Looking for a royal wedding-watching party in Ottawa?
Many early-morning events sold out as monarchists prepare to congregate
“Never wear your fascinator in public before breakfast,” my grandmother often warned. “It makes you look tawdry, like some early-morning walk of shame after a late night of drinking.”
This Saturday, however, may prove the exception to granny’s rule, as Ottawa’s Royal Family watchers, monarchists and curiosity-seekers will arise — many well before the same sun that once upon a time never set on the British Empire — and tune in to the happy union of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The duchess-to-be’s actual walk down the aisle of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle won’t happen until about 7 a.m. ET, but CBC’s television coverage of the noble nuptials will commence at 4 a.m., or roughly 30 minutes before the wedding guests even begin to arrive, leaving precious little time for Canadian viewers to change out of their Winnipeg Jets sweaters and don their Union Jack ascots, bowlers and aforementioned fascinators.
If you haven’t already made plans to do so, however, finding like-minded royalists with whom to share in the princely pre- and post-dawn pageantry may prove a difficult task, unless, that is, you’re already among the 80 or 100 lucky invitees to British High Commissioner Susan le Jeune d’Allegeer shecque’s private mocktail matinee viewing at her Sussex Drive residence, or if ticket scalpers have decided to take advantage of some of the other sold-out functions in the area.
Chief among those is the Eastern Ontario chapter’s Make-AWish Foundation event at the Fairmont Château Laurier. Only 100 tickets were made available for the $100-a-plate high tea service at Zoé’s, which will feature the Queen’s own favourite sandwiches — Royal Jam Pennies, with strawberry jam, strawberry powder and butter on white or brown bread — and coronation chicken on brioche, the Château’s take on a 65-year-old classic, and wedding cake. Towards the end of the three-hour fairy-tale gathering, one unsuspecting child’s wish will be revealed and granted.
A bit farther west, The High Tea Social is hosting a 6-11 a.m. tea and viewing party — also sold out — at the Kanata Sports Club on McKitrick Drive. If your charm and faux English accent can’t sweet-talk you past the bouncer there, you’ll be just a 12-minute drive to the Stittsville branch of the Ottawa Public Library, at 1637 Stittsville Main, where their viewing party commences at the more civilized hour of 10 a.m., by which time CBC’s producers and technicians will hopefully have slapped together a brilliant highlight reel.
(Additionally, the Greenboro branch of the Ottawa Public Library, at 363 Lorry Greenberg Dr., will also be streaming the royal wedding from their two digital screens.)
According to library manager Jane Venus, their event grew out of a royal wedding-themed display that was put up a couple of weeks ago at the library — including a life-size cardboard cut-out of the Queen.
“There was lots of public interest in the display,” she said, “so we thought, ‘ Why not? We’ll open the program room on Saturday and serve tea and biscuits, and see what happens.’”
There will also be a large postcard on hand for visitors and well-wishers to sign, which will be mailed to the newlyweds.
Failing that, you can always simply wander the pre-dawn streets in your spats and fancy plumage, and see what party offers you get.
There was lots of public interest in the display, so we thought, ‘Why not? We’ll open the program room on Saturday and serve tea and biscuits, and see what happens.’