Don't Rain on my Bunting

by Retro Chick
April 20, 2011
20 Comments
2 minutes read
85 Views
14 years ago

So who cares about the Royal Wedding?

No one, really, lets face it. OK, some people care. Prince William, Kate Middleton, their families and people who are involved in the very public ceremony. They probably care.

The rest of the people who will sleep on the streets of London, attend one of the MANY street parties and events around the country, sit quietly drinking Pimms in front of the TV, or avoid it completely by staying in bed all day, they don’t care at all really.

For that matter *I* don’t care. However I am looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to a day off, I’m looking forward to eating cupcakes and buying special edition Pimms with a flag on the label, and I’m kind of tempted to buy this T Shirt and “Retro Chick it up” with a pencil skirt and seamed stockings. I was always meant to be a Princess you know.

There are, however, a whole load of people out there determined to make me feel bad about looking forward to a party. They point out that it’s expensive, they mope about the UK’s gloomy economic outlook, they bitch about having a hereditary monarchy, they give it extra column inches moaning about the amount of column inches it’s received. They even gleefully spend their time calculating the number of weddings that end in divorce and revelling in the failure of previous Royal Weddings.

No one cares, specifically, about the Royal Wedding. Really though, what’s wrong with an excuse for a party? Especially in these “difficult economic times”. If someone can make a few extra quid selling Royal Wedding mugs plastered with a cheap transfer of William and Kates face then good on them. It’s the great British entrepreneur at work and no one MADE you buy one.

If you REALLY feel that strongly about it, I’m sure your boss won’t mind if you pop into work for a few hours on the 29th. You could get a bit of work done while it’s quiet. Or maybe you could just stay home with the curtains drawn, drink yourself into a stupor and try and drown out the sounds of all your neighbours having fun.

Why shouldn’t we all close off our streets, string them with bunting and eat Victoria Sponge cake till we’re sick on our neighbours begonias? Whatever the reason, it’s always nice to have an excuse for a party, whether that’s Christmas, Super hero Saturday or a bonus bank holiday. (hint: One of the above only exists in my house)

This isn’t about William and Kate, it’s not about whether the Monarchy are an anachronistic irrelevance in these hyper modern times in which we live and it’s not about how much it costs. It’s about having a day off, and an excuse to plan a national party.

Maybe, just maybe, we can all spend a few hours, on a sunny spring afternoon, sipping Pimms, feeling terribly British and pretending we all live in a Fairytale world where our neighbours don’t annoy us by tramping around in heels on their stripped pine floors and weddings always end with a happily ever after.

20 Comments

Fiona - Straight Talking Mama April 20, 2011

ha ha ha I do agree, I’m also not interested, not a royalist etc etc but what’s the point in moaning about it, I see no reason to moan about it, just the fact that people are moaning about it shows they care, even if negatively!

I don’t really care. However I like the idea of an extra bank holiday, I like the idea of having a reason to party, I like the idea of neighbours getting together – I’m old enough to remember the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and although I lived in a tiny street we still had a party and I still have the pictures, ok I was the only kid in the street but it was still something I remember! If I’m indoors on that day – which I probably will be as I plan to sew on the up coming bank holiday – I’ll probably even pop the TV on and watch it, just cos I’m nosy!
LandGirl1980 April 20, 2011

I was going to write my own post on this – but I think I shall just link to yours! You have pretty much summed up my feelings on the nay saying knobs out there. There shall always be those that like to bitch and whinge, just like there shall always be those that Pimm them into the ground.

Me? I care about it in a historic sense – he will be King one day and I want to be able to say I was there – just like my Nan could when his Gran/Dad got married. That is important to me at least – being there as history is made. Not everyones cup of Earl Grey – granted.

“Why shouldn’t we all close off our streets, string them with bunting and eat Victoria Sponge cake till we’re sick on our neighbours begonias?” This actually made me nearly vomit up my toast with laughter.

I am looking very much forward to it 🙂
Amy Georgina April 20, 2011

HOORAY!! I am so glad you feel the same as I do. I quite like the Royal fam, I think we should be proud of our history and that includes the Monarchy and all their inbreeding and stuff!! And I’m surely not the only one who will really only be watching to get a peek of the Best Man! We’re having a BBQ and I’m being unashamedly British with my Union Jack bunting and garish Corgi cupcake toppers and I just don’t care! It’s going to be a hoot!

To William and Kate – Thanks for the Bank Holiday guys!
Lady K Loves April 20, 2011

Super Hero Saturday sounds fantastic, is it the same day each year? Do you dress up? Watch movies? Eat themed food!

If I lived on a nice road (better neighbours and less traffic) I’d be all for hanging out with cake and drinks, as it is I will probably work but enjoy not getting so many e-mails. But see nothing wrong with everyone getting an extra day off, we should have more bank holiday’s any way.

