All I can say is wow. What a spectacular experience it was not only being in London during the Royal wedding, but actually be outside of Windsor Castle when the two wed. Getting there was anything but easy, but May 19th, 2018 will be a day I will never forget and I will be able to talk about for years to come.
Five of us were out the door of our flats by 8:30am. In the moment, we thought this was an okay time to leave not realizing some of the public transportation would be shut down. After taking the tube one way, to taking it back the other direction, to sprinting through Paddington station to barely make a train on time, to standing in endless lines and dealing with huge crowds, I can easily say it was all worth it. Once we exited the train at Windsor Castle, the sights were beautiful. The architecture of the cobblestone roads and buildings, and the excitement of the crowd to just get a glimpse of the newly weds was admirable. I don’t think any of us knew what to really expect, so I think it was a good experience for us all.
As we were waiting in line to get into the grassy area of Windsor Castle, police and guards were pushing people to the get out of the streets because a car was heading down, before I could even get my phone out, Meghan Markle was being escorted to her wedding by a few policemen in cars. She waved and I was shocked. Total fan girl moment for sure. As we kept walking towards the wedding, the crowds began to grow and security stopped letting people into the grassy fields. Eventually we made it through and got to see Harry and Meghan in the procession carriage ride. It was incredible and they both looked fantastic. We witnessed royal history and were able to experience in such an expressive manor.
This wedding represents a turning point in history for the most closely watched monarchy in history. While all eyes of London are always on the royal family, so is the rest of the worlds. Meghan Markle is a divorced, mixed-race American which goes against all sorts of rules. I think that this says a lot for not only the eyes of which Londoners view normalcy, but it sets a standard for the rest of the world that says “our culture is changing and everyone needs to get on board”. As I think London is an incredible place, it is changing the way a lot of people use their eyes to view the proper city. Inclusivity and equality are becoming more and more important in all cultures spread over the world. Meghan Markle sends a tone to all the little girls (and I guess any girls) who think the odds are against them because of their past, race, or ethnicity that says they CAN break down barriers and walls that seem to be the most proper and unforgiving of them all.
The reason this is so important is because the royal family is more than just a constitutional monarchy that governs and leads the people of the UK. They are an image that represents the systematic practices, beliefs, and foundations that are instilled upon British culture. The community constructs narratives of the identity of the royal family that captures the attention of the world. The identities of the royal family "stimulate the imagination by way of either memory or expectation" (Berger, 129). As Berger talks about images that are constantly being thrown in the face of our everyday lives, fortunately or unfortunately, the image of Royal family becomes an important part of British culture. So adding a new face to the family also adds a new part of the British national identity, throwing away what it used to be, and showing what it can or has the potential to be. The publicity that this wedding offered, persuades societies that the image of the royal family is inevitable, but it is also willing to be pushed into a new direction that represents just more than one identity. This is something that mirrors British life and culture fully.
Going to the royal wedding is something I’ll defintiely remember for the rest of my life. The outpouring of jealousy and amazement from friends and family back home that I was able to experience this is honestly heartwarming. I just neglect to tell them we were stranded there after because they shut down any form of public transportation for three hours. Who would want to ruin the idea of such a “royal” and beautiful event... or did I just spill the beans? Till next time..
Click here to see Harry and Meghan go on the carriage ride right by us!
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