Is this our answer to British Royalty? Oh no, we have movie and music awards and the Red Carpet.I've heard criticism of the royal wedding, the royal lineage and British female hats. Some say it's a disgrace to keep Royalty in style when bad economy is knocking at the world's door.
Economy IS bad but I've seen a lot worse. I remember the big depression of the 1930's and could tell you stories of deprivation that you would say I'm making up. I'll spare you stories except one. I remember our whole family gathering around the radio in 1936, listening to Edward Vlll abdicating the British throne. The world was grasping on every word of British royalty. It was a light, a beacon in our drab existence to know there were still kings and queens and royalty. What's wrong with taking our minds away from poverty and replacing it with a royal fantasy?
I'd pay my 10 cents on a Saturday matinee just in hopes of catching a glimpse of the British princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret in the news reel. Their tradition of female hats has always intrigued me. American women wore hats in the 50's but then it faded.
I was up at 3 AM watching the wedding live. Watching the hats and all the pomp, I felt joy in my heart for British tradition. How bleak the world would be without it. What do you think?
It's not really my 'cup of tea' (pun intended). :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Manzanita, the world needed a good dose of fairy tale romance and a big reason to feel good about the world just for awhile. It raised everyone's energy and good happens then.
ReplyDeleteFor me the timing was perfect. We had just been thru the Japanese tragedy, the southern states tragedy, high gas prices, "the Donald" with his birther nonsense and personally, I needed a bit of glorious fantasy to ease my mind back from the brink. It was a very welcome break and the beauty was that we weren't paying for any of it. Win/win.
ReplyDeleteI like your vision of things. So optimistic, like a fairy tale.
ReplyDeleteI was up at 4am...I'm in the central time zone. Loved every minute. Loved the hats, the carriages, the church with the trees (brought in for the wedding), the dresses, the flowers...loved it all. I enjoyed the fairy tale and fantasy all day.
ReplyDeleteI'm not into the whole royalty thing. But, I don't care for watching red carpet stuff either.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI'm a Brit and not a Royalist. I hate paying high taxes to the crown, simply because the royals own vast estates and have more than sufficient wealth to live the life they're accustomed to. But, and it's a big but, the alternative of having a presidential head of state is a less inviting prospect. For a president has actual power of enacting presidence of power. The Queen has minimal power of rule: pomp and circumstance of tradition her mark, while elected government rules the country in the name of the people. Besides, the royals are a great marketing tool in reminding parts of the new world that a lot of peoples their heritage lies in the old one! ;)
best
F
I don't think younger countries (like the US and OZ) have ANYTHING like the Britz royalty!! Whether you love or loathe them, we can only pretend ...
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. I was up until 2:00 watching the wedding. I had fun seeing all the hats. I love hats although I only wear them in Hawaii when I'm out in the sun. It's more functional. Hats are just fun to see.
ReplyDeleteI thought Eugenie (or was it Beatrice's?)hat was fab!!! Take care
ReplyDeletex
I agree totally with Arkansas Patti.
ReplyDeleteBut, sorry, Old Kitty, BIG DISAGREE!!!
That 'pinkish thing' was incredibly awful.
Great post, Manzi!
xoxoxo, me
My daughter and I watched the '81 wedding of Di and Charles together, so we got up at 4am to repeat the experience with my teenage granddaughter. (Both happen to be staying with me for the next month)
ReplyDeleteWe had a lot of fun watching. I have to agree with Clare on that ugly hat though. ;)
Texwisgirl : And it's a good one. LOL
ReplyDeleteTeresa : One reason I love you is because you are positive and your outlook is always bright. What a gem !!!!!
Patti : And I would think all that "tourist trade" would add a sufficient amount to the British coffers.
Angela : Thanks for stopping. I guess I've lived a fairy tale my whole life.
Turquoisemoon : I wish we lived neighbors. We could have watched and commented together. tee hee
Ruth : Thanks for speaking out. I like that.
Francis : Thanks for summing up your thoughts so beautifully. Your presentation of both sides gave us Americans something to ponder. :)
ReplyDeleteRed : You always know how to hit the spot with the right remark. :)
Kay : I'm happy you were "up" with me watching. I used to love hats when we wore them way back. (you were too young.... lucky you) but I even took millinary classes and created hats. I had some pretty bizarre hats back then, too.
Kitty : Was that the beige bow one? I loved the creativity of that. I'd love to see your hat closet along with your shoe closet. :)
Clare : Thanks Clare. I tried to find you but couldn't. Did you close your blog?
Laura : How neat that you can repeat this experience with your granddaughter. I bet you are having a happy, fun-filled month with them, making a lot of memories and taking pictures.
With love from Manzanita
Ok Manzi,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed watching how the other half does it but the "country cousins" aka Beatrice and Eugenie were a hoot.
