Today saw the Royal marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markel. This is the third Royal Wedding I’ve attended from the comfort of my home. I guess you could now say its Three Weddings and a Funeral. Each one holds a memory for me. But today’s ceremony stands out as one of incredible beauty and hope. The blending of two worlds wrapped in a ribbon of love.
I know there are those who are not fans of the Monarchy. I am not one of them. I’m not an avid follower, but nor am I devoid of care for them. They have always been a part of my life. A lovely part of my life. They connect me with my Scottish roots and remind me of my mother. Cups of tea. Pomp. Circumstance. Good deeds. A bygone era. Royalty. I don’t mind it. As a matter of fact, I cherish it. They bring joy to a lot of people’s lives. Mine included. I’ve watched Princes William and Harry grow up. Mourned the loss of their Mother. Learned to tolerate Camilla. Grown more fond of the Queen as the years go by. I can’t imagine my world without them in it. I hope the monarchy stays for a long time. My belief is the last two Royal Weddings give us hope.
Today I saw the melding of two worlds. The pomp and beauty that is anything royal. And the down to earth beauty that is Meghan Markel with a healthy dose of down home gospel. Those who officiated the ceremony were great. A clear indicator of the two worlds that were becoming one. There are times we had ‘Church’ at the wedding. Now I am of the opinion the sermon of Bishop Michael Curry went on too long, but it was a great message. The stiff upper lip crowd was silent, but that was to be expected. In my mind, though, I could hear "Amen!" and "Preach!". To hear that type of ‘preach’ in that setting was refreshing. Then there was the music. It was sublime. Beginning with the gorgeous soprano, the glorious Kingdom Choir with Stand by Me. The boys choir was stunning. The transcendent cello performance. And again the uplifting gospel choir at the end with a medley of This Little Light of Mine and Amen. It was wonderful. It was Pomp ‘n Gospel.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how beautiful the bride looked. She was stunning. I love the freckles. The Queen looked lovely in her chartreuse ensemble with a splash of royal purple. Kate was stunning as usual. There were the cute child bearers. My particular favourites were the Macaulay Culkin look-a-likes. The floor! Did you notice the floor? Wow. The floral arches were gorgeous. The fascinating fascinator hats are always a source of amusement. The Harp with “Her Royal Highness Princess of Wales” inscribed on it. Such beauty.
I loved the message of the wedding itself the most. We are all one. Love conquers fear. A world with love is a better place. We could all learn from that. To love those who are different than us. They add spice to our world. They shake things up a bit. Make things new. Add beauty. Join us together.
Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. May your lives together be full of love and happiness. And may we all continue to enjoy a little more Pomp ‘n Gospel.
