Thoughts on the Royal Wedding...and What It Showed Me About God
I'm a little late to the party in my analysis of the recent Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. (The end of the school year grading rush has been hitting me hard the last few weeks. I'm finally getting a lull now with only one week left of school.) But back on Saturday, May 19, I was one of those faithful royal fans who got up at 4:30am to watch coverage of the wedding on TV.
Prior to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011, I didn't really pay much attention to the British royals. I remember Princess Diana's death in 1997, but since I was only 9 years old I didn't fully appreciate the magnitude of that event. I remember my mom got up early to watch the funeral and she was very distressed about it all, but I was too young and I didn't know enough about the Royals to understand it all. Over the years I remember hearing occasional news stories about Princes William and Harry, their father Prince Charles, and the Queen of course, but it didn't catch my interest too much. At some point I saw the movie "The King's Speech" and came to appreciate how Queen Elizabeth's father came to the throne after his brother abdicated, and also set his daughter on a path to sovereignty she hadn't expected. It was a fascinating story, but again, I didn't spend time learning too much more.
Then suddenly in November 2010, it was announced that Prince William was engaged and a royal wedding was in the works. My mom got all excited and made a big deal about how she, my sister, and I should get up early to watch the wedding and have a special breakfast. (Tea and scones probably). In the months leading up to that wedding, my interest slowly grew. I wanted to read articles and watch videos about Will and Kate, their childhoods and how they met and fell in love. I wanted to learn more about Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Camilla, the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Harry, and various other royal figures. The wedding itself was beautiful and full of so much joy. The pageantry, tradition, music, and overall fairy tale atmosphere struck me so much. And my interest continued to grow after the wedding was over as I consumed articles, documentaries, movies, books, some re-watches of the wedding online, and started following social media accounts of the Royals. (I recommend the Kensington Palace Instagram, @kensingtonroyal).
Both William and Harry have also met and married commoner women, something unheard of for royals a few decades ago. After learning more about the lives of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, it's clear that William's and Harry's choice of wives is groundbreaking and a sign of renewal for the Royal Family. Both of them have married women who grew up thinking it was impossible to end up marrying a prince. Kate Middleton was an ordinary British girl from a middle class family who met Prince William in college. Meghan Markle lived an ordinary childhood in Los Angeles, worked hard to make it as an actress, and then lucked out to have a friend who knew Prince Harry and introduced them. Both stories feel like something out of fairy tales, where an unlikely woman marries a prince after chance circumstances bring them together and they fall in love. It's even more unlikely for Meghan because she's American. Both of these young women (Kate and Meghan) were strong and independent on their own, but are now using their royal status to advance causes and make a difference also.
All weddings, royal or not, are a sign of hope, belief in a better future. It's a visible sign that true love is real, the love of the couple and the love God has for his people. I see weddings clearly as a sign that God is real, showing himself in the love of the couple and the miraculous circumstances that brought them together (God's work, of course). Any wedding should be inspiring to those who witness it. A royal wedding just draws a larger audience, allowing more people to be inspired.
In Harry and Meghan's wedding, I was struck by so many elements that were very unconventional, based on everything I've learned about the Royals over the years. This included the exciting and fiery preacher giving the sermon, the gospel choir, invitations to charity workers and schoolchildren to stand in the grounds outside St. George's Chapel, and their small but obvious displays of affection. It was a beautiful wedding for a couple that is very clearly in love. And as a royal wedding, this love is on display for the entire world to see. We all get to appreciate the hope and promise of this wedding and the unlikely love story it presents.
The Royals are highly esteemed because of their station in life, but in the end, they are just ordinary human beings. Their story shows that the past doesn't have to define us, we can always change for the better, and hope and joy can grow out of the ashes of great sorrow and brokenness. I do see God in the story of the British Royal Family's in the last 80 years and I think only He can bring about this kind of redemption and hope. I'm sure we can all experience the same redemption and hope in our own lives, if we have the strength and faith to seek it.
If you want to learn more about the British Royal Family (or just feed your existing fascination), here are some of my recommendations. (All links go to IMDB or Amazon):
Prior to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011, I didn't really pay much attention to the British royals. I remember Princess Diana's death in 1997, but since I was only 9 years old I didn't fully appreciate the magnitude of that event. I remember my mom got up early to watch the funeral and she was very distressed about it all, but I was too young and I didn't know enough about the Royals to understand it all. Over the years I remember hearing occasional news stories about Princes William and Harry, their father Prince Charles, and the Queen of course, but it didn't catch my interest too much. At some point I saw the movie "The King's Speech" and came to appreciate how Queen Elizabeth's father came to the throne after his brother abdicated, and also set his daughter on a path to sovereignty she hadn't expected. It was a fascinating story, but again, I didn't spend time learning too much more.
Then suddenly in November 2010, it was announced that Prince William was engaged and a royal wedding was in the works. My mom got all excited and made a big deal about how she, my sister, and I should get up early to watch the wedding and have a special breakfast. (Tea and scones probably). In the months leading up to that wedding, my interest slowly grew. I wanted to read articles and watch videos about Will and Kate, their childhoods and how they met and fell in love. I wanted to learn more about Princess Diana, Prince Charles, Camilla, the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Harry, and various other royal figures. The wedding itself was beautiful and full of so much joy. The pageantry, tradition, music, and overall fairy tale atmosphere struck me so much. And my interest continued to grow after the wedding was over as I consumed articles, documentaries, movies, books, some re-watches of the wedding online, and started following social media accounts of the Royals. (I recommend the Kensington Palace Instagram, @kensingtonroyal).
