We’re running out of non-cliché ways to introduce a royal wedding-related article guys but here goes. The wedding of the freaking decade is happening on Saturday 19 May and if you haven’t already got your plans together, it’s definitely time you did. But before you dive headfirst into planning your royal wedding viewing party (we’ll have you covered in this department too, so watch this space) here are a few things you should know.
The important things like how to watch it (vital), who’ll be there (much important) and how much controversy has surrounded the lead up (again, lots). Let’s do this.
First Up, The Royal Wedding is A Very Big Deal
For a number of reasons, the royal wedding is a big freaking deal. It doesn’t take a royalist to know that an American joining Lizzy’s ranks is questionable, but add in the fact she’s a Hollywood actress and (gasp) a divorced woman, and you’ve got yourself a right-royal scandal (see what we did there?). Anyone who’s devoured The Crown and felt reasonably pissed on Princess Margaret’s behalf over poor Peter Townsend will understand this one especially well.
Second, This Is Where Can You Watch The Royal Wedding
If you’re hosting a viewing party at home (because PJs + scones + wedding = ideal) then you’ll be tuning in to TV1 or TV3 from 7pm on Saturday 19 May. It’s expected to kick off officially at 11pm (with coverage starting earlier, like we said) but if that’s all a bit late for you, recordings of the wedding will be available for streaming on Spotify and Apple Musicafterwards.
Here's Who’ll Be There
We’ll dive deeper on who we think will be among the 600-odd wedding guests but for now we’ll just say this: Kate and Wills’ fresh bub might be there because we’re thinking enough time has passed since the birth for Louis Arthur Charles to make a cheeky appearance. And if you don’t know they just had a baby, you can just stop reading now.
This Is Where The Royal Wedding Will Take Place
Bucking the Westminster Abbey trend, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are opting for something on the quieter side, marrying at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle instead. It’ll go a little something like this: the wedding will start at 12pm local time (that’s 11pm Auckland time), where the Duke of Windsor will conduct the service (the Archbishop of Canterbury will officiate). Once the ceremony wraps up, there’ll be a carriage procession from St George’s Chapel through Windsor town, returning to Windsor Castle along the Long Walk.
Has There Been Any Controversy In The Lead-Up?
Is that a joke? Ooooh boy, there has been much controversy but most of it revolves around our girl Meg’s bat shit family. While her dad was spotted reading up on the history of England (we’re not over how sweet this is), her brother has gone straight on the attack, writing an open letter to Haz telling him it’s not too late to give his sister the flick then sending it to InTouch magazine. Sounds like a great guy, right? Unsurprisingly, the royals haven’t given it any air yet.
Will There Be Cake?
There will absolutely be cake and while us mere mortals will never get to see/taste/marvel at the creation by Violet Bakery's Claire Ptak, we can only hope it’ll end up on her menu (and that we’ll be able to scrounge up enough dosh to get to London). According to the Kensington Palace Twitter account, the cake will be a lemon elderflower number that incorporates the bright flavours of spring and is (rightly) slathered in buttercream and fresh flowers.
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Image credit: Toa Heftiba