Dress Rehearsal, that is!
In the pre-dawn hours of this morning, a dress rehearsal was held on the streets of London.
Timings were tested to the second and all armed forces taking part got the chance to practice their role in full ceremonial dress and ensure nothing is left to chance. The day began very early - about 2am for those involved. People are already camping out along the route to be sure they don’t miss a thing!
First to arrive at the abbey were two of the royal fleet cars - Rolls-Royces which arrived at about 4.50am. Shortly after 5am the action began. It was audible only at first as the sounds of orders being barked out emerged from the final stretch of the route running down from the Houses of Parliament to the abbey.
The horses are used to the crowds and to the streets of London. If you’re up early enough, and in the right place, you can see the Blues and Royals from Buckingham Palace riding through the streets of London, exercising their horses. But they have to be back at the barracks before the witching hour, and you can sometimes see them galloping to get back in time!
I am truly counting the hours until the wedding! My mother was British, never became an American citizen, so royalty obsession is in the genes. I remember waking up early for Princess Diana's wedding, even though I was only 10 (although given that it was a summer wedding, I did not have school that day!). Now, in the age of DVRs and on demand, there really is no reason to get up early...but I am still going to do it!
ReplyDeleteI love those classic (1950s?) Royal Rollses with the huge headlights mounted on the front fenders. I have only seen black ones while in London but noted that the one in which Prince Charles and Camilla were recently attacked was two-tone burgundy and (I think) gray; the news reports said it would be repaired and used in the wedding. I am told that the vehicles used by HRH QE2 have no license plate and wonder if that applies to the immediate family as well. I will be picking up scones, strawberries and clotted cream tomorrow to have them while watching the TV.
ReplyDeleteI used to live on Eccleston Square SW1, not too far from the Palace, and they would clomp under my window every morning. Trust me, it's something you NEVER get tired of.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that I'm doing this, but I am taping the entire wedding on TV and am going to watch it (NOT at 4AM, thanksverymuch). I have never been a fan of the royals, but somehow I've gotten sucked in to this wedding!
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