Part three of a four-part series.
Beyond the mind-numbing daily updates about Prince Wiliam and almost-Princess Kate in the newspapers, the real issue for Londoners is the chaos. And chaos it already is. My usual bike ride to work - past Buckingham Palace, around Parliament Square, and beneath Big Ben - has been ruined. Well, marginally diverted, as part of it has already been sectioned off for Royal Wedding party tents.
The roads from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey are being repaved, causing bus-route alterations. And the skies are thundering with helicopters and planes as security is stepped up and the Air Force practices its Wedding Day Ceremonial Display.
OK, so it’s not really that chaotic. And as we’re all fleeing the country a week before the Big Day, it’s not likely to be an issue. So let’s throw ourselves into it and celebrate. After all, this does reduce the chances that Charles and Camilla will ever be monarchs!
Prince William: The Next King?
Why is that? There is constant speculation in the UK media that Charles will be skipped and the next monarch will be William. This is largely because Charles and Camilla are hugely unpopular in Britain. Many think that's why the Queen, who will be 80 next year, is still reigning and not handing over the crown.
Legally, William is still second in line to the throne, but if he and Kate are popular, and (yawn) produce the requisite heirs, then that definitely increases the chances that Charles will be skipped. The theory is also that Charles doesn't really want to be king anyway. Soooo, over here, many see the wedding as another step to bypassing Charles and Camilla – even though there is no actual evidence of that. But you can be sure news coverage around the wedding will touch on this topic.
The Wedding Route
If you want to make your way here, there’s sure to be a festive vibe (even if most Londoners below the age of retirement have vamoosed). Here’s what you need to know.
The Royal Wedding Route: The couple will journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey (and then back again – together this time. If you want a good spot, prepare to elbow pensioners (aka senior citizens) out of the way, as the ever-aging royal groupie population will appear with flasks of tea and chairs the night before, staking their claims to the best views.
Beyond the route, there will be heaps of Royal Wedding activities around the city. It seems that Prime Minister David Cameron’s hopes of hundreds of street parties, as happened on Charles and Diana’s wedding day, are unlikely to pan out, but that doesn't mean festivities will be sparse. Plenty of pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and hotels are putting on their own wedding events, from the Porchester Hall Wedding Royal Wedding Ball to the Right Royal Knees Up 80s Wedding Party at Club de Fromage. And giant screens will be erected in key places around the city so you can see the kiss up-close-and-semi-personal.
Can’t make it to London? Never fear. Up and down the country – and even beyond –wedding events and goodies are popping up. From a Kiss Me Kate cocktail at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford to Royal Wedding parties on NCL cruise ships. The latter plans to offer fish and chips and pie and mash – no doubt exactly what the royal couple will be eating.
A London-based American journalist whose work has been published by the likes of Condé Nast Travellerand The New York Times, Jill Starley-Grainger loves eco-luxury travel, cutting-edge tech, free hotel WiFi – and her adopted city. Her previous posts about the Royal Wedding covered the peculiar phenomenon ofLondoners fleeing the Royal Event and a primer on Royal Couple trivia. Do stay tuned for Part Four, in which Starley-Grainger guides us to the best Royal Wedding souvenirs.
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