Everyone who’s off enjoy, however you see fit.
Angela April 20, 2011

Is there a Royal Wedding coming up? I hadn’t noticed!! Seriously though, I’m not bothered either way. I may watch a bit of it on the telly but I’m not doing anything special for it ( or buying any hideous mugs or tea towels either for that matter ) but I won’t be complaining about it either. The only thing I’ve been wondering is why is the future bride known as Kate when she is called Catherine? Shouldn’t she be called known as Cath?
Fi Phillilps April 20, 2011

Not at all interested in the wedding but who am I to complain about a day off? Silver linings and all that.
Helen April 20, 2011

I’m just glad we’re getting a free day off! Still it does pee me off somewhat that I get a day off for the wedding of someone I don’t even know, but had to use my holiday entitlement to go to my own brother’s.

The trouble is the forced jollility – the idea that everyone’s expected to be filled with glee about it, and that we’re all supposed to be terribly interested in it. I really, really don’t care and find the tidal wave of naff quite amusing (like the royal wedding party in the amusement arcade round the corner from me – look up from the fruit machine and see someone ride about in a coach made entirely of gold…).
Shona April 20, 2011

I am excited about it. I am gonna wear red white and blue and watch EVERY second of it on telly. Then I might watch the re-runs. I think it is a nice bit of history. I am thrilled with a bit of pagentry, pomp and toffy-nosed hats. It doesn’t look like Harry is in a hurry so I am gonna make the most of this one!
Heather April 20, 2011

I hadn’t even realized that there was a backlash to any of this. I’ve been blissfully unaware here in America that anybody was anything less then excited for a party and a chance to have a bit of fun and celebrate. Not even my royal family and I still might make a victoria sponge and hang some bunting. Then again, I might just really like bunting. Great post!
Steph (@mrs_sock) April 20, 2011

if I was rapidly turning into a weeble I would be having a tea party to celebrate, complete with cucumber sandwiches. However I AM turning into weeble and have no inclination to do anything other than sleep – so I will make one cucumber sandwich and sip robinson’s juice while I watch it on the tv.
I wish Kate & William a day as happy as we had and a lifetime of happiness, I am grateful for the Mr being home an extra day on their behalf. And we have one next year to look forward to too – when I migt be more inclined and will be able to open the pimms!
Emma cossey April 21, 2011

I’m quite looking forward to it, it’s not like it happens every year. And an excuse for a good old fashioned knees up is not to be sniffed at.

I’m quite jealous too of anyone that lives on a street (we live in the middle of nowhere!) and gets to experience a street party.
Hannah April 21, 2011

It’s a great excuse to party throughout the Commonwealth and get back some of that national pride! I always admire Americans for their national pride and I think us Brits could take a few leaves out of their book!
Penny Dreadful Vintage April 21, 2011

There is Pimms with flags on the bottle? I must get one! I really don’t like that family, but am hugely excited about the day off and I do think it is lovely that everyone is feeling so patriotic right now. Like I said on my blog a while ago, it is one thing to disagree with the validity of the monarchy, and quite another to turn down a good party xx
Steph April 21, 2011

Well I tend to think that the Royal Family to give a lot to the country in terms of tourism, history and culture etc. Personally, I won’t be watching the wedding, as I can’t really seem to care about watching two strangers get married. I am however, very excited about the extra day off, and will be spending it in Edinburgh probably drink Pimms and enjoying the sunshine! I’m sure you can persuade me to look at pictures of her dress though…
- perdita April 21, 2011
  
  I’m QUITE excited about the dress. I’m sad like that. I went for a dress that looked a bit like the Queen Mum’s dress back in the 20s for my own wedding, and have become just a liiiiiitttttle obsessed with royal/cleb wedding attire.
Dolly Cool Clare April 21, 2011

I am not a royalist either but how can people moan about the event? If anything, surely its a positive thing in grim economic times that the country is pulling together for some time off and revelry?! I myself will be trading at a 1940s themed street party in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, there will be bunting, cake, barber shop quartets, jazz bands etc etc… and I can’t wait! :))
perdita April 21, 2011

I love an excuse for a party! My (tenous) claim to fame is that Kate’s mum went to the school I work at- we had TV cameras round and everything for ‘Meet The Middletons’. On a slightly more serious note, it does show how this generation of Royals are more socially mobile: her mum went to a regular state school (hem hem, an OFSTED Oustanding regular state school she says because she works there) – how many times in history has that happened?

I’m going to watch it on the telly at my sister’s with tea and cupcakes, then perhaps adjourn to the pub.

I might red-white-n-blue my outfit too. 🙂
Fashion Limbo April 21, 2011

hahaha, good on you! It is indeed a Bank Holiday, and that, in times where we really have to work our bums off to pay the bills is a glorious gift. Any excuse to party really, and I don’t need much to get me going. I don’t really care much for the wedding, and I don’t read the endless articles on who is designing this, who is sponsoring that, who is or isn’t invited. Now, a day off? that I care much for, pass the Pimms, Gemma! xxx
Ann April 23, 2011

A Bank holiday, a wedding celebration, Pimms, cupcakes, street parties, bunting, Victoria sponges and more Pimms. Sounds good to me! (If I bought that T Shirt it would have to have “Oh no it couldn’t” on the back!)
Ann April 23, 2011

A Bank holiday, a wedding celebration, Pimms, cupcakes, street parties, bunting, Victoria sponges and more Pimms. Sounds good to me! (If I bought that T Shirt it would have to have “Oh no it couldn’t” on the back!)