School pupils dress up to join the celebrations

PUPILS dressed up as royalty to celebrate the wedding of Price Harry and Meghan Markle.

Children at Cardiff’s Millbank Primary spent yesterday celebrating the couple’s big day in advance with a royal garden party picnic, royal ball and an assembly on the theme of love and the commonwealth.

In the run up to the big event pupils had family as a theme for the week. They debated discussed and learned about love, relationships, the commonwealth and the monarchy in lessons in the run up to the wedding.

Younger pupils made Union Jack bunting, decorations and paper crowns and tiaras.

“Everyone has come in dressed as princesses, princes, paige boys, bridesmaids, kings and queens,” said head teacher Karen Brown.

“I am dressed as the queen with a tiara. A few people have called me “your majesty! We always do something to celebrate the end of national tests and this year we decided to celebrate the royal wedding too.

“We’ve had an assembly on love and the commonwealth and the playground has been decorated for lunch outside. We’ve got bouncy castles and face painting and although it’s not an open day some parents have come in to help.

“It’s been family week all week and the little ones have made crowns while older children debated “should we have a monarchy?”. It came out about 50/50 in the end and they discussed the country and how it’s run.”

Pupils said they had a wonderful time marking the royal wedding with a day of celebrations.

Ruby Aldridge, seven, said: “My teacher told me about a street party for Princess Diana and Prince Charles when she was young, so we all decided to have our own celebration in school.”

Sam Lloyd, 10, said Megan was the modern princess the country needs: “It’s really good to have someone who is mixed race in the royal family now, as it shows the UK is for everyone.”

Fellow year fives had a debate about the monarchy. Megan Farmer, 10, said: “I think the monarchy shows the UK in a positive light around the world” while Ellie-Mai Francis, nine, believes: “The Queen is able to speak for the nation at happy times and sad times, like at the Olympic Games in London and after the Grenfell disaster last year. We discussed if it’s fair that the public purse pays for the royal family. But then we thought they might bring into the country a lot more than they cost”

Finley Horrocks, seven, said he now knows more about the monarchy: “I’ve enjoyed learning about the royal family, like Prince William who will be king one day. I’m dressed up in a smart suit as a guest today.”

Amelia Mugalassi, 10, thinks the royals are good for the economy and putting Britain on the map: “It’s good as lots of people visit our country to see the royal family and their castles and palaces, which brings money to the country,” she said.