We had a LAWYER waiting in the wings
What was the plan if a guest HAD objected to the royal wedding? Westminster Abbey’s Dean reveals ...
As Dean of Westminster, Dr John Hall knew that London’s Westminster
Abbey had vast experience of royal and state occasions, but the pressure was still on him as the man responsible for making sure the wedding service went like clockwork on the day and ensuring that all potential problems had been foreseen. At the service, the Dean was set to read the words, ‘If any man can show any just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace’ – and the Abbey’s preparation for that moment gives an idea of the lengths they went to.
‘One of my colleagues said, “You really do need to have a lawyer handy just in case,” so we did. Even though we knew it was all going to be fine, we did actually have a lawyer waiting in the wings.’
The preparations had begun in November of the previous year. ‘We had an indication that the couple were interested in the Abbey and then Catherine came to visit us quite quietly, and I gave her a tour,’ recalls Dr Hall, who retired in 2019. ‘It was a charming moment, just her and me walking through the Abbey. I don’t think she was very familiar with the building and she was obviously interested in seeing it and discovering how it might actually work out in practice. Very soon after that meeting we heard they would like to be married at the Abbey.
‘The wedding date itself came right after Easter, so actually we had already welcomed the Queen for the Maundy Thursday ceremony, then had our Good Friday and Easter Sunday services, before we went straight into getting ready for the wedding the following Friday. It was really a fortnight of high-octane stuff.’
Intense, detailed preparations for the order of service, the music and the decoration had gone on for months. Dr Hall discreetly describes discussions about what music to have in the service as ‘quite lively and interesting’. ‘There were a number of different people who had interesting points of view – not just the couple, but parents and so on. There were influences, and some of the suggestions that had come from different angles had been done away with by the end.’
On the day there was traditional music by Parry and William Walton, and a new piece by John Rutter. ‘It was a lovely, simple, direct piece and he came and listened to the choir singing it. I remember he said to me, “Look, if they don’t like it we can change it completely, don’t worry at all.” He was very charming and not remotely proud. It was quite good they did like it though.’
A bigger concern was the logistics of getting so many choristers and musicians into the Abbey, then ensuring a conductor could make them play and sing together in time. ‘With
two choirs and an orchestra there could have been an absolute disaster with things not coming together, but what was completely extraordinary was that it did.
‘There was a rather last-minute discussion about having a red carpet, and that was put down quite quickly. And then there were the trees. There was a feeling early on that there would be relatively small apple blossom trees but the apple blossom had gone by then, so the magnificent maple trees arrived the day before. There was a bit of a dispute between two of the trees and the BBC because where the trees had been positioned meant that two of the broadcaster’s key remotely controlled cameras were going to be obstructed and wouldn’t have been able to see to the altar. The trees lost and were moved.
‘I remember walking around the Abbey the evening before the wedding – there were just a few TV and radio people around. They left and it felt wonderfully peaceful. I went among the
crowd outside where people were camping out, the sense of anticipation and excitement was really moving.’
On the day, one of Dr Hall’s responsibilities was to greet the senior royals and the bride when they arrived. ‘Prince
William and Prince Harry came about half an hour early. They wanted to mingle with the guests like it was a village wedding, but it didn’t work out because people were in their places inside, so they went into one of the chapels, which was a
precious preparation time for them.’
The Queen and the senior royals followed and then of course the bride. But what on earth do you say to them as you wait for the service to begin, what small talk do you come up with that’s appropriate?
‘I’ve done lots of weddings over the years so you just want to be warm and kind and gentle,’ he says. ‘You want people to feel comfortable and not be too formal because these are human beings. They may be astonishingly internationally recognised people but still... I think I said to Catherine, “I want to
reassure you it will be all right, we are all on your side.”
‘Obviously people were nervous. When the Queen arrived I actually missed a cue myself. I was going to welcome the Queen into the Abbey and I knew that music was then going to happen. I was standing with her waiting for the music to start, but the musicians were waiting for me to give them a signal. I suddenly then twigged that I had to turn round and then the music would start. So the Queen and I ended up speaking for slightly longer than might otherwise have been the case.’ He then led the bride and her father up the aisle to join the groom. ‘At the last rehearsal I said to Catherine and Prince William that they should try to relax, look at each other and say hello quietly. I had meant for the camera not to be looking at them at that point. But I forgot to mention that to the BBC and so actually everyone saw it, but I don’t think it mattered, I think it was just a moment that was very precious of them saying, “We’re here, it’s OK.”
‘After the signing of the registers in the St Edward the Confessor Chapel behind the High Altar I said to
Catherine, “Your Royal Highness, it’s time to go.” So I may have been the first to call her “Your Royal Highness”, I was pleased about that.
‘What was completely astonishing to me was that the atmosphere in the Abbey was so warm and positive, everyone was so pleased to be there. When wehave memorial services or funerals the atmosphere is electric but this was one of the warmest services I can remember, just terrifically happy.
‘I was invited to the reception at Buckingham Palace, then on our way out our Head of Communications said there had been an incident with a cartwheeling verger. I rang him up the next morning and asked him to come in and see me. I think he expected to be rebuked but I said it was a fantastic moment, people saw it and it gave them rather a lot of pleasure, so don’t worry about it. He still works at the Abbey.’