The trajectory of the Royal Family's story over the last 80 years has become very fascinating to me, like it is for many people. I'm generally not a celebrity follower so my fascination isn't with the glamour of their lives. It's more the compelling nature of their story and I'm always a sucker for a good story. In the Royals I see a definite story of redemption and triumph over pain and mistakes of the past, especially in the lives of Prince Harry and Prince William. These two princes have risen up from the tragedy of losing their mother, Diana, when they were boys, pursuing school, military, and careers, and founding and supporting charities. They've had moments of wild partying that drew media attention (especially Harry), but they've grown up beyond that to become men who want to use their influence to make a difference.
Both William and Harry have also met and married commoner women, something unheard of for royals a few decades ago. After learning more about the lives of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, it's clear that William's and Harry's choice of wives is groundbreaking and a sign of renewal for the Royal Family. Both of them have married women who grew up thinking it was impossible to end up marrying a prince. Kate Middleton was an ordinary British girl from a middle class family who met Prince William in college. Meghan Markle lived an ordinary childhood in Los Angeles, worked hard to make it as an actress, and then lucked out to have a friend who knew Prince Harry and introduced them. Both stories feel like something out of fairy tales, where an unlikely woman marries a prince after chance circumstances bring them together and they fall in love. It's even more unlikely for Meghan because she's American. Both of these young women (Kate and Meghan) were strong and independent on their own, but are now using their royal status to advance causes and make a difference also.
All weddings, royal or not, are a sign of hope, belief in a better future. It's a visible sign that true love is real, the love of the couple and the love God has for his people. I see weddings clearly as a sign that God is real, showing himself in the love of the couple and the miraculous circumstances that brought them together (God's work, of course). Any wedding should be inspiring to those who witness it. A royal wedding just draws a larger audience, allowing more people to be inspired.
In Harry and Meghan's wedding, I was struck by so many elements that were very unconventional, based on everything I've learned about the Royals over the years. This included the exciting and fiery preacher giving the sermon, the gospel choir, invitations to charity workers and schoolchildren to stand in the grounds outside St. George's Chapel, and their small but obvious displays of affection. It was a beautiful wedding for a couple that is very clearly in love. And as a royal wedding, this love is on display for the entire world to see. We all get to appreciate the hope and promise of this wedding and the unlikely love story it presents.
The Royals are highly esteemed because of their station in life, but in the end, they are just ordinary human beings. Their story shows that the past doesn't have to define us, we can always change for the better, and hope and joy can grow out of the ashes of great sorrow and brokenness. I do see God in the story of the British Royal Family's in the last 80 years and I think only He can bring about this kind of redemption and hope. I'm sure we can all experience the same redemption and hope in our own lives, if we have the strength and faith to seek it.
If you want to learn more about the British Royal Family (or just feed your existing fascination), here are some of my recommendations. (All links go to IMDB or Amazon):
- The Crown (Netflix)- Of course! Drama series following the life of Queen Elizabeth II at the start of her reign and those surrounding her.
- The Royals (Netflix)- Documentary series about the Royal Family, covering various topics
- Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute (Netflix)- Documentary featuring interviews and home movies about the Queen throughout her life
- Prince Philip: The Plot to Make a King (Netflix)- Documentary about the life of the Queen's husband, Prince Philip, as a young man and his uncle's involvement in their meeting
- The Queen (Netflix)- Excellent film about the perspective of the Queen (played by Helen Mirren) on the death of Diana and its aftermath. It won the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Director in 2007.
- The King's Speech- Another well-known Oscar winning movie about the Royal Family (2011 Best Picture, Best Actor- Colin Firth, Best Director, and Best Writing). This one is about the Queen's father, how he came to the throne, and how he overcame his stuttering to inspire Britain during World War II.
- Royal Wedding of a Lifetime- Lifetime Channel documentary about the childhoods and courtship of William and Kate, along with wedding predictions. Aired in the weeks leading up to their wedding in 2011.
- William & Kate (Lifetime Movie)- Cheesy, but cute, Lifetime movie about the courtship of William and Kate
- Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance (Lifetime Movie)- Equally cheesy movie about Harry and Meghan. Good mindless entertainment. :)
- The Making of a Royal Romance (Book by Katie Nicholl)- Describes the childhoods of William, Kate (and also Harry), along with the courtship of William and Kate leading up to the wedding. It's an edit of a book the author wrote earlier about just William and Harry. Very interesting book with lots of inside details.
- American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (Book by Leslie Carroll)- A similar book to the one above, focusing on Harry and Meghan and the events leading up to their engagement and wedding day.
- Game of Crowns: Elizabeth, Camilla, Kate, and the Throne (Book by Christopher Andersen)- Fascinating book covering the lives of Queen Elizabeth, Camilla, and Kate and their relationships with each other, their husbands, children, and other members of the Royal Family. It lays out some interesting implications for the future once the Queen is gone and the crown passes to Charles.
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