With the arrival of another royal baby imminent, we go to the recent past to an event the newspaper front described as the "best thing that has happened to the British monarchy in a generation". And it's hard to disagree with that summary of the royal wedding of "princess bride'' Catherine Middleton and the heir to the throne, Prince William.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
It was a classic wedding for aficionados of such things, more conventional than the more recent Harry and Meghan Markle nuptials, with its Hollywood star power and ebullient celebrant. No, Will and Kate's was a wedding that was all class, pomp and fascinators, the latter of which delivered one of the signature looks of the event, an antlers-looking thing on the head of Princess Beatrice.
Australia was represented at the wedding by then prime minister Julia Gillard. As far as controversy went, it was the area of bridesmaid dresses that created the only real stir, specifically Kate's sister and bridesmaid Pippa doing the always touchy thing of wearing white to someone else's wedding.
But all in all it was a wedding that thrilled those of us already warm to royal pageantry, and softened the republican opposition of many others for at least a few hours.
