Prince William and Catherine Middleton: Church Service - April 29, 2011

[mellie]

The guests in the back of the abbey...how were they able to see what was going on? Was a television set up?

Funny isn't it? To be invited to a royal wedding and have to look at a TV screen to see what happened!

 

[misselle]

I recorded the wedding and have just re-watched it.Did anyone catch who helped Catherine remove the blusher? I thought I caught a glimpse of Pippa walking away--the camera had panned elsewhere.

 

[ghost_night554]

Blusher? You mean veil? NBC just showed the actual clip of her father removing the veil which the original broadcast did not show. It's on my dvr though I'll try to record it on my cam and upload it sometime later

 

[Osipi]

found

I recorded the wedding and have just re-watched it.Did anyone catch who helped Catherine remove the blusher? I thought I caught a glimpse of Pippa walking away--the camera had panned elsewhere.

Can't remember exactly where it is now in this subforum but there is a wonderful photograph of Kate kneeling as her father lifts the blusher off of her face. I too was dissapointed that we didn't see this in the live coverage.

The photo is here. Exquisite photography I think.

http://photos.oregonlive.com/photo-essay/2011/04/royal_wedding_ceremony.html

 

[ghost_night554]

I got it on video NBC just showed it in a rebroadcast^ I'll upload after the hockey game

 

[Osipi]

I got it on video NBC just showed it in a rebroadcast^ I'll upload after the hockey game

Now that the wedding is over its all hockey here now too. Have to say though that there are many many programs showing highlights and such and I can see Mr. Remote trying to quickly go past them before I see them.

 

[sirhon11234]

Now that the wedding is over its all hockey here now too. Have to say though that there are many many programs showing highlights and such and I can see Mr. Remote trying to quickly go past them before I see them.

Here in NY as well. My friends will talking about the games for days just as we're talking about the wedding. I can't say I'm a big fan of hockey.

 

[caitydrew]

I can't imagine Catherine in any other dress. Everything about the wedding gave the essence of the real William and Kate. They are so connected, and what shined was their bond, and her beauty and grace. A different dress would have taken the attention away from the true magical feelings that is really what has impressed and captured the world.

Let Beatrice, Eugenie and Harry's bride do the current, statement making dress. Catherine and William do not shout out for attention, so the dress fit them perfectly. Oh, I would have hated her hair up. Again, the beauty was the realness of the couple and how everything fit them. I imagine Catherine to be more like Sophie in her mannerism, style and spirit. Victoria has a very outgoing vivacious personality so her wedding fit her, and did this wedding couple fit theirs. Perfect.

 

[Duchess Rennie]

IMO, "blusher" is a really stupid, sexist name for the face veil, probably invented by stylists, and I refuse to call it that. Then again, I guess the whole veil concept is pretty sexist, though I prefer to think of the groom (NOT the bride's father, which is really sexist...bride as possession being handed over) lifting the veil to behold the beauty of the woman he's marrying.
Still, I would have liked to have seen the moment. Very poor editing choice by the BBC feed, unless they did it on purpose for some strange reason.

And I didn't think Kate's curtsey to HM was very deep or very graceful...she even kept her head up and smiled at HM, when protocol and past form (Anne, Diana) dictate head bowed...

But what I really want to know is, why weren't William and Harry wearing swords? All they had at their sides were empty sword hangers. Didn't Charles wear a sword when he married Diana?

 

[Osipi]

But what I really want to know is, why weren't William and Harry wearing swords? All they had at their sides were empty sword hangers. Didn't Charles wear a sword when he married Diana?

I may be totally off base here and its just my supposition but I think perhaps swords were always "checked at the door" in any place of worship. If you noticed, Prince Charles, William and Harry all handed over their hats and gloves upon entering the Abbey. I think it would mainly be a show of respect in a house of worship.

 

[ghost_night554]

I guess BBC must have released their alternative feed otherwise I fail to understand how NBC out of all the networks in the world got their hands on the clip of the veil being lifted.

ETA: for those wondering hockey went into overtime and then I have to have dinner so right after dinner I'll tape the clip and get it up.

 

[Duchess Rennie]

If this question has been asked, please forgive me, and send me to the correct place to find my answer. On the carriage ride back to the Palace every time the new Duke would salute, the new Duchess would bow her head, and when the salute was over, she would raise her head. It happened twice. And I was wondering why she bowed her head?

She can't salute, not being a member of the armed forces in uniform, so to acknowledge the salutes of guards as he was doing, she would bow her head. And especially so when they passed the Cenotaph, to show respect to the war dead the monument commemorates.

 

[Duchess Rennie]

I may be totally off base here and its just my supposition but I think perhaps swords were always "checked at the door" in any place of worship. If you noticed, Prince Charles, William and Harry all handed over their hats and gloves upon entering the Abbey. I think it would mainly be a show of respect in a house of worship.

