Eurohistory

Monday, May 2, 2011

The "Party of the Century" and a Few Abominable Dresses

The serious partying began shortly before 8pm on Friday, when the bride emerged from Clarence House after four hours alone with her new husband.
Kate Middleton – now the Duchess of Cambridge – had changed from her wedding dress into a second Sarah Burton creation with circle skirt and sparkling diamante embroidery around the waist

For the public, the highpoint of the day had been the double kiss on the balcony at 1.25pm.

But for William and Kate the best was yet to come: a dinner and dance with 300 friends and family at Buckingham Palace.

Such was William’s desire to keep goings-on secret that some guests were required to sign secrecy agreements.

But from insider accounts, a picture has emerged of saucy speeches, pumping dance music, flamboyant dancing from our future Queen – and some cattiness between guests.

The first slip-up came at the Goring Hotel at about 7.30pm, when Kate’s mother Carole briefly lost her footing as she came down the stairs in a black tiered and pleated gown. She was steadied by her 23-year-old son James.
When William and Kate arrived at Buckingham Palace (at least 30 minutes later than planned), it was through a passage lined with flaming torches.

Princess Beatrice of York and yet

another abominable dress faux-pas

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1382586/Royal-wedding-party-Slip-ups-downs-sambucca-slammers.html#ixzz1LDjaCodj

The Wedding Dress Secret – How Catherine pulled it off?

So how did she do it? How did Kate manage to outfox them all? The story could make a movie with stories of secret locked rooms, clandestine meetings and false trails. All deployed to keep the media off the scent.

According to friends, Kate had a clear idea of her dream dress even before William proposed. She was drawn to the understated, modest elegance of Grace Kelly, whose gowns went on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum last April.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1382619/Royal-Wedding-How-Kate-hid-The-Dress-world.html

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Prince Harry's Wedding Dinner Speech

Harry was said to have made a light-hearted best man's speech, laced with jokes at his brother's expense and even some of his more elderly relatives, after an evening dinner hosted by Prince Charles to celebrate Williams' marriage to Kate Middleton in front of 300 guests.

Harry is even reported to have joked about the relative heights of Kate and the Duke of Edinburgh, his grandfather being dwarfed by the new Duchess of Cambridge in her three-inch heels.

Prince William and the Prince of Wales had earlier used parts of their speeches at the Queen's afternoon champagne reception to mock each other, continuing the tradition of father-son speechmaking.

The Prince of Wales drew attention to his son's baldness and, in return, Prince William highlighted his father's waistline.

His father said he hoped Prince William would look after him in old age before joking that William would "push his wheelchair of a cliff".

Continue reading...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8484707/Royal-wedding-Prince-Harry-pays-tribute-to-brother-William-in-best-mans-speech.html

The Dukes of Gloucester Headed to Rome

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will attend beatification ceremony in St Peter’s Square

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

On 1 May 2011, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will preside at the Beatification of His Holiness Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square.

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will represent Her Majesty The Queen as Head of State of the United Kingdom.

The ceremony will be attended by senior figures from Europe and more widely, including Heads of State and Government. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are also expected.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester is a grandson of George V and first cousin to H.M. The Queen.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

The Honeymoon ...

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen not to depart for a honeymoon immediately. Instead, after spending the weekend privately in the United Kingdom, The Duke will return to work as a Search and Rescue pilot next week.
The locations of both their private weekend before The Duke returns to work and their future honeymoon, which will be overseas, will not be disclosed in advance.
The Couple have asked that their privacy be respected during the coming weekend and during their honeymoon.

The Official Wedding Photos

Friday, April 29, 2011

Diana's Presence at the Royal Wedding

Five months ago, when Prince William first announced to the world he’d given a ring to Kate Middleton, he made it clear that only one other woman mattered as much to him.

"It's my mother's engagement ring,” he told the press of the sapphire and diamond engagement heirloom. “Obviously she's not going to be around to share any of the fun and excitement of it all -- this was my way of keeping her close to it all."

During every step of their path down the aisle, Kate and William have made a point to keep Lady Diana’s memory alive. Today’s wedding was no exception. They recited their vows at the Westminster Abbey, the historic church where Diana’s memorial was held for 3 million mourners in 1997. Then, William was just a teenager, and his solemn march behind his mother’s coffin was in stark contrast to the beaming stride he took down the aisle today.

But the church itself wasn't the only reminder of Diana's parting. Bishop of London Richard Chartres, who also spoke at Diana's memorial, gave the wedding sermon. And during the musical portion of the ceremony, the first hymn sung was "Guide Me Thou, O Great Redeemer," the same song that concluded Di's funeral service and memorial service, 10 years after her death.

The focus wasn't only on Di's absence, but on the memory of her vibrant life. As Kate walked down the aisle in Alexander McQueen , every bit the breathtaking bride her mother-in-law was in 1981, she clutched a bouquet of Sweet William dotted with Lily of the Valley, a staple of Diana's wedding bouquet. And when it was time to say her vows, she again summoned Di’s independent spirit, by omitting the term “obey”. It was the one battle Diana Spencer picked when she agreed to marry Prince Charles. At the time, the break in tradition caused outrage among royal-watchers. Today it’s a testament to Di’s courage and trail-blazing choices.