I loved the gown, loved the fact that Kate has a good head on her shoulders, adored the looks and the laughter between the two of them, and my most favorite of all was little Grace and that frown as the crowds cheered for another kiss. May they be blessed with goodness and light. I could go on an on.
I have NO problem with all that pomp and circumstance. It IS a great distraction to all that's going on in the world, especially in their country that is in such a turmoil.
ReplyDeleteBut I do have a problem with the amount of money that is spent. It is a business. The amount that is charged per citizen to keep this monarchy around. The amount of money that the Parliament allows to the Queen.It does help with some of the local economy in London, but nothing for the smaller business owners around the country. Since Cameron made it a bank holiday, MANY businesses lost a lot of money. Well, you know how I feel about all that from my blog. Alot of Brits are resentful of the whole thing.
I do wish Catherine and William all the best! They are a beautiful couple!
Okay the Cable Guy made me laugh :) But my grandmother has filled my heart with stories of the great depression to the point I hoard food. :) But as to the Royals, I'm with you I love those hats. :D
ReplyDeleteJules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
Fair points, Manzanita. Stories, fairytales, whether they star real people or imaginary ones, have a cultural and psychological value.
ReplyDeleteIf that makes up for the cost is hard to say. It just might.
I totally think I missed my calling. I should've been born in the royal family just so I could wear the hats!
ReplyDeleteMy personal campaign to bring them back has not been going over very well in my little world.
I think any woman who has stood in front of the mirron in the morning facing a bad hair day would be all for it? Don't you?
I like the hats and the fasteners. The crazier, the better. We need to be part of parties like that now and then to boost our morale. If only it can be done without the outrageous costs. Maybe at the next royal wedding, they can make it potluck.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big-time follower of royalty, but don't see anything wrong with watching snippets of their fairy tale world, like their weddings, their jubilees, their coronations, whatever. It provides a fun escape into fantasy. The closest thing we ever had to "royalty" in this country were John & Jackie Kennedy. Now THEY had class. Today's entertainers and politicians? Not so much. It's a sobering thought that people in other countries could watch someone like Larry the Cable Guy, and believe him to be representative of the average American.
ReplyDeleteI did not get up to watch the wedding.. but I did see clips of it off and on though the day.
ReplyDeleteWhile I was on the cruise, we ran into a few Brits. I was very surprised to learn that they did not give a darn about the wedding or anthing to do with Royalaty. I on the other hand love hearing about them... and it just might be because of the fairy tale feeling I get when I hear about a prince and a princess.
Personally, I'll stick with larry.
ReplyDeleteManzi, I'm here!
ReplyDeleteI won't close up shop anytime soon, but I do take the occasional hiatus! Been busy with Spring clean-up and family issues, etc.
Plus, once the good weather gets here (and we fully expect that it WILL), my time indoors will be severely limited, and blogging will be far down the list of priorities. But never fear! I have a new toy of the Android persuasion that will keep me in touch on the go!
Much Love
xoxoxo, cd
As I live in the UK I can't claim to have lost any sleep but I did watch the wedding. It's all about the hats, as you say, but let me assure you that hats faded in the 50s in the UK too. I'd love to go out wearing the broad brimmed hat that I had for my wedding or the net and flower fascinator that I had for my son's wedding but everyone would stare and I couldn't handle that.
ReplyDeleteI agree!!! I watched all of it too. I find it fascinating and fun. I love the pomp and ceremony. I kinda miss it in our own culture/country (Canada, USA) We have become so casual in the way we dress, the way we act.....I think we could all use a little more decorum...and A GOOD HAT
ReplyDeletei've just noticed that you have become my latest Follower! Thank you so much for that. Coming from England, I adored everything about the Royal Wedding, and I haven't heard any gripes from all my bloggy friends from around the world either! To me, it was wonderful how it brought our whole country together, even for just one day. It was such a feel-good day, with all the doom and gloom that is going on around us. I am now following you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that glimpse into the past. I think that's why Hollywood seemed so glamorous then, too. People needed a fantasy to give them hope.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, I don't feel the same way you do about the British royalty. I did not watch the wedding or the pre- and sequels. Just not interested.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog and introducing yourself! What a fun place you have here. It was a beautiful and dignified wedding ceremony ... with the comic relief provided by those hats! The concept of royalty is certainly a captivating one, no matter how it is portrayed or perceived.
ReplyDeleteI watched the wedding and I watched Charles and Diana get married many moons ago, too. I love the traditions and seeing everyone dressed up. It's an escape from reality for a while. It was so nice to see how in love William and Kate are. Very different from William's parents. Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I just became your newest "follower" and I look forward to reading your past posts!! :)
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
Funny, I always say I'm an anglophile but the wedding didn't interest me-- not against it-- it just didn't excite me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for following both my blogs-- returning the follow! Looking forward to more intriguing topics.
Oh, Manzi: What I wouldn't give to sit over a beer in a Montana bar. How about this summer? I'll even take my bride with me to keep me honest.
ReplyDeleteI am with you. Every woman was once a little girl that dreamed of being a princess and marrying a prince or another princess or a prince marrying a prince. Oh how I hate PC. Anyway I did not get up to watch but I did DVR hours of coverage and loved every bit. I really believe they love one another and love can cure an awful lot:)
ReplyDeleteGreat job on A-Z...I enjoyed a few of your posts, still trying to catch up:)
http://www.doreenmcgettigan.com
Hub and I got up at 4:00 a.m. for the Royal Wedding and feasted on that beautiful day. What with pick-a-problem these days, it was nice to slip into the pomp and circumstance that history and tradition enabled. I believe it was Churchill who said that without the Royals, England would be another boring island of shopkeepers.
ReplyDeleteI grew up hearing stories about the Great Depression/WWII, all of which steeled me to dream the dream but work harder to achieve it, all the while understanding not every dream comes true. As tough as times have been/are, I agree, there's worse...actually, there's always worse. It's a sense of connection, I think, that obliterates wanting for its own sake and keeps the human spirit alive, not robotic. My grandmother once said that the happiest time for her was the depression - she said no one had much of anything material but they had each other and used to sit out on the stoop and talk into the evening - a sense of connectivity.
Great post, Manzi!!!
Hi Manzanita .. it was just wonderful and I've people here who thought they wouldn't enjoy it - middle aged men ..but boy did they sit through it!
ReplyDeleteWhere else do you get this kind of thing .. where do you see your culture, your past, your tradition, the stories in the pageantry .. and that enticement - hey this little country is here for everyone to see and share in.
I thought it was wonderful and seems to have changed and opened the Royals up ..
I'd hate to live in a dull grey world of politics and government ..
Gosh - listening to Edward VIII abdicate must have been momentous ..
TV and colour and the internet have changed the world so much .. and those hats (the ones we're talking about) were awful!! Let alone the outfits .. lamb dressed as mutton ..
Cheers - Hilary
Briar rose studio : It is amazing but they really do seem to love each other. It seems as if she's wise enough to hold it together.
ReplyDeleteIrene : The one thing I want for you is that you get your passport and can get to England soon.
Jules : You made me LOL by your hoarding food from your grandmother's stories.
K.C...: Often dreamers (like me) fail to look at the cost. I'm terrible with finances. :)
Karen : It sure seemed to take people's conversations to other things.
Big D : Yes, a big thumbs up for hats again. But I think we'd still have to wear stocking caps in the winter in Montana.
Su-sieee : You crack me up. Can't you see the women in the big hats arriving with a casserole for potluck. :)
Susan : Ah yes, Jackie and Jack. Our closest answer to royalty.
Terry : Most little girls always believe that their prince will come. Expectations run pretty high.
Mastersupplements : You wouldn't have to worry about the big hats with Larry.
Clare : Happy you are here. Congrats on your new Droid. Love new toys.
Rosalind : Your hats sound gorgeous. I'd love to see the the net and flower fascinator one. You are a true Brit!
Wendy : Oh how I hated this casual dress at first but now I often look like I'd go well with Larry the Cable guy. LOL
ReplyDeleteGiggle, Laugh and Cry : Thanks for stopping. I think I am already your follower. I'll be by soon.
This is Me : Oh thank you for that wonderful positive comment. What a cheerful attitude you have.
Mary : You are correct. The movies meant everything to people during the depression. Anything for a couple hours escape from reality.
Gigi : You have a lot of wonderful interests.
Lori : Thanks for stopping. I always wonder how which soul is chosen to be born of the royal line.
Wendy : So right. Di and Charles never appeared to be in love. With these young royals, it does seem to be real.
Lesa : You have so many varied interests. I think a lot of interests keep one happy. :)
JJ : Ha ha ha. Thanks. You always make me laugh.
Doreen : You are one busy writing lady. Thanks for stopping.
Kitty: Good for you and Hubs watching the wedding together. Not too many men are interested. My hat is off to Hubs. I like that quote of Churchill's. It's a good one.
I agree with your Grandmother about the depression. I recently said I was happy to be born then. It formed my values but one day a daughter needed something and came to my house and said, "You always have two of everything." OMG, did it make me a hoarder? I know that it also formed Calvin's values. He's been gone 10 years and I'm still throwing away. :)
Hilary : Thank you for the meaningful comment. I value your wisdom. You offer such wise words.
Thank you, everyone for the kind and loving comments. I value all of your comments. Manzanita
I loved every minute of the royal wedding...what can I say I am a sucker for a good fairy tale! Blessings, Joanne
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