I did notice the hat hand-off, but I just checked and Prince Charles clearly wore a sword for his wedding, so it can't be just a show of respect. Though I doubt it's a security measure! I always thought full dress military uniform on royal occasions required swords...and there was a reference in the media about William drawing his sword to cut the wedding cake, but why would he have one later if he did not at the ceremony? Makes no sense...

ETA: Oops, sorry for two posts in a row, but I couldn't figure out how to quote two earlier posts in one...

 

[Osipi]

I did notice the hat hand-off, but I just checked and Prince Charles clearly wore a sword for his wedding, so it can't be just a show of respect. Though I doubt it's a security measure! I always thought full dress military uniform on royal occasions required swords...and there was a reference in the media about William drawing his sword to cut the wedding cake, but why would he have one later if he did not at the ceremony? Makes no sense...

ETA: Oops, sorry for two posts in a row, but I couldn't figure out how to quote two earlier posts in one...

All I can say is my reason is just a supposition. I went looking to see a full length picture of Charles in the Abbey to get a really good look to see if he did have a sword or perhaps had a very ornate scabbard.

I'm sure there's other folks here that are far more knowledgeable than I am and now I'm curious too.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

hellomagazine.com - Royal wedding: Victoria and Letizia relive magic of their own wedding days

Victoria and Letizia look stunning in those photos..especially Letizia in that dusky pink outfit...it almost looks like the 1930's...very elegant!

Victoria has a figure to die for...perfect curves!

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Can I please help with a background story about this?

In the traditional Court curtesy, you do indeed bow your head. The formal Court curtesy was historically most seen at Court [obviously!] during the formal presentation of Debutantes, and how to make such a curtesy was the subject of strict rules and even required a certain amount of training - the best 'teacher' was a Madame Vacani. Courts used to be held several times a year and always in the evening.

I know all this because generations of my family were all presented at court [the tradition finally died out in 1958, otherwise I suppose I would have beeen 'presented'].

When the present Queen ascended the throne, a lot of traditions were altered as things became less formal, which also had quite a lot to do with the fact that society [and Society come to that!] was changing due to the second world war that had just finished. Afternoon presentation parties replaced the evening Courts, which had required long dresses and trains. Instead, in the 1950's, smart day dress [like Royal Ascot day wear] replaced the long gowns traditionally made by the so-called 'Court Dressmakers'. The practice of inclining the head started to change, probably because the short afternoon day wear made Presentation parties seem a little less formal, but then word suddenly got out that Prince Phillip used to smile [only!!] at the ugly debutantes who made their curtesy in order to encourage them. Once word of this got out, debutantes suddenly began to be very, very careful to incline their heads so that they would not see whether Prince Philip was smiling at them or not or in other words, whether he considered them ugly or not!! Inclination of the head therefore became theroretically optional, but for the reason I have just stated the practice did not totally die out!

This is a long-winded way of saying that it is therefore optional to incline one's head. Therefore, both Sophie and Catherine were quite right, even though they did different things.

Hope this helps,

Alex

Wow...great information!

It makes perfect sense that Diana would bow her head, as a member of the old aristocracy she would have been trained to do it that way, and she also studied for a time under Madame Vacani.

Thanks again!

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Spletnik -Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - Official photos

My favorite of the "official" photos is the one where they are sitting, surrounded by their little attendants...perfectly gorgeous!

And I adore that little blazer Kate is wearing while walking with William, so chic!

I do hope that the paps respect their request for a few days of solitude and privacy...they have more than earned it, imo.

 

[ashelen]

I read somewhere that the Cousin of the Queen has a company wedding planner? and she is the one who organized everything , anyone has any more informtain about it whoshe is?

 

[CrownPrincess5]

Yes the Queen has a cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson, who organizes and plans a lot of parties for the royal family and celebrities. She specifically planned Will and Kate's reception. I believe her company is called Party Planners

I believe she planned Pavlos and Marie Chantal's wedding.

 

[LasMa]

When Catherine curtsied and I saw the look on the face of the Queen, I rather got the idea that the Queen's expression on her face said "it's OK, "kid"." You know, like a grandmother approving to her granddaughter.

I know this sounds far from regal but that's what I thought.

I'm glad I'm not the only who had that thought! To me, Kate's smile said, "I did good, yes?" and the Queen's said, "Yes you did."

 

[LasMa]

And can I just say how sweet and romantic it is that he consistantly asked her if she was ok- especially on the balcony .......it shows how caring he is and how aware he is of how overwhelming it could easily become for her!!!!

