The Royal Wedding

the couple's first kiss, on the palace balcony

            I know this is a little off topic, but I feel like I have to say something about the royal wedding. I have dreamed of being a princess for as long as I can remember, and I was thrilled when I found out that Prince William was marrying an ordinary girl, Kate Middleton. Although I was initially upset that William was marrying someone besides me, I quickly got over it after learning how smart and independent she is.

Kate's top secret wedding dress, designed by Sarah  Burton

            I actually read a book a few months ago called Someday My Prince Will Come, written by Jerramy Fine. The book was a memoir chronicling her obsession, which was far greater than mine, with the royal family of England. She was absolutely enthralled by everything royalty-related that happened in England, so much so that she moved there immediately after graduating from college. Never giving up her hope of becoming a princess, she searched for Peter Philip, one of the heirs to the British throne, and eventually got the chance to meet him. Even though they talked for several hours, their relationship never worked out, but she is still a huge inspiration for me. She cared about being intelligent and independent more than anything, which are the qualities that I see in Kate.

The newlyweds taking a spin in Prince Charles' Aston Martin

My parents don’t take my obsession with royalty at all seriously, but they were obliging enough to let my best friend, Klaudia, sleep over last night, even though it was a school night, so we could get up at 4 in the morning to watch the wedding. Our phone alarms didn’t go off, so we didn’t really wake up until around 5, and had scones and tea for breakfast. We watched the entire ceremony, while getting ready for school during the boring parts, and arrived at school a little late. It was worth it—I go to school everyday, but how often does a prince get married?

              I thought the wedding was absolutely beautiful. Although William looked pretty nervous, Kate looked beautiful and everything seemed to go really smoothly. A lot of people don’t take the British monarchy seriously, but I think the fact that William married an ordinary girl proved that the values of the royal family have changed over the years, and I am happy that he was able to marry someone that he loves. I am confident that their marriage will be far more successful than his father’s was to the beautiful princess Diana, and watching the newlyweds ride away in the carriage after the ceremony was something I’ll never forget.