praying for a way out of a marriage he did not want

and to a women he did not love.

Prince William, however, had difficulty not looking at his bride during the ceremony.

Cameras caught the young Princes’ eyes wandering numerous times during the event onhis bride’s face. It was clear that he had married for love and not duty as his father did.



The carriage slowly moved

along the Procession Route as

the Duke and Duchess wavedto people who had gathered.

Some of who had slept for days

to have prime spots for the procession after the wedding.

It was the Duchess’s firstlearning experience as a royal.

Her husband spoke to her softly

as they rode in the carriage,

telling her that she had to waveeven if she was tired. She

smiled at the crowds and

waved to the people, who

excitedly waved back at thecouple.

Other carriages carrying the

highest-ranking people in the

royal family and members of

the Middleton family followed the Duke and Duchess’ carriage. Directly behind thenewlyweds was a carriage holding Prince Harry, two young brides maids and a pageboy.

Behind them, the bride’s sister Pippa Middleton with two young brides maids and a

pageboy. The next carriage carried the Prince of Wales, his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Mr. and Mrs. Middleton. The final carriage carried the Queen and her

husband the Duke of Edinburgh.

The procession lasted nearly fifteen minutes as each carriage passed the fountain

dedicated to Queen Victoria. Crowds attempted to break the barriers of police who were

attempting to keep the people from entering theroad where the carriages were driving through.

The police barriers lasted the needed duration as

all the carriages had entered Buckingham Palace

before the crowds of people forced the police toslowly move towards the palace gates in hopes to

get a perfect view for the appearance on the

balcony and traditional kiss.

Inside the palace, the Duke and Duchess slowly

left their place in the carriage and walked insidethe palace walls—a building that would one day

belong to them. Other members of the royal

family followed the young couple in the palace to

prepare for the balcony appearance.



Outside the palace gates, spectators pushed each other to claim a better spot for the next

scene of this well played production. Many who could not find a place near the gates took

to standing in the fountain in front of Buckingham Palace, giving them a view of the balcony and space to move unlike those in the streets backed closely with one another.

As the minutes slowly passed the crowds increased in anticipation for the climax of the

day—the balcony scene. At every royal wedding the most anticipated event has beenwatching the wedding party walk out onto the balcony and wave to the thousands who

have gathered to catch a glimpse of the bride and illusive royal family.

The crowds, members of the press and viewers on television waited patiently for the

couple to emerge from the curtain covered white doors that hid the members of royal

family from view.

Shadows were seen on the curtains and a few minutes before the grand entrance a hand

could be seen lifting the curtain to sneak a peak at the growing crowds who had begunchanting for the couple to emerge from the doors that hid the royalty from thecommoners.

While the billions of people waiting for the balcony appearance, the couple and wedding party were taking official wedding portraits.



The official wedding portrait featuring the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge



The Duke and Duchess in a relaxed pose with the young brides maids and pageboys atBuckingham Palace.

The official family wedding portrait featuring the Duke and Duchess center with

members of the royal family on the left and members of the Middleton family on the

right.



At exactly 1:25 in Britain, the doors to the balcony opened and the Duke and Duchess

emerged, their hands clasped together, smiles gracing their faces. The Duchess’

expression of astonishment and amazement was obvious to viewers as her eyes bulged atthe sight of all the people who had gathered to see her and her husband on their wedding

day. The crowds gathered in front of the Palace and in the mall roared with excitement,

flags waving steadily as the sun appeared from behind the clouds.

The couple stood on the balcony alone for a few seconds, waving to the people below.

Other members of the royal family and Middleton family emerged slowly from the doorsand took their positions on the balcony. The newlyweds stood in the center—the most

important people of the day’s events—with the Queen and other prominent members of

the royal family beside them. The Middleton family stood at the end of the balcony, their

place in this family as outsiders displayed for the public.

The crowds anxiously waited for the kiss. Except for the actual ceremony, the kiss was

the most anticipated moment of the day. After egging on from the crowds, the couple

kissed; a short peck on the lips that disappointed many watching on the television. Nonetheless, the crowds still cheered at the affection shown by the couple.

The couple resumed there waving, marveling at the crowds that had gathered for a

glimpse of them. Kiss again. The crowds again, chanted kiss, as they wanted more than

one kiss. They had waited hours—and for some days—to see the royal couple, to watch

their first kiss as a married couple and the peck did not satisfy them.

Turning to each other, PrinceWilliam whispered to his bride that

they should give them another one.

He leaned in and said “I love you”to his wife before he finally kissed

her sending the crowds below

frantic at an unprecedented secondkiss.

The couple smiled at one another

and continued to wave to the crowdsuntil the Queen left the balcony

signaling that it was time to go

inside and attend the official banquet celebrating the marriage.

The couple stood alone for amoment and waved before they

turned their back to the people and began tot walk inside. The Duchess turned back for

one more look before she finally entered the palace and the doors slowly closed.



An event, a day that millions—if not billions—had waited years to come. A beautiful

wedding day for the young couple to celebrate their love for one another. A day they

shared with the world and allowed everyone to join in on their celebrations.

No one knows what the future holds for this couple. Like any other couple, they will have

their challenges and strains in their marriage and relationship. But their years together will prove to be the most important part of their foundation. This couple is the future of

the British monarchy and will have to modernize it to make the establishment remain in

Great Britain Nonetheless; Britain is certainly in the hands of two very respectable,normal people.

A Prince and his commoner.

Photo Credits:

BBC

British Monarchy Flickr

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