A Good Long Weekend
Canadians still celebrate a long weekend in which the Monday is called Victoria Day. I always remember that my father lived under six monarchs. A Royal Wedding then is a good way to start a Saturday morning. Unlike a younger generation family member, who said "Enough Already", I joined the millions at 5:30 am since I was already awake. As someone who read "The Little Princesses" by the Queen's Nanny, I was already primed at about age seven for this kind of thing. I've been to all the Royal Weddings - even the one danced by Fred Astaire.
Watching the fashionable ladies arrive was wonderful as a contrast to the knee-hole jeans I sit across from on the subway. Canadians are also bi-cultural so we are able to get both the C of E. traditional and the Gospel part of the ceremony. I've enjoyed reading the reviews of the wedding trom the worshipful to the snarky and amusing. I liked the actor partner from Suits, who when he heard the news of the engagement observed, "And I thought she was just going out to buy milk". It was also fun to see those toothless Canadian pages.
What nobody has commented so far that I have seen though, is this. The Bride's accent is totally American. Those vows were said in a straightforward way that shows no sign of British social class. When I lived in London and beyond in the 1970s, we were a puzzle to our British compatriots because they didn't know where to peg us on the basis of our accents. It was a real advantage because we were accepted and entertained both by the ladies of the big houses and by the women who "did" for them - once that even happened with a high tea and a later light supper on the same day. The last time I was in the UK is nearly 20 years ago and I hope it is better now. But the bi-cultural atmosphere of the wedding with both British and media and sport royalties was quite wonderful - not to mention the charity staffs.
The next day, I saw the musical, Come From Away - a truly Canadian story with Newfoundland accents - plus swearing - true to the core whether learned or inherited. It's good to see that production accepted in other parts of the world. And last evening there were many views of fireworks from a 22nd floor on a clear night. Life is good.