Check out my “Blog Fellows” column at the right for a complete list of royal/British bloggers.
You are also welcome to take a gander at the Royal Wedding Stamp covers. A limited number of these covers are also signed by Baron Fellowes of Stafford – famous actor, novelist, film director and screenwriter who has portrayed King George IV as Prince Regent twice, and is perhaps better known as the creator of ITV’s critically acclaimed Downton Abbey.
click for larger image
The covers cost just £12.95 unsigned, or £24.95 signed by Baron Fellowes. Visit www.buckinghamcovers.com to find out more and order online, or give them a call on +44(0)1303 278 137.
Royal Weddings: A Very Peculiar History (With Added Majesty)
By Fiona MacDonald || Published by Salariya
This little hardcover treasure trove of wedding facts is divided into nine chapters, full of delightful history lessons.
Just before you pore over the contents, you are presented with small Q&A of royal wedding facts, as well as a handy family tree of Queen Victoria’s English descendants. These make a great introduction.
You expect proposals, weddings, and honeymoons to be romantic, but that’s not always the case among royals. One of my favorite courtship stories in the book is between William the Conqueror and the object of his desire, Matilda of Flanders.
Around 1047, the young Duke William of Normandy sent a proposal of marriage to Matilda, daughter of the king of France.
He was turned down flat.
Matilda haughtily refused him, saying she ‘would marry no bastard’. William leapt on his horse, rode to the royal palace, stormed his way into Matilda’s bedchamber, and dragged her around the room by her hair. Rather surprisingly, this savage courtship won Matilda’s heart, and they enjoyed a long and happy marriage together.
William the Conqueror, indeed.
Another favorite section of mine is the unique piece that puts you in Henry Tudor’s shoes. You have to deal with betrothal at age 11, becoming king, finding a wife, trying to produce an heir, then trying to get a divorce. Then you have to find another wife. Did I mention finding a wife? And in the end, your longed-for male heir is sickly and dies young. It’s your daughter that heralds England’s golden Elizabethan era.
The little details put into this book really make it entertaining and fascinating. We get the low-down on select wedding cakes, background on the traditional dressing – and undressing – of the bride, and the little favors they gave to their guests. The Queen, as a young princess in 1947, gave her wedding guests little hand-tied posies of myrtle and Scottish white heather.
My only point of contention is the graphic embellishment in this book. While beautifully detailed, it looks too busy. Mind you, the book is only about 4″ x 5″; if it was a larger book, there would be more room for the graphics. The small size of the book is what makes it very charming, however, and any book I can tuck into my purse and take with me everywhere is definitely a plus!
Royal Weddings: A Very Peculiar History, is a great book and an absolute gem to have in the run-up to Prince William’s royal wedding. You will heartily enjoy MacDonald’s compilation.
Fiona Macdonald will be helping to provide commentary on the day of Prince William’s wedding, live on MSNBC. Be sure to check it out!
In honor of the impending nuptials, Silva Screen Records, Ltd. has released a sensational CD of music entitled Music For A Royal Wedding.
The triumphant trumpets of Fanfare For A Festive Occasion ushers us into a world of pomp and circumstance. Pie Jesu is both haunting and uplifting. Helena Blackman’s rendition of I Vow To Thee My Country, already touching and heartfelt, will move you even more and bring you to tears.
No wedding music selection would be complete without Richard Wagner’s classic Lohengrin Bridal March. Other highlights include Lesley Garrett’s delicate reading of Lakmé’s The Flower Duet, William Walton’s stirring music for Henry V and Craig Armstrong’s tender Balcony Scene from Romeo & Juliet.
The complete list of music, below, for you to enjoy and celebrate along with William and Kate!
1. FANFARE FOR A FESTIVE OCCASION
2. ELSA’S PROCESSION TO THE CATHEDRAL FROM LOHENGRIN
3. NIMROD
4. PIE JESU
5. BRIDAL MARCH FROM LOHENGRIN
6. POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE MARCH NO. 4
7. OVERTURE/THE GLOBE THEATRE FROM HENRY V
8. TOCCATA 5TH SYMPHONY
9. SOUS LE DÔME ÉPAIS (THE FLOWER DUET)
10. CROWN IMPERIAL
11. FOR THE LOVE OF A PRINCESS
12. CANON IN D MAJOR
13. THE BALCONY SCENE FROM WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO + JULIET
14. WEDDING MARCH FROM FROM A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT DREAM
Remember good old RoyaltyNow!? It’s back. DailyMotion will hold the actual videos like PodcastPeople did previously. There are several videos at YouTube, but those are just previews or updates.
Like the new layout? Stop in and tell me what you think.
Regia Anglorum is a re-enactment society that brings you genuine, living history. They live in the time of the first millenium when Anglo-Saxons, Danes, and Viking invaders fought countless battles for control of England.
In the midst of these battles is the heart of everyday English life as it was then: blacksmiths and storytellers, potters and fishermen. The society’s online presence at Regia.org also provides this English history at your fingertips. Their available articles range from everyday life and language to weapons and warfare. So if you are an Anglophile or a history teacher looking for in-depth information about William the Conqueror or his people’s timeframe, this is the place to be.
I’ve added a couple of new links about jewels. Who doesn’t love royal and historical jewelry?
First is Clive Kandel’s New York Jewelry Diary. His blog covers auctions happening at Sotheby’s as well as iconic people: royals, actresses, and socialites that made their mark and dazzled with their gems.
You will wax poetic over the antique jewelry found at The Three Graces, which I found through NYJD. The Three Graces “opens a vista into the world of fine antique jewelry where every jewel tells a story”. The company showcases only genuine period jewelry. You will find no reproductions here, but they do offer modern jewelry in a category of its own. They do not have a physical shop, only an online presence.
, is a great book and an absolute gem to have in the run-up to Prince William’s royal wedding. You will heartily enjoy MacDonald’s compilation. 
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