A break from the humdrum
Royal weddings offer an escape from everyday lives, a chance to connect with regal family
It’s the excitement. It’s an event that you look forward to. A wedding is special, but a royal wedding is over the top. You really do feel like you are part of it, that you’re there with everyone else, enjoying it. Rowena Hickox
Penelope Player is a royal wedding watcher. And she enjoys celebrating them. So, in the lead up to Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle, at St. George’s Chapel Saturday, the Charlottetown woman held a small tea in the royal couple’s honour. Dressed for the occasion, Player got out her fine china and heart- decorated napkins and invited her friend Rowena Hickox, another royal wedding enthusiast, to join her.
But before they sat down to tea, they donned fascinators Player had created. These whimsical, one- of-a-kind creations, made of feathers, ribbons and other materials add to the specialness of the occasion.
Then, after serving the tea and fine cakes to her guests, she teamed up with Hickox to talk about her fascination with royal nuptials. Royal weddings resonate with people for different reasons.
“You have the history. You have the display. You have the story. You have the sense of connection with the Royal Family. We’ve watched them growing up,” says Player.
Hickox says she likes the anticipation that starts with the royal announcement. “It’s the excitement.
It’s an event that you look forward to. A wedding is special, but a royal wedding is over the top,” says Hickox, lifting her teacup.
Then, on the wedding day, television coverage makes viewers feel like they’re actually seated among the guests in the church.
“You really do feel like you are part of it, that you’re there with everyone else, enjoying it,” adds Player.
Keeping in the spirit of things, celebrations involving food and drink often spring up.
For example, when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got married in 2011, one of Player’s friends, Valerie Moore, invited her friends to a breakfast at her home. It also involved watching the royal wedding on television. Because of the time change, it was a very early morning.
“We all rolled into breakfast at 6 a.m. looking very groggy and tired. Someone came in their pyjamas but wearing their fascinator. We were just silly, but we had so much fun. It was a happy, happy thing.”
Hickox remembers that morning well. She and her sister were visiting her niece in London, Ont.
“We set the alarm for 5 a.m. We had tea and toast in bed — the three of us — as we watched the royal wedding unfold.”
Hickox remembers when Prince Charles and Princess Diana got married in 1981, her friend Jamie Graham and his partner invited everyone over for breakfast.
“We all crawled on top of the bed and had crumpets, toast and tea.”