A ROYAL CELEBRATION
Beaconsfield mom crazy about Harry
Allisun Dalzell-Ranaldi, who is throwing a major bash at her Beaconsfield home early Saturday to celebrate Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle, is a big Harry fan. Always has been.
“I love the royal family,” said Dalzell-Ranaldi. “Harry is actually, I would say, my favourite of all of them. He’s always been. Just because he’s spunky. Just because he’s got spirit and he’s got red hair.
“I (felt) for both of them when they lost their mom, but especially Harry was little (when he lost her). He just gets into trouble. He just does his own thing and I love that about him. So I’m really excited for him, that he’s found his girl and he’s getting married, and going to live happily ever after.”
Dalzell-Ranaldi originally planned to travel to London to be there for the wedding on Saturday, but in the end, she decided to hold a party at her place. She’s invited 25 to 30 female friends to come by her house just after 7 a.m. on Saturday to watch Harry tie the knot with Markle, a former actress best known for playing Rachel Zane in the popular TV series Suits.
She’s asked her friends to dress up for the occasion, and she’ll be serving appropriate fare for the occasion, including tea, English scones, crumpets and muffins, strawberries and English cream, mini lemon cakes (in a tribute to the lemon and elderflower wedding cake being prepared by Royal baker Claire Ptak), and, of course, bangers and mash.
Dalzell-Ranaldi’s house is chock full of framed portraits of members of the Royal Family. There are Union Jack flags, and she even has life-size cardboard cut-outs of Harry, William and the Queen.
She admits she’s been collecting these items for three years “in the hopes that Harry would actually get married.”
She admits her son, 20, and two teenage daughters think she’s, well, crazy.
“My husband is OK (with it),” said Dalzell-Ranaldi, a writer/editor at the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal.
“He’s willing to help . ... The kids however, that’s a whole other story. ... They told me I was nuts.”
But Dalzell-Ranaldi is making no apologies for her love of the royals.
“I find them great role models for kids nowadays,” she said. “They ’re great role models for us, just in how respectful they are.
“And as much as it’s about them, there’s also another part of me . ... I like to throw a good party, and if you’re going to do it, do it well and focus on the details and make people excited. When there’s a theme, I think people get caught up in it. ... There are people who watch sports. There are people who are all caught up in the hockey. Just have something. It’s entertaining. It makes life fun. It’s a big deal. Clearly it’s a big deal. All over the world they’re talking about it.”
And she’s totally into the fact that Markle has a background that’s far removed from the Royal Family’s milieu.
“I actually love the fact that she’s not your typical royal princess,” said Dalzell-Ranaldi.
“I love the fact that she comes from a different culture. I love the fact that the royals are embracing her differences.”
(Harry) just does his own thing and I love that about him. So I’m really excited for him, that he’s found his girl and he’s getting married, and going to live happily ever after.