In The Royal Manner (15 page)
HENLEY REGATTA – the Henley Regatta has taken place every summer for the last 150 years. It is held in the first week of July and turns the usually quiet town of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire upside down. Picnicking and watching the rowing races is free on the towpath alongside the l-mile course. If you want to be seen though, you should head for the Stewards’ Enclosure. In here, men wear jackets or a blazer, tie or cravat and aren't allowed to remove their jackets, no matter how hot! Ladies wear hats and long, floaty dresses – no knees are allowed to be shown, nor trousers worn! The Stewards’ Car Park is
the
place to have your picnic, preferably eaten from the family silver, set out upon tables and chairs in front of your Rolls-Royce or Bentley!
WIMBLEDON – during the last week of June and first week of July, whilst the court is in residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London's SW19 comes alive with a huge tennis tournament. The public queue for hours – even days – to get into the hallowed ground for a chance to see their favourite players. Tonnes of strawberries are served with cream, and gallons of Pimm's and champagne are drunk. In the Royal Box and Members’ Enclosure, you must wear smart dress, jackets and ties. Even on very hot days, men are not allowed to remove their shirts.
An unusual perspective on the crowd outside Buckingham Palace waiting to greet Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Wales, 21 July 1981.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
This has been the official London residence of the sovereign since 1830 and is built on the site of Buckingham House, which was bought by George III in 1761 for Queen Charlotte. Most of the present building was constructed in 1825 by John Nash.
The original ceremonial entrance to the Palace was the arch situated at the west end of London's Oxford Street. This Marble Arch was removed from the Mall and placed in Oxford Street by Queen Victoria. The facade that stands in its place was built in 1913.
When the Queen is in residence, the Royal Standard flies from the flagstaff, and these days the Union flag flies at all other times. The Changing of the Guard takes place daily during the summer, and on every other day during the winter. The State Rooms of the Palace are open to the public during August and September when the Royal Family are in Scotland at Balmoral Castle.
The private and well-appointed gardens, including a lake complete with flamingos, are a perfect setting for the annual garden parties. Each party caters for approximately nine thousand individuals from all walks of life.
THE PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE
This is the official residence of the sovereign in Scotland, built on the site of a monastery which was founded in 1128. Its granite walls have witnessed dramatic plots and even murders. Mary Queen of Scots’ lover, Rizzio, was dragged from his room in one of the turrets, down the spiral stone stairs and stabbed to death. A brass plaque marks the spot where he died.
The Palace was built in a square formation and has an inner courtyard of Italian design. The State Rooms are cavernous and are ideal for receptions and investitures, and have changed very little since the reign of Mary Queen of Scots.
Today, the Queen traditionally spends a week here in late June or early July, when she carries out her Scottish engagements, including an annual garden party in the Palace grounds. I would exercise Her Majesty's corgis every day in the Palace grounds which are overlooked by an escarpment of rock called Arthur's Seat. This dominates the Edinburgh skyline, and offers the most impressive views of the Palace from its summit.
On 29 June 1981, while thousands waited outside for a glimpse of the new Royal bride, vividly remember watching the Princess, in her taffeta and tulle wedding dress, laughing and running the length of the principal corridor at Buckingham Palace.
Her shoes in one hand and her train rolled up under her arm. She was full of life and the perfect picture of happiness, surrounded by Van Dycks, Canalettos and Rembrandts in the Queen's Picture Gallery. Here was a young woman on the threshold of her life, brimming with health and hope for the future.
Everyone loves a wedding. It can be the happiest and most enjoyable of all occasions. However it can also be the most traumatic, daunting and stressful to arrange. The vital key is to plan the event well in advance: you cannot begin planning too early! The day of your dreams will soon become reality. Setting a date, usually around a year in advance, and planning a venue for the ceremony and reception are the next steps after becoming engaged.
There are so many ways that you can celebrate your special day, from a straightforward church service or registry office ceremony to a blessing on a beach in the sun. Many hotels and public places have been granted a marriage licence now, so you could get married just about anywhere! You don't have to spend a fortune: a simple wedding and reception at home can be just as special, provided you have the space of course.
The budget for the wedding will vary according to specific requirements and personal taste. If the ceremony is in the morning, then two meals may be involved: a wedding breakfast and an evening bullet. If you opt for an afternoon wedding this might not be necessary. Traditionally the wedding costs are settled by the bride's parents, but increasingly both sets of parents and the couple themselves share the costs between them.
ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
It is traditional for engagements to be announced in the newspaper. If you want to do this, your announcement should be issued using the following example: ‘The engagement is announced between Adam, the youngest son of Mr and Mrs James Broadwood of Chester, Cheshire, and Samantha Jane, only daughter of Mr and Mrs Alan Fisher of Telford, Shropshire.’
If your ceremony is to be held in a church, the parish priest or vicar will offer their full assistance, and will organize and explain the reading of ‘The Banns’ if appropriate. This is a traditional public announcement read out in churches belonging to the Church of England faith on three consecutive Sundays prior to the wedding. The banns were originally intended to inform the local community of a couple's intention to marry and give them the opportunity to object, as many families may-have been related by blood. After discussions with the priest or vicar, you will have the basic skeleton of your service and you can then add hymns, readings and musical arrangements. You may want to have an ‘Order of Service’ printed for the ceremony; this acts as a guide for your guests and, of course, becomes a very personal souvenir of the day.
In Britain, a Registry Office is by far the most popular alternative to those who don't want a church wedding. Any Registry Office in the country has the power to marry couples over the age of eighteen. You only need give twenty-one days’ notice, and ceremonies can be held between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday, excluding Holy days. Similarly, Americans can choose to be married at a civil ceremony in front of a judge, For many years it has been fashionable for couples to elope and marry at Gretna Green, in Scotland. Many couples have married there in secret, often without the approval of their families. For all Registry Office ceremonies you are required to provide two witnesses over the age of eighteen; no religious hvmns or prayers are permitted, but popular songs and poems are allowed.
Many hotels, castles and country houses have been granted special licences to enable them to hold marriage ceremonies, and the same rules apply as for the Registry Officc. Finally, if formality doesn't suit, there are travel companies which offer all-inclusive wedding holidays in exotic locations, which means you can escape and get married under the laws of the host country. These organized holidays mean that your licence will be valid and recognized in the United Kingdom; if you are arranging this yourself, you will need to do some research and careful planning. St Lucia, known as the Honeymoon Island, is a very popular destination for weddings abroad.
A ROYAL WEDDING RECEPTION
It would be wonderful to invite everyone you know to your wedding breakfast, but this is not practical for most of us. Even Royal weddings have their limitations, and the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales was no exception. Two nights before their wedding day, an elaborate ball was held for all the visiting Heads of State and dignitaries who could not attend the wedding breakfast. The guests included Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco and her son, Prince Albert and the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, and her husband, Denis; all the crowned heads of Europe were represented, including Their Majesties the King and Queen of Greece. Such vivid memories of that evening will be with me for ever.
WEDDING INVITATIONS
Wedding invitations are sent out no later than six weeks before the wedding by the bride's parents. They can be in the form of a greetings card or plain card, and are usually decorated with wedding symbols and designs. A good stationer's will be able to offer you numerous choices. Budget for one invitation per family, allowing an extra dozen or so for last minute guests and for making mistakes. As far as the wording is concerned, this is the correct format:
Mr and Mrs John Smith
request the pleasure of the company
.......................................
at the marriage of their daughter
Sarah Jane
with
Mr dayid Jones
at St dayid's Church, Leicester
on Saturday 14 August 1999 at 2pm
and afterwards at the Country Lane Hotel, Leicester
RSVP
10 Park Lane
Leicester LH2 1PP
Only the names written on the invitation are invited, so if you wish to invite entire families, including the children, their names should be on the invitation as well. Separate invitations should be issued for the evening reception to every guest attending – even those who have received one for the wedding breakfast. Those guests attending the wedding breakfast shouldn't assume They are invited to the evening party unless a formal invitation has been issued. It is useful to send directions and maps for all venues, together with some details of overnight accommodation if your guests are travelling a long way.
