Crowds gather for royal wedding

[Win2Win Racing]

Thousands of people throng central London to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey.

More... (http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-13229961)

[Win2Win]

Anyone watching this today?

[bigcumba]

Nope, not if I can help it, Karen will probably be watching, I'll only be interested if there's something major going wrong.

[johnwilly]

Definitely not

[Win2Win]

It's on every news channel :yikes: :doh1:

[tovarich]

Anyone watching this today?

Tony and Cherie, having been judged by history!!! :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

[MattR]

I'm not a royalist but don't really care either way. I did watch a bit while I was working and there is no doubt it's one of the few things this country excels at. My girlfriend who's Canadian watched it all and enjoyed it. One thing I will say is that it was at least a day where celebrating and waving British flags was allowed which is a rarity these days when we appear to not be able to celebrate being British!

[Win2Win]

Wasn't much of a party in my right-wing Plaid Cymru village :doh

[barneymather]

I got the day off work, so can't complain. I caught a bit of it on TV whilst at my dinner, however that was it.

When I was in my late teens (which ain't yesterday :wink:), I was a bit of an anti-Royalist, although at that time - mid 80s - the press almost exclusively fawned over the Royal Family and I think this ignited the rebellious streak which most young people have.

Now, after all the negative Press over Fergie then the demise of Diana and the other stories which emerged during the late 80s and 90s, I think Royal coverage is more on an even keel. Although the coverage is still mostly positive, there's much less forelock-tugging from newspapers.

What does amuse me though is folks in their 40s, 50s and older who are rabidly anti-Royal. Each to their own opinion and all that, but I can't help thinking that the time to loudly proclaim your anti-Establishment credentials is in your teens and early 20s. I'm not saying only young people have the right to dissent, but to be honest I find comments from the likes of Martin Amis to be a little embarrassing. I'm thinking, calm down, dad.

Human nature is such that there will always be an elite of some kind in society, even in the long-established liberal democracies in Europe. We know what France did to their Royals, yet 200 years down the line they ended up with an impeccable republican like Francois Mitterand, who was up to his neck in all sorts yet was given immunity from prosecution.

That doesn't epitomise the true meaning liberty, equality and fraternity to me. Republicans spout fine words, however fallible humans - and politics always attracts too many people who are in it for all the wrong reasons - will never live up to them. Given the experience of the last government, there's no reason to believe the same wouldn't happen in Britain if the Royals were dispensed with.

So, looking at countries such as France and the kind of guys Tony Blair put in the Lords (the hereditary toffs deserved to go but were replaced by others who were, if anything, worse), the Royals are lily-white in comparison, and what the Queen and co. bring in in tourism cash more than pays for their upkeep. That's just my opinion though. :smile:

[Win2Win]

I find it annoying the muppets who were complaing about the cost of the wedding. Did they not notice that about a million people came into London, and surprisingly, they paid for things, like fuel, travel, food, etc... which includes tax. Plus all the 1000's of international people who flew in just for the wedding. I'd bet tax wise they actually made a profit on the wedding..... and how many £Millions over the next few decades will this couple bring into the UK?