Before the engagement interview, he is supposed to have asked her protectively if she was OK. This is one of the lessons he learned from his parents' marriage, and one of the reasons I think they have a good chance at a successful marriage: he saw what happened when a young woman is thrown into royal life without preparation and protection. It seems he is providing both.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Before the engagement interview, he is supposed to have asked her protectively if she was OK. This is one of the lessons he learned from his parents' marriage, and one of the reasons I think they have a good chance at a successful marriage: he saw what happened when a young woman is thrown into royal life without preparation and protection. It seems he is providing both.

One must remember of course that when Diana was asked what it would be like to take tea with the Queen she replied that she was used to it as she had done it all her life so the expectation was, that having grown up with the royals around her life she would cope and wasn't in the need of protection. She was an adult of course and had been with royals since she was born.

 

[LasMa]

One must remember of course that when Diana was asked what it would be like to take tea with the Queen she replied that she was used to it as she had done it all her life so the expectation was, that having grown up with the royals around her life she would cope and wasn't in the need of protection. She was an adult of course and had been with royals since she was born.

Very true, although there's probably a vast difference between being around royals and being royal. And there's a vast difference between being 19 and being 28, or being from a broken home and being from an intact home, or marrying for dynasty versus marrying for love, or dating for 6 months versus dating for 8 years. Another factor that's different is the new press laws enacted since Diana's death, and the media's willingness to show some restraint -- of which Kate is the chief beneficiary. I only mean that everything that worked against Diana is flipped around to work in Kate's favor.

I meant no disrespect to Diana, or for that matter, Charles. They were obviously ill-matched, but under the rules of royal marriage in place at the time, it didn't matter. Marriage was for producing heirs, brides were to be virginal and silent, grooms found love elsewhere. Diana is responsible for shattering that outmoded model, and her wedding gift to William and Kate is that she made it possible for them to marry.

 

[LadyFinn]

Photos:
IBL Bildbyrå gallery

 

[Queen of Arab]

Hi everybody, I have to 2 questions and hope you can answer it:
1) Why Kat was not given the title of princesses
2) Did the children of the Duchess of Cornwall attended the ceremony

Thanks in advance.

 

[lucien]

Another little thing I noticed:

When Kate curtsied, she did not incline her head. She held the Queen's gaze, with a big smile on her face. The Queen did not look displeased.

That was the perfect curtsey.One has to make and keep "eye-contact" with the Monarch you curtsey to at all times,so,well done Duchess of Cambridge!

 

[lucien]

Hi everybody, I have to 2 questions and hope you can answer it:
1) Why Kat was not given the title of princesses
2) Did the children of the Duchess of Cornwall attended the ceremony

Thanks in advance.

Catherine,as her name is,automatically became a Princess upon her yes I do,but will be known as HRH The Duchess of Cambridge after the title bestowed upon her husband by HM The Queen.

Yes,the Duchess of Cornwall's children were in attendance,her granddaughter also was one of the brideschildren.

 

[lucien]

I read somewhere that the Cousin of the Queen has a company wedding planner? and she is the one who organized everything , anyone has any more informtain about it whoshe is?

The Lady Elizabeth Anson,cousin of HM.You can see her welcoming HM at the pre-wedding dinner at the Mandarin on thursday evening.

Btw,Lady Elizabeth's daughter is the godchild of HM Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands.
Maybe some remember how Queen Beatrix did attend the pre-wedding dinner of the Asturias couple,but flew to the UK on their wedding day to attend the wedding of her own godchild as she had promised to do way in advance of the announcement of the wedding date of the Crown Prince Felipe.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Hi everybody, I have to 2 questions and hope you can answer it:
1) Why Kat was not given the title of princesses
2) Did the children of the Duchess of Cornwall attended the ceremony

Thanks in advance.

All the wives of princes are automatically princesses but the title of Duke is a peerage title.

To use the title Princess would mean that her husband was only a prince and not a peer of the realm.

Look at the Kents.

The senior of the Kent brothers is the Duke and his wife is the Duchess whereas the younger and more junior of the brothers is called Prince Michael and his wife is Princess Michael - because Michael has nothing else to use.

However all the wives of the Princes are Princesses but not in their own right - so we have The Princess Charles (Camilla), Princess William (Kate), The Princess Edward (Sophie), Princess Richard (Birgitte),n Princess Edward (Katherine - Duchess of Kent) and Princess Michael. However only Princess Michael uses that title. Yes Diana and Sarah were both Princesses - Princess Charles and Princess Andrew but never Princess Diana or Princess Sarah.

Princesses Beatrice, Eugenie, Anne and Alexandra have their own names because they were born Princesses.

 

[LasMa]

That was the perfect curtsey.One has to make and keep "eye-contact" with the Monarch you curtsey to at all times,so,well done Duchess of Cambridge!

I agree it was well done; I didn't mean to criticize Kate! I thought it was charming, as if the two of them were sharing a private moment.