Nice Day For A Royal Wedding

Harry and Megs are getting married tomorrow. No, they are not friends of mine. I am talking about Prince Harry (formally known as His Royal Highness Prince Henry Charles Albert David ) and American actress Meghan Markle. I came up with Megs, you think it will stick? Remember, you read it here first!

Will you be watching the televised ceremony? Do you care?

I dropped the ball on the festivities this weekend. I was going to take my mom and daughter to the Carnegie Science Center where they will broadcast the festivities on their large screen with surround sound. There will be English snacks, mimosas, make your own crown craft and a royal guard for a photo op. We wanted to go. We talked about going. We knew we would have to get up really early due to the time difference. That wasn't going to stop us.

But... as of last Sunday, it was sold out and guess who did not get tickets? Yep, it was me.

No worries. Plan BW (British wedding) in effect. Instead of going to the Science Center we are going to enjoy the wedding from my living room. (I'm pulling out all the stops on this one.) English tea, scones, our own mimosas, not shy with the champagne mind you, will be offered in Keleschenyi Castle where the dress code is jammies and tiaras. It will be more comfortable and less expensive than the other option and the bathroom is just around the corner, where cleanliness is of the utmost importance. (Hee, hee, if my sons remember to put the seat down and perform the royal flush.)

Some people in my family don't understand my fascination with British royalty. I have only Princess Diana to blame. Watching her wedding on television back in 1981 (when I was all of six years of age) it was a true life fairy tale. Remember in those days there were only three Disney Princesses so a little girl could get bored. Diana's dress was that of bedtime stories and Prince Charles was dashing in his black Royal Navy uniform. (Yes, I was crushin' on that future scoundrel, but I digress.)

The wedding was just so beautiful and the couple seemed so in love. Yes, there had to be a happily ever after after all of that, right?

Wrong! But, many look back at Diana and Charles' wedding day as something magical and that is what we buy into...the magic. What girl doesn't want that slipper to fit? Doesn't want the wedding dress train that's four miles long? Doesn't want that kiss - you know, the one that takes your breath away?

Well, ladies and gentlemen, soon enough we find out the truth about fairy tales and the magic is well, sometimes hard to find. But that is the truth if you are a commoner or a royal. We saw that first hand as the marriage of Diana and Charles unraveled. I learned the truth the day after my wedding. My husband and I were already bickering because we were sleep deprived, stressed out and walking miles and miles around New York City when we should have been laying on a beach somewhere. (Honeymoon fail, booking 3 day trip to Big Apple instead of just going back to our apartment near Virginia Beach.)

So, yes, we know the truth about what is reality and what is fantasy, but it is fun to get lost in the fantasy even if just for a day. It'll be nice to watch and run our own commentary as the people arrive at the church in their fancy duds. (I remember some of the ghastly headpieces, called fascinators, worn at Prince William and Kate's wedding - some on top of the heads of his own cousins!) At my home viewing, my mom, daughter and I will have hats and tiaras, which we will change as we see fit. Plus, we will practice our queen wave - as my husband serves us English breakfast made to order.

I'll bring out my Prince Charles scrapbook of newspaper clippings I made when he came to the Pittsburgh area back in 1988. (Don't judge! I was only 13 and apparently bored as hell.) Just last year, I found out Charles and I walked the same halls, decades apart, over at Steel Valley High School, where I have covered quite a few events for The Valley Mirror. It was quite a delight when history teacher Mark Fallon showed me the photo collage, which hangs in the school, of the prince's visit to Munhall and the time he spent with the students.

I will also bring out my commemorative tea cup from Charles and Di's wedding. The cup is a treasure bestowed on me, from my college roommate's mom, years ago. I have never drank anything out of this cup for fear of discoloration,  and the chance of breakage, but maybe just maybe, for this one special day, I'll drink my English Breakfast Tea out of it. Cheerio and sip sip!

So to Harry and Megs, may you have many years of happiness together and to you dear British royal family - thank you for continuing to give us fairy tale moments to celebrate with you and reasons to wear a fancy hat at 6 a.m. on a Saturday.