| The Royal Wedding The Royal Wedding - 29th April 2011 If there is one thing that the BBC still does better than anyone then it is 'State Occasions'. Ok, so this wasn't strictly a 'State Occasion' but it was in all but name. And the BBC, as seen here on this Dvd, captured all the splendour and pageantry like no other. Their coverage was beyond reproach: solemn & respectful when it needed to be; amusing and funny at other times (well Prince Harry provided most of the lighter moments!). But it conveyed to the viewers the enormity of the occasion with a reported 1 million people in the centre of London to witness it. The camerawork was brilliant - you feel the presence of the huge crowds as though you are there. The plethora of presenters or reporters (the fashion gurus, the historians, the talking heads) fill us with just enough info to understand each facet of the wedding without ever coming close to feeling that they're talking down to us. Superb. In the UK there were over 5,000 street parties on the special Friday Bank Holiday & 20 million people watched The Royal Wedding though it didn't quite capture the same number as those who watched the Princess Diana wedding some 30 years ago. Still, it's a phenomenal viewing figure and the biggest UK viewing audience since the funeral of the now Duke of Cambridge's (Prince William to you and me) mother some 13 years ago. It shows that despite the grumbles of the Republicans the Royal Family still hold their spell over a British public though it cannot be denied that it has waned slightly over the years. Times change but you could say that despite this it has held up remarkably well in terms of the affection the British public still has for the Queen and her immediate family. Yes, the crowds weren't quite so frenetic as the Silver Jubilee or the Charles/Di wedding but we are in, after all, a crippling recession and when you take that into consideration the genorosity of the crowds and the viewers is humbling. It also shows that despite the worst recession of a generation (or maybe because of it?) the British Public can still celebrate as a nation. Hope over adversity, I suppose. A generous warmth and affection for a privileged couple at the start of their wedded journey. Maybe the former Catherine Middleton will take the Royal Family to similar heights in terms of popularity that Princess Diana once achieved. She is certainly beautiful and stylish enough to do so and seems affable enough. Only time will tell. The BBC at its best mirrors the nation. It gives sight to what we want or have to see. It can do no more nor should it try to for that is what it is there for. That is its remit. On this DVD they do it perfectly. Special Feature: William & Kate - A Royal Engagement Kate's dress was by designer Sarah Burton, and the Halo tiara was borrowed from the Queen. The Halo is a beautifully light Cartier creation. It was commissioned by the Duke of York, later George VI, for his Duchess three weeks before he succeeded his brother as King and she became Queen Elizabeth, latterly the Queen Mother. The train of the gown was 9ft long. The fairytale dresses of the bridesmaids were made by children's designer Nicki Macfarlane. The choir was conducted by choirmaster Andrew Gant. The new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wed in front of a 1900-strong congregation of friends, relatives and dignitaries. Prince William delighted the crowds when he emerged from Buckingham Palace behind the wheel of his father's 1970 Aston Martin DB6 Volante - decorated with balloons, ribbons, L-plates and the registration JUST WED - to drive his new bride the short distance up The Mall to Clarence House. Affiliate/Advertising